A Seventh Selection Of Ten Essential UK & Irish Folk Music Songs

Introduction

This is the seventh installment in this series taking it up to seventy songs for you to enjoy. I am trying not to repeat artists but the more I share the more difficult that is to do.

My membership of the UK & Irish Folk Music 60s-80s was causing toxic reactions to my posts so I felt I had to leave the group. This means that I can drop the time limits on my posts and even include some none folk artists if I feel the songs are appropriate.

The other thing is I can repeat some artists as well so I am going to open with this.

Richard Thompson - "Beeswing"

This is set in the sixties but was written later than that. A wonder tale of a love that that couldn't happen. This never ages and is a beautiful piece of accoustic folk music.

Shirley and Dolly Collins - "A Forsaking - Our Captain Cried"

From 1969 a take on "Fighting For Strangers" which I have featured in a previous article. A Sea Shanty, I think, but again a tale of of someone leaving to sail and fight, a common theme in many folk songs.

Eddi Reader - "Ae Fond Kiss"

A beautiful take on the words of Robert Burns by Eddi. She shares the story of why she sings this song. A definite must experience. The comments on the YouTube video are so heartfelt.

A. L. Lloyd - "The Weary Whaling Grounds"

A sea shanty from this collector of traditional music that we lost in 1982.

Albert Lancaster Lloyd (29 February 1908 – 29 September 1982), usually known as A. L. Lloyd or Bert Lloyd, was an English folk singer and collector of folk songs, and as such was a key figure in the British folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s. While Lloyd is most widely known for his work with British folk music, he had a keen interest in the music of Spain, Latin America, Southeastern Europe and Australia. He recorded at least six discs of Australian Bush ballads and folk music.

Lloyd also helped establish the folk music subgenre of industrial folk music through his books, recordings, collecting and theoretical writings.

John Tams - "When This Song Is Ended There's No More"

John Tams was the other half of The Albion Band's guiding lights with Ashley Hutchings, and he has collaborated with many folk icons. This is a beautiful song.

John Tams (born 16 February 1949) is an English actor, singer, songwriter, composer and musician born in Holbrook, Derbyshire, the son of a publican. He first worked as a reporter for the Ripley & Heanor News later working for BBC Radio Derby and BBC Radio Nottingham. Tams had an early part in The Rainbow (1988), and may be best known for playing a regular supporting role in the ITV drama series Sharpe, as rifleman Daniel Hagman. He also co-wrote the music for each film (18, as of November 2008) alongside Dominic Muldowney.

Tams was a member of Derbyshire folk group Muckram Wakes in the 1970s, then worked with Ashley Hutchings as singer and melodeon-player on albums including Son of Morris On, and as a member of the British folk rock group Albion Band. Splitting with Hutchings in the 1980s, he formed Home Service. In the following decades, Tams spent time fronting Home Service (Best Live Act at the BBC Folk Awards 2012) or in a duo with Barry Coope (Duo of the Year 2008). In 2015 it was announced that Tams was retiring from Home Service.

Chris Wood - "The Cottager's Reply (from a poem by Frank Mansell) "

This is a live performance of a song from his album "Trespasser" a wry look at how money always expects to triumph, but in this case doesn't.

The Chieftains - "Tabhair dom do Lámh"

I don't think I have included anything by The Chieftains in the sequence, so this is a beautiful rendition of a traditional Irish tune to redress that.

"Give Me Your Hand" (Irish: Tabhair dom do Lámh) is a tune from early 17th century Ireland by Rory Dall O'Cahan. It is one of the most widely recorded pieces of Irish traditional music.

Martyn Joseph - "Nye: Song for the NHS"

Martyn Joseph is a Welsh singer-songwriter whose music exhibits primarily a brand of Celtic and folk, while his songwriting is often focused on social lament or protest. From independently releasing his first studio release, I'm Only Beginning in 1983, Joseph's career has spanned forty years. In 2004, he won the Best Male Artist Category in the BBC Welsh Music Awards.

This a wonderful tribute to Nye Bevan the architect of the National Health Service, this is an amazing song. Please listen to this.

Lowri Evans - "Dagre Yn Yr Eira"

I saw Lowri a few years ago at the Summertyne Festival and this is a beautiful Christmas single of hers.

You can find more about her at her website here

Laura Carr - "Will Ye Go Lassie Go"

To finish this installment a beautiful take on "Wild MountainThyme" by Laura Carr. There is so much beautiful music to enjoy, and here is another for you.

Thank you for listening.