English Folk Song Bibliography: Addendum

Well-conceived anthology of traditional singing covering nearly every decade since the founding of the Folk-Song Society in 1898, right up to 1998, the year of release. Particularly remarkable are the half-dozen phonograph recordings from the beginning of the twentieth century, made by Vaughan Williams and Cecil Sharp. Other singers include the Coppers, May Bradley, Phil Tanner, Frank Hinchliffe, Mary Ann Haynes. One of the EFDSS's most commendable achievements and an essential introduction to the history of folk-song recording.

Classic Ballads of Britain and Ireland. Ed. Alan Lomax and Peter Kennedy, extended and revised by Peter Kennedy. CDs. 2 vols. The Alan Lomax Collection: Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales. Cambridge, MA: Rounder 11661-1775-2, 11661-1776-2, 2000.

Re-edited from the classic Folk Songs of Britain LPs issued by Topic 1968-71, these CDs are a great disappointment in that they do not provide complete versions of the ballads that were cut short for reasons of space on the LPs and, indeed, perpetrate some fresh horrors in the form of alternating stanzas sung by different singers. But they do still contain some classic recordings, like Cyril Poacher's 'Broomfield Hill' at the Blaxhall Ship, as well as some previously unreleased tracks like Carolyne Hughes's 'Famous Flower of Servingmen'.

Copper Family:

Coppersongs 2: The Living Tradition of the Copper Family. CD. Peacehaven: Coppersongs CD2, 1995.
Coppersongs 3: The Legacy Continues. CD. Peacehaven: Coppersongs CD3, 1998.

Two albums of classic English harmony singing from the current members of the Copper family, headed by Bob Copper, whose grandchildren represent the seventh consecutive generation to sing the family songs.

Come Write Me Down: Early Recordings of the Copper Family. CD. London: Topic TSCD534, 2001.

Very welcome CD release of classic early recordings of the Coppers. The CD comes with two booklets - an authoritative account of the historical context by Vic Gammon and Reg Hall, and notes on the songs by Steve Roud.

Cox, Harry:

The Bonny Labouring Boy: Traditional Songs & Tunes from a Norfolk Farm Worker. 2 CDs. London: Topic TSCD512D, 2000.
What Will Become of England? CD. The Alan Lomax Collection: Portraits. Cambridge, MA: Rounder 11661-1839-2, 2000.

Recordings of Harry Cox, 'the guv'nor' of English folk song. The exemplary double CD from Topic includes recordings made by Charles Parker, Ewan MacColl, Leslie Shepard, Mervyn Plunkett, Frank Purslow, Sheila Park, Bob Thomson, and the BBC over the period 1945-1970, accompanied by an extremely informative booklet. The Rounder CD is of recordings made in 1953 by Alan Lomax and Peter Kennedy, including some interesting pieces of speech where Harry talking to Lomax; the notes are much less coherent than those to the Topic CDs and the union jack cover design is ill-considered, but the actual singing is as fine as ever and the two releases complement one another in their presentation of arguably the greatest of all English traditional singers (if such comparisons, besides being odious, make any sense at all).

Down in the Fields: An Anthology of Traditional Folk Music from Rural England. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VTC4CD, 2001
When the Wind Blows: An Anthology of Traditional Folk Music from Coastal England. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VTC5CD, 2001

Two complementary anthologies of some of the fine traditional singers that Veteran previously issued on cassette. Together they present a very wide range of songs and singers; the anthology format perhaps detracts from the chance to get to know an individual singer's style, but on the other hand these are among of the best available general introductions to English traditional singing.

Good Order! Ladies and Gentlemen Please: Traditional Singing & Music from The Eel's Foot, Eastbridge, Suffolk, Recorded in the 1930s & 40s. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VT140CD, 2000.

Live recordings made mainly by the BBC in the 1930s and 40s at one of the classic traditional singing venues in East Suffolk, a rare insight into the atmosphere of such singing at an early date when traditional singing was rooted in its community. Veteran have cleaned up the recordings to produce a high quality CD, of great historical importance, with some fine performances from the likes of Jumbo and Velvet Brightwell, Fred Ginger and others.

Hall, Gordon. Good Things Enough. CD. Country Branch CBCD095, 2000.

Studio and live recordings of much-missed Sussex singer, who died in January 2000, noted for his powerful voice and folk song versions of epic length. Songs range from 'The Plains of Waterloo' and 'The Week Before Easter' (over twelve and ten minutes respectively) to a humorous parody of ' The Farmer's Boy'. The recordings have a few faults but these do not detract from the warmth and enthusiasm of Gordon's singing.

Hart, Bob. A Broadside. 2 CDs. Stroud: Musical Traditions MT CD 301-2, 1998.

Double CD comprising forty-six tracks recorded in 1969; Bob Hart was a quiet, serious singer, one of the group of east Suffolk singers studied by Ginette Dunn in her book The Fellowship of Song, extracts from which appear in the booklet that accompanies the CD.

Hidden English: A Celebration of English Traditional Music. CD. London: Topic TSCD600, [1994].

