The Silly Sisters is a folk music master stroke. The band consists of Maddy Prior and June Tabor. Their first album “Silly Sisters” and sequent album “No More to the Dance” are MUST haves!!
Both June Tabor and Maddy Prior deserve Folk Rock Diva status! To multiply them together is the creation of monster folk talent.
Genres:
Folk
Folk Rock
Discography:
year
album
my comments
1976
Silly Sisters
This album is jam packed with awesomeness. There isn’t a track on this album that I don’t sing along with. All but one of these songs are traditional – yes! The one that is not a traditional tune is the Cyril Tawney classic “The Grey Funnel Line”. Enough said – do what you have to to get this album and listen to it!
1988
No More to the Dance
O God, they did it again. Another album FULL of fantastic tunes. O, please, please get together and do another album!!!!!!!!!
A friend of mine recently told me about this amazing Bluegrass AC/DC cover band. If you’re a bluegrass / AC/DC fan then you probably already know this band. If you don’t then 1. I’m glad to be the one to introduce you and 2. Rock On!!
This is a band with a tonne of talent, a load of good humour, and a pickup truck full of stage presence.
Here’s their home page. Their 8th full-length studio album is now complete check it out.
Check out the U-Tubes for lots of other great performances by this awesomely talented act.
And for all you Queen/Bluegrass fans – like me – here’s evidence that Hayseed Dixie play’s their own kind of music. They’re like the English Language – once a foreign word has been said once by an English speaking person the word becomes English. I wonder what Freddy would say if he could find out from beyond the grave that Bohemian Rhapsody is now 100% bluegrass?
Wow, I’ve been having real trouble concentrating lately. There is some sort of TV born virus that has been infecting everything and everyone – I just can’t get away from it. It’s sweet but nice, delicate but strong, melodic and above all persistent. This virus has a name – it’s the Olympic theme.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge Olympics fan. I even like the theme – A LOT, however, it’s been played so many time in the last 2 weeks that it is now permanently (I hope not) stuck in my head.
Here’s what I’ve tried so far:
1. Massage – this was nice but in-effective
2. Loud music – futile
3. Counting backwards from 666 by 3’s – difficult, time wasting, no results
4. Maybe I should try whistling it away – Oh nuts!, now I’m whistling the theme
I have given up, and have determined to wait this out. I know people beat viruses all the time. I am wondering if there is a virus remover available? Maybe I could order one on ebay? Or Craigslist?
Anyway, time will tell.
dee dee dee dumm, dee dee dee dumm, dee dee dee dee dee dee dee
Whenever I meet another whistle walker on the street one of two things will happen. 1. The other walker wasn’t whistling, and they start. or 2. The other whistler was whistling already and keeps whistling. You can assume that I was whistling for the sake of this post because I would never start whistling if someone else was already whistling.
In either case a number of options are available now that you are both whistling.
Whistle Options:
a. You can stop whistling – This doesn’t seem fair, because you were walking along minding your own business, and it is your right to whistle wherever and whenever you want to – Except in the work place (Peril of Workplace Whistling).
b. Whistle along with Whistler B. – You will get all different reactions, but in my experience this is rarely a good choice. You may get attention that is unwanted since you are essentially puckering up.
c. Whistle your own tune louder – This is an act of escalation which may not be within your aggression range.
d. Consider a walking option.
Walking Options:
a. Stop walking – this can be effective if the other person is walking. A natural separation should ensue.
b. Walk slower or faster to remove yourself from the situation.
c. Walk in the opposite direction. Caution – this could take you out of your way.
I hope you find this post helpful next time you are in one of these awkward situations. Your best bet will be to think on your feet, try to keep as many options open as you can, and keep your stick on the ice.
Jim Payne and Fergus O’Byrne do a great job on this Folk song and many others. It’s hard for me to say but I think I do like this version better than the Dubliners version.
It’s muster, me boys, get you up on the deck,
And take up your stations for hauling the nets,
And mind you pull together all through the long night,
And set in your oilskins until it’s daylight,
With the heave and a haul and a shaking of nets.
It’s when we’re out working we’re living on hope,
The lads in the locker, the boys on the rope,
The fellas in the hold who were hauling the nets,
And shaking the herring out onto the deck,
With the heave and a haul and a shaking of nets.
It’s net after net we pull up from the sea,
With a haul and a shake and a one, two, and three,
The herring are a-piling around our sea boots,
And slithering and sliding down into the chutes,
With the heave and a haul and a shaking of nets.
With the heave and a haul and a shaking of nets.
It’s hour after hour we are hauling away,
All through the long night till the break of the day,
Our captain’s in the wheelhouse he’s on the R T,
And the cook’s in the galley a-brewing the tea,
With the heave an’ a haul an’ a-shaking of nets.
With the heave and a haul and a shaking of nets.
