Friday 18 November 2016

Christmas feelings from Steeleye Span


This electric folk version of a Robin Hood ballad is something which I always find very cheerful and Christmassy - reminding me in particular of Christmas 1975, just after Steeleye Span released the All Around My Hat (from which this comes) - a time when I was deeply 'into' electric folk music amd avidly learning the accordion - which I played in a duo with my then best friend Gareth Jones (yes, he was Welsh); who could sing well, act out a song, and play electric bass or flute with remarkable verve and facility.

Altogether a period of creativity and anticipation; and one I am pleased to be reminded-of.

It is a good first example of electric folk to play to your young children to get them keen on traditional music. It worked for me! Maybe they could be shown this version?


3 comments:

Nathaniel said...

Thank you! I enjoy your music posts.

drizzz said...

Hark! The Village Wait and All Around My Hat were both terrific albums and in my humble opinion the best they recorded in their long history. Thanks for the memory!

Bruce Charlton said...

@drizz - It is difficult to choose, but I think Commoner's Crown is my favourite - mostly for Long Lankin and Little Sir Hugh (truly great, blood-curdling examples of guitarist Robert Johnson's epic versions of ballads - Demon Lover and Elf Call are presumably others - which are my favourite aspect of Steeleye), Bach Goes To Limerick - which is just fantastic; and Weary Cutters, multitrack Maddie. However, I think Now We Are Six had probably the biggest impact on me, at the time - due to may age and stage of development.