Now this IS what I call a Folk/Rock
album
I LOVE this album. It could turn out to be my favourite of all time. I
love every single track on it and for many different reasons.
My background in music is not in folk but mainly Blues, R and B. and Rock. If I
tell you that some of my favourite bands in the '60's were The Stones, The
Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, The Animals, Yardbirds,
The Who........ you can see where I'm coming from. Back in the 'mists of
time' (O.K. the late '60's then) I was seeing a lovely Irish girl, petite and
slim with long flaming red hair, green eyes.....sigh... Oh sorry I digress.
Anyway she took me to all the local folk clubs and I found that I loved this
music, mainly for the tunes and stories but I did not like the 'weak' acoustic
sounds, usually just 'backed' by one instrument or even unaccompanied. How I
yearned for a rhythm section.
With the advent of Folk/Rock in the late '60's and early '70's my
dreams were answered, in fact the 'whole' turned out to be greater than the two
halves really (that sounds illogical - but I think you know what I mean) and,
well, the rest is history. So I tend to get a bit nervous when I think these
magnificent Folk/Rock bands are getting a bit too near the 'acoustic'
side of the music. So this album is a big step in the 'right' direction, at
least for me, although I know a few people will be a bit dismayed at this change
of tack.
Two favourite tracks so far, as you've probably guessed as they are the rockers,
are the tremendous 'John of Ditchford' and 'Well Done Liar'. If
fact the instrumental break in 'John of Ditchford' has me in a state of
rapture. Is that really a violin?
I also really love 'The White Cliffs of Dover'. It's beautifully menacing
with a feeling of great foreboding, particularly in contrast to the rather
'hopeful' sounding sentiments of the lyrics, which makes them sound rather
ironic now. This track makes me 'crackle' like static electricity. It also makes
me think how different this England is now to the one that I grew up in. It was
very brave to record this and it works. Startling!
'Beyond the Dreaming Place' is just too beautiful. It could have only
been sung like this by Gay, her voice is just magnificent and the
instrument sounds and arrangements are really stunning.
My goodness I do love this album.
Track list.
|
TITLE |
WORDS |
MUSIC |
|
WELL DONE LIAR |
Trad. (Adapted) |
Bob Johnson |
| WHO TOLD THE BUTCHER |
Peter Knight |
Peter Knight |
| JOHN OF DITCHFORD |
Eric Jenkins
adapted by Tim Harries |
Tim Harries |
| I SEE HIS BLOOD UPON THE ROSE |
Joseph Plunkett |
Gay Woods
Arr. Tim Harries
and Gay Woods |
| BLACK SWAN |
|
Tim Harries |
| THE BEGGAR |
Trad. |
Bob Johnson |
| POOR OLD SOLDIER |
Peter Knight |
Peter Knight |
| ARBOUR |
Gay Woods |
Tim Harries |
| THERE WAS A WEALTHY MERCHANT |
Trad. |
Tim Harries |
| BEYOND THE DREAMING PLACE |
Gay Woods |
Peter Knight |
| WE POOR LABOURING MEN |
Trad. |
|
| THE CONNEMARA CRADLE SONG |
Delia Murphy |
Trad. Adapted from
the tune of
Down in the Valley |
| STEPHEN |
Child Ballads adapted
by Tim Harries |
Verse melody adapted from
'St. Nicholas, Godes Druth'
by St. Godric.
Other music: Tim Harries |
| THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER
|
Burton/Kent
|
Burton/Kent
Arr. Gay Woods |
Richard Hollis. 2000