Now the season is over so be on your way,
And head for the home port to sign for your pay;
Your missus will be waiting to welcome you home,
It’s so hard for a wife to be so much alone,
With the heave and a haul and a shaking of nets.
With the heave and a haul and a shaking of nets.
With the heave and a haul and a shaking of nets.
As I roved out one evening fair
It bein’ the summertime to take the air
I spied a sailor and a lady gay
And I stood to listen
And I stood to listen to hear what they would say.
He said “Fair lady, why do you roam
For the day is spent and the night is on”
She heaved a sigh while the tears did roll
“For my dark-eyed sailor
For my dark-eyed sailor, so young and stout and bold.”
“‘Tis seven long years since he left this land
A ring he took from off his lily-white hand
One half of the ring is still here with me
But the other’s rollin’
But the other’s rollin’ at the bottom of the sea.”
He said “You may drive him out of your mind
Some other young man you will surely find
Love turns aside and soon cold has grown
Like the winter’s morning
Like the winter’s morning, the hills are white with snow.”
She said “I’ll never forsake my dear
Although we’re parted this many a year
Genteel he was and a rake like you
To induce a maiden
To induce a maiden to slight the jacket blue.”
One half of the ring did young William show
She ran distracted in grief and woe
Sayin’ “William, William, I have gold in store
For my dark-eyed sailor
For my dark-eyed sailor has proved his honour long”
And there is a cottage by yonder lea
This couple’s married and does agree
So maids be loyal when your love’s at sea
For a cloudy morning
For a cloudy morning brings in a sunny day.
On a fine eve’n fair in the month of Avril
O’er the hill came the man with the blythe sunny smile
And the folks they were throngin’ the roads everywhere
Makin’ haste to be in at Copshawholme Fair
I’ve seen ‘em a-comin’ in from the mountains and glens
Those rosy-faced lasses and strappin’ young men
With a joy in their heart and unburdened o’ care
A’meetin’ old friends at Copshawholme Fair
There are lads for the lasses, there’s toys for the bairns
There jugglers and tumblers and folks with no arms
There’s a balancing act here and a fiddler there
There are nut-men and spice-men at Copshawholme Fair
There are peddlers and potters and gingerbread stands
There are peepshows and poppin-darts and the green caravans
There’s fruit from all nations exhibited there
With kale plants from Orange at Copshawholme Fair
And now above all the hiring if you want to hear tell
You should ken it as afar I’ve seen it myself
What wages they adle it’s ill to declare
The muckle they vary at Copshawholme Fair
Just the gal I have seen she’s a strapping young queen
He asked what her age was and where she had been
What work she’d been doin’, how long she’d been there
What wages she wanted at Copshawholme Fair
Just then the bit lass stood a wee while in gloom
And she blushed and she scraped with her feet on the ground
Then she plucked up her heart and did stoutly declare
Well, a five pound and turn at Copshawholme Fair
Says he, but me lass, that’s a very big wage
Then he’d turning about like he been in a rage
Says, I’ll give ye five pounds but I’ll give ye nay mare
Well I think him and tuck it at Copshawholme Fair
He took out a shilling but to haul the bit wench
In case it might enter her head for to flinch
But she grabbed it muttering I should have had mare
But I think I will tuck it at Copshawholme Fair
Now the hirin’s o’er and off they all sprang
Into the ballroom for to join in the throng
And “I Never Will Lie With My Mammy Nae Mair”
The fiddles play briskly at Copshawholme Fair
Now this is the fashion they thus passed the day
Till the night comin’ on they all hurry away
And some are so sick that they’ll never join more
With the fighting and dancing at Copshawholme Fair
All things are quite silent, each mortal at rest,
When me and my true love got snug in one nest,
When a bold set of ruffians broke into our cave,
And they forced my dear jewel to plough the salt wave.
I begged hard for my darling as I would for my life.
They’d not listen to me although a fond wife,
Saying: “The king must have sailors, to the seas he must go,”
And they’ve left me lamenting in sorrow and woe.
Through green fields and meadows we ofttimes have walked,
And the fond recollections together have talked,
Where the lark and the blackbird so sweetly did sing,
And the lovely thrushes’ voices made the valleys to ring.
Now although I’m forsaken I won’t be be cast down.
Who knows but my true love some day may return?
And will make me amends For all trouble and strife,
And me and my true love might live happy for life.
I made this playlist for my wife when she turned 40. She went past 40 going 80 miles an hour. I liked the list but next time I have a friend who hits 40 I’d change it up a bit.
Dancing Queen was a special pick for my wife.
On sober reflection “Walking on Sunshine” is really more of a symptom of my obsession with 80’s girl bands.
I’m not sure ABBA is for everyone, and
“New Orleans is Sinking” is a great song but it comes in at 8 minutes and that’s a little long for a song that doesn’t necessarily fit in to the theme.
