Sunday, June 11, 2017

Sunday morning music


Those who like traditional folk music, particularly the English variety, will probably be familiar with the name and work of Maddy Prior.  Over the course of more than fifty years, she's had a fruitful partnership with Tim Hart, was a founding member of the folk/rock supergroup Steeleye Span, and has built a solo career as well.

Her catalog is so immense, I can only scratch the surface of it here.  To begin, here she sings live with her Carnival Band a traditional English song, 'The Prodigal's Resolution', from the album 'Hang Up Sorrow and Care'.  See here for the lyrics, if you want them.  Note the traditional woodwind instruments being used.





Here's Maddy with Steeleye Span, singing an amalgamation of an old English song, 'Marigold', followed by the traditional hymn 'Harvest Home'.  It's from their 1980 album 'Sails of Silver'.





Here's a solo piece from Maddy's album 'Ravenchild', describing the soaring flight of ravens.





Finally, to add an even more rustic flavor to this compilation, here's Maddy's original singing partner, Tim Hart, with a rendition of a countryman's protest at industrialization, 'The Dalesman's Litany'.  It's from their album 'Folk Songs of Olde England, Vol. 1'.





There are many more of Maddy Prior's and Steeleye Span's songs on YouTube - just follow those links.

Peter

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Steeleye Span was very popular in the Philly area in mid 1970's.
We had big debates over who had the better voice Maddy or Annie Haslan of Renaissance.

Gerry

Margaret Ball said...

Thanks for a pleasant Sunday morning retrospective. I've been a fan of Maddy Prior since hearing her sing "Two Magicians" in the mid-seventies.