Hark! The Village Wait is the debut album by the British folk rock band Steeleye Span, first released in 1970. It is the only album to feature the original lineup of the band as they broke up and reformed with an altered membership immediately after its release, without ever having performed live. Therefore, it is one of only two Steeleye Span studio albums to feature two female vocalists (Maddy Prior and Gay Woods), the other being Time (1996). A similar sound was apparent years later when Prior teamed up with June Tabor to form Silly Sisters. Overall, the album's sound is essentially folk music with rock drumming and bass guitar added to some of the songs. The banjo features prominently on several tracks, including "Blackleg Miner", "Lowlands of Holland" and "One Night as I Lay on My Bed".
The album's title refers not to the act of waiting, but to a wait, a small body of wind instrumentalists employed by a town at public charge from Tudor times until the early 19th century. A village, however, would likely be too small to employ such a troupe, so the wait referred to here was most probably the later Christmas Waits, as mentioned in the novels of Thomas Hardy.
Over the years, the band has returned to the material on this album several times. On their second album, Please to See the King, they offered a new version of "The Blacksmith". A new live version of "Blackleg Miner" appeared on Back in Line, and they offered a third variation on Present--The Very Best of Steeleye Span. On Time they reprised "Twa Corbies". "Copshawholme Fair" had two years earlier been recorded by Prior and Tim Hart on their album Folk Songs of Olde England Vol. 2. Copshaw Holm, otherwise known as Newcastleton, has been the site of a folk festival since 1970. Maddy Prior has lived nearby, just over the border in Cumbria, at 'Stones Barn' for several years.
Among the other songs on the album are the a cappella "A Calling-On Song" (the first of many a cappella pieces the band recorded), "The Hills of Greenmore" and "Dark-Eyed Sailor". The version of "Lowlands of Holland" here uses variant lyrics from the most common version of the song.
The album was originally issued in the UK on RCA, with the cover shown (above right). It was not issued in the US at that time. The cover for the reissue was changed to a sepia-toned image of 'The Leather Bottle', a pub in Cobham; it was issued on UK Chrysalis (and made its debut in the US on US Chrysalis) in 1975.
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Hark The Village Wait is the debut album by the British folk rock band Steeleye Span first released in 1970 It is the only album to feature the original lineup of the band as they broke up and reformed with an altered membership immediately after its release without ever having performed live Therefore it is one of only two Steeleye Span studio albums to feature two female vocalists Maddy Prior and Gay Woods the other being Time 1996 A similar sound was apparent years later when Prior teamed up with June Tabor to form Silly Sisters Overall the album s sound is essentially folk music with rock drumming and bass guitar added to some of the songs The banjo features prominently on several tracks including Blackleg Miner Lowlands of Holland and One Night as I Lay on My Bed Hark The Village WaitStudio album by Steeleye SpanReleasedJune 1970RecordedMarch 1970StudioSound Techniques LondonGenreBritish folk rockLength38 55LabelRCA United Artists Mooncrest ChrysalisProducerSandy Roberton Steeleye SpanSteeleye Span chronologyHark The Village Wait 1970 Please to See the King 1971 Professional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllmusiclinkThe album s title refers not to the act of waiting but to a wait a small body of wind instrumentalists employed by a town at public charge from Tudor times until the early 19th century A village however would likely be too small to employ such a troupe so the wait referred to here was most probably the later Christmas Waits as mentioned in the novels of Thomas Hardy Over the years the band has returned to the material on this album several times On