An excellent sampler of traditional music on CD, containing twenty-five classic recordings from many of the best-known of traditional singers and musicians.

Just Another Saturday Night, Sussex 1960: Songs from Country Pubs. 2 CDs (with booklet). Stroud: Musical Traditions MT CD 309-10, 2001.

A large, double CD selection of Brian Matthews' recordings, made in 1959/60, including singers like 'Pop' Maynard, Scan Tester, George Spicer, Sarah Porter, and giving a broad view of traditional singing in the Sussex pubs.

Larner, Sam. Now Is the Time for Fishing: Songs and Speech by Sam Larner of Winterton, England. Collected and edited by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger. CD. London: Topic TSCD511, 1999.

CD re-release of seminal recordings of speech and song originally issued on LP in 1961. The Norfolk fisherman Sam Larner was one of the great English folksingers, with his infectious humour and still-melodious singing voice when recorded at the age of eighty, and was the central figure in and a huge influence on the conception of the Radio Ballad 'Singing the Fishing', made by Charles Parker, Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger.

Legg, Vic. I've Come to Sing to Sing a Song: Cornish Family Songs. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VT129CD, 2000.

Recordings (first issued on cassette in 1994) of a living singer from Cornish travelling stock, which capture his personality and enthusiasm. The songs are mostly from his family and range from classic ballads and folk songs to comic pieces, recorded both alone and in front of an audience.

Millen Family, The. Down Yonder Green Lane. CD. Open003, 2001.

CD of a family from Kent with a tradition of harmony singing. Their style and repertoire have some similarities with the Coppers from Sussex, but interesting differences as well. The CD comes with extensive notes and archive photographs.

Pardon, Walter: Put a Bit of Powder on It, Father. 2 CDs (with booklet). Stroud: Musical Traditions MT CD 305-6, 2000.
A World Without Horses: A Portrait of a Traditional Singer. CD. London: Topic TSCD514, 2000.

A single and a double CD that provide a fitting tribute to one of the greats of English traditional singing. Both are high quality recordings which complement one another, the Topic CD containing mainly 'folk' songs and ballads and the Musical Traditions set including more varied material from Walter's large and eclectic repertoire. The MT CD comes with a full and informative A5 booklet.

Pass the Jug Round: Traditional Songs and Music from Cumberland Recorded in the 1950s. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VT142CD, 2001.

Songs and music recorded directly onto 78s in 1953, which subsequently lay undiscovered in Carlisle Record Office for nearly thirty years, after which they were issued as a classic LP. Includes live recordings of folk songs and local songs, as well as instrumental music.

Poacher, Cyril. Plenty of Thyme. CD (with booklet). Stroud: Musical Traditions MT CD 303, 1999.

Valuable recordings of one of the great East Anglian singers. Most are from fairly late in Cyril's singing life, but the personality behind the singing still comes across strongly and his varied repertoire is well represented. The booklet contains extracts from Ginette Dunn's study of east Suffolk singing.

Root and Branch: 1: A New World. CD (with booklet, etc.). London: EFDSS, 1999. 2: 'Everybody Swing', The 50s: 1947-63. CD (with booklet, etc.). London: EFDSS, 2000.

EFDSS project designed to present traditional song and music in themed publications. R&B 1 features Yorkshire singer Frank Hinchliffe, also songs by Fred Whiting, Johnny Doughty and Walter Pardon reflecting the theme of crossing borders musically and culturally. R&B 2 focuses on the key period of the 1950s, with skiffle, calypso, dance music and song.

Sea Songs & Shanties: Traditional English Sea Songs & Shanties from the Last Days of Sail. CD. Wotton-under-Edge: Saydisc CD-SDL 405, 1994.

Well-presented Peter Kennedy recordings from the 1950s, including songs about the sea from Bob and Ron Copper and Harry Cox, but most notable for the large number of songs from the bargeman Bob Roberts, and a few shanties.

Smith, Phoebe. The Yellow Handkerchief: Traditional Songs & Ballads from England's Greatest Gypsy Singer. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VT136CD, 1998.

Fourteen historic tracks from one of the most accessible and moving of English female gypsy singers.

Smith, Wiggy, and Other Smith Family Members. Band of Gold. CD (with booklet). Stroud: Musical Traditions MT CD 307, 2000.

Field recordings of Gloucestershire gypsy singers, made between 1966 and 1999, presenting a characteristic variety of ballads and folk songs and some popular and music hall-type items. Wiggy sings in a dramatic and unhurried style, with unmistakable pride; with its informative booklet, this is probably one of the best available introductions to classic English gypsy singing.

Songs of Seduction. CD. The Alan Lomax Collection: Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales. Cambridge, MA: Rounder 11661-1778-2, 2000.

CD re-release, with extra previously unreleased tracks, of one of the most influential of early LPs of field-recordings made by Peter Kennedy, Alan Lomax, and others. As with other Rounder CDs, no more than a half-hearted effort has been made to reinstate songs curtailed to fit the LP format, but the album still contains some classic performances by the likes of Harry Cox, Cyril Poacher, Charlie Wills, Fred and Ray Cantwell.