their second album Please to See the King they offered a new version of The Blacksmith A new live version of Blackleg Miner appeared on Back in Line and they offered a third variation on Present The Very Best of Steeleye Span On Time they reprised Twa Corbies Copshawholme Fair had two years earlier been recorded by Prior and Tim Hart on their album Folk Songs of Olde England Vol 2 Copshaw Holm otherwise known as Newcastleton has been the site of a folk festival since 1970 Maddy Prior has lived nearby just over the border in Cumbria at Stones Barn for several years Among the other songs on the album are the a cappella A Calling On Song the first of many a cappella pieces the band recorded The Hills of Greenmore and Dark Eyed Sailor The version of Lowlands of Holland here uses variant lyrics from the most common version of the song The album was originally issued in the UK on RCA with the cover shown above right It was not issued in the US at that time The cover for the reissue was changed to a sepia toned image of The Leather Bottle a pub in Cobham it was issued on UK Chrysalis and made its debut in the US on US Chrysalis in 1975 Track listing editAll songs traditional except where noted Side oneNo TitleWriter s PersonnelLength1 A Calling On Song Ashley Hutchings based on the tune of the Earsdon Sword Dance Song Roud 610 1 Personnel Maddy Prior vocals Tim Hart vocals Gay Woods vocals Terry Woods vocals1 132 The Blacksmith Traditional arranged by Steeleye SpanPersonnel Prior lead vocals G Woods backing vocals T Woods mandola Hart electric guitar Ashley Hutchings bass guitar Gerry Conway drums uncredited harmonium3 413 Fisherman s Wife Ewan MacCollPersonnel G Woods lead vocals autoharp Prior backing vocals T Woods mandola Hart 5 string banjo Hutchings bass guitar Conway drums3 124 Blackleg Miner Traditional arranged by Steeleye SpanPersonnel Hart lead vocals electric guitar Prior backing vocals T Woods backing vocals 5 string banjo guitar Hutchings bass guitar Dave Mattacks drums2 465 Dark Eyed Sailor Traditional arranged by Steeleye SpanPersonnel G Woods lead vocals concertina Prior backing vocals T Woods electric guitar Hart electric dulcimer Hutchings bass guitar Conway drums5 596 Copshawholme Fair Traditional arranged by Steeleye SpanPersonnel Prior lead vocals Hart electric dulcimer T Woods concertina mandolin G Woods bodhran Hutchings bass guitar Conway drums Gay and Maddy step dancing2 35 Side twoNo TitleWriter s PersonnelLength7 All Things Are Quite Silent Collected by Vaughan WilliamsPersonnel Prior lead vocals G Woods backing vocals T Woods electric guitar Hart electric guitar Hutchings bass guitar Conway drums2 388 The Hills of Greenmore Traditional arranged by Steeleye SpanPersonnel T Woods lead vocals electric guitar G Woods concertina Hart electric guitar Hutchings bass guitar Conway drums4 029 My Johnny Was a Shoemaker Traditional arranged by Steeleye SpanPersonnel G Woods vocals Prior vocals1 1110 Lowlands of Holland Traditional arranged by Steeleye SpanPersonnel G Woods lead vocals T Woods electric guitar Hart fiddle Prior 5 string banjo Hutchings bass guitar Mattacks drums6 0011 Twa Corbies Traditional arranged by Steeleye SpanPersonnel Prior vocals G Woods vocals Hart vocals harmonium T Woods electric guitar Hutchings bass guitar Mattacks drums2 0612 One Night as I Lay on My Bed Transcription by Henry Edward Denison HammondPersonnel Prior lead vocals G Woods backing vocals T Woods 5 string banjo Hart electric dulcimer Hutchings bass guitar Mattacks drums3 29Total length 38 55Personnel editSteeleye SpanMaddy Prior vocals 5 string banjo Tim Hart vocals electric guitar electric dulcimer fiddle 5 string banjo harmonium Ashley Hutchings bass guitar Terry Woods vocals electric guitar concertina mandola 5 string banjo mandolin Gay Woods vocals concertina autoharp bodhranGuest musiciansGerry Conway drums tracks 2 3 5 8 Dave Mattacks drums tracks 4 10 12 References edit A Calling On Song Ashley Hutchings Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hark The Village Wait amp oldid 1094320197, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