Songs of the Travelling People: Music of the Tinkers, Gipsies and Other Travelling People of England, Scotland and Ireland. CD. Wotton-under-Edge: Saydisc CD-SDL 407, 1994.

Peter Kennedy recordings from 1951-68, mostly of Scots and Irish travellers but also Angela Brasil, Carolyne Hughes, Janet Penfold, Phoebe Smith.

Songs Sung in Suffolk: Popular Folk Songs, Old Songs and Ballads. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VTC2CD, 2000.
Comic Songs Sung in Suffolk: Popular Folk Songs, Old Songs and Ballads. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VTC2CD, 2000.

Two high-quality CDs of Suffolk singers, previously released by Veteran on cassette, which together provide a good picture of some of the finest and most enjoyable of English rural singing.

Stepping It Out! Traditional Folk Music, Songs and Dances from England. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VTC1CD, 1993.

Originally released as a sampler, including one track from each of the Veteran cassettes released up to 1993, this CD offers a remarkable and well-balanced selection of traditional song and music from right across the country.

Townshend, George. Come, Hand To Me the Glass. CD (with booklet). Stroud: Musical Traditions MT CD 304, 2000.

Twenty-five rural songs recorded in Sussex 1960-61. The sound quality is adequate at best, but the recordings were not made for release, and with a good account of the singer's life they make a valuable historic document.

Up in the North and Down in the South: Songs and Music from the Mike Yates Collection, 1964-2000. 2 CDs (with booklet). Stroud: Musical Traditions MT CD 311-12, 2001.

More of Mike Yates's quality recordings of English and Scottish singers, including Frank Hinchliffe, George Spicer, Harry Upton, Johnny Doughty, with a wide range of folk songs, accompanied by an informative booklet.

Village Carols: Hark, Hark! What News: Village Carols from the Royal Hotel, Dungworth. CD. Unstone: Village Carols VC009, 1996.
Brightest and Best: Village Carols from Beeston in Nottinghamshire. CD. Unstone: Village Carols VC010, 1997.

These two of the most recent Village Carols recordings are available on CD, with earlier issues on cassette. For more details see Bibliography no. 432.

Voice of the People, The. Ed. Reg Hall. CDs. 20 vols. London: Topic TSCD651-70, 1998.

Twenty finely produced CDs from Topic, with booklets of song texts and notes about the singers, this series stands as perhaps the most essential collection of traditional music from England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. The CDs are generally presented as themed anthologies, with some more strongly coherent volumes of music of English and Welsh gypsies, songs and tunes related to customs, and dance music from the north and south of England. As with all anthologies, one can quibble with the selections, which inevitably reflect the editor's predilections, and there is little chance to focus on any individual performer or performance context; but the sheer quality of the songs and tunes is unquestionable. Highlights include five cylinder recordings of Joseph Taylor, but they are all on different CDs.

Voice of Suffolk:
Songs from the Company of the Butley Oyster, 1967/68.
Songs from the Singing Tradition of the People of Lavenham and Its Surrounding Area.
Songs and Stories from East Coast Fishermen.
CDs. Helions Bumpstead, Suffolk: Helions Bumpstead Gramophone Co. NLCD3, 5, 6.

Continuing series of field-recordings made during the 1950s and 60s, with more CDs and a book scheduled. Atmospheric recordings (including chiming clocks), cleaned up to a fair standard, comprising ballads and folk songs, music hall and popular songs, stories and anecdotes, which together provide a rounded picture of local singing and music-making in Suffolk at this time - between the time of Peter Kennedy's recordings for the BBC and Veteran's more recent recording in the county. Singers include Bob Hart, Jumbo Brightwell, and others less well known.

When the May Is All in Bloom: Traditional Singing from the South East of England. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VT131CD, 1995.

Excellent recordings by six southern English traditional singers - Bob Copper (who sings Enos White's 'George Collins') and John Copper, Ron Spicer, Louie Fuller, Bob Lewis, and Gordon Hall (with epic renderings of 'The Broomfield Hill' and 'The Grand Conversation on Napoleon'). The singers complement each another nicely; the selection is mainly from the folk song repertoire, varied with Louie Fuller's and John Copper's comic pieces.

Who Owns the Game? Traditional Songs and Melodeon Tunes from Central Suffolk. CD. Haughley, Suffolk: Veteran VTC2CD, 2001.

Atmospheric CD re-release of an earlier Veteran LP and cassette of Suffolk pub musicians and singers.

World Library of Folk and Primitive Music, Vol. 1: England. Ed. Alan Lomax. CD. Cambridge, MA: Rounder CD 1741, 1998.

Historic recordings from the 1940s and 50s, including Jim and Bob Copper, Phil Tanner, Jumbo Brightwell, Portland quarrymen, William Kimber, but also Ewan MacColl, Isla Cameron, A. L. Lloyd - an interesting reflection on Lomax's early conception of traditional music in England. Sadly, many of the items were curtailed for the original LP release and have not been reinstated for the CD, with the result that it provides more historical interest than listening pleasure.