SHIRLEY COLLINS ~ Sweet ENGLAND FLED 3080

Fledg’ling Records are very proud to present a carefully re-mastered edition of this classic recording from the infancy of the mid-twentieth century British folk revival. Guest musicians are Guy Carawan, Ralph Rinzler and John Hasted. Sweet England is a stunning collection of British and American traditional song, capturing a turning moment in the English folk song revival of the 1950’s.

Sweet England, along with its sister album False True Lovers, was recorded in the spring of 1958 when I was twenty-two years old. I had been living for the previous two years in London with Alan Lomax, the American folklorist, working for him as editorial assistant on his book The Folk Songs of North America and on his field recordings from America, Great Britain, Italy and Spain. The tracks that make up these two albums were recorded by Peter Kennedy and Alan in two days at Peter’s home ‘studio’ in Belsize Park.

English traditional music, at its best, expresses and provides everything in song that I need and feel, both musically and emotionally. Sweet England represents the first shaky steps of a journey that I have been on all my life, and that, happily, I still am.” – Shirley Collins from the new sleeve-notes.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD: SHIRLEY COLLINS : Sweet England PDF

track list:
1  Sweet England
2  Hares On The Mountain
3  Hori-Horo
4  The Bonny Irish Boy
5  The Tailor & The Mouse
6  The Lady & The Swine
7  Turpin Hero; The Cuckoo
8  The Bonny Labouring Boy
9  The Cherry Tree Carol
10  Sweet William
11  Omie Wise
12  Blackbirds & Thrushes
13  A Keeper Went Hunting
14  Polly Vaughan
15  Pretty Saro
16  Barbara Allen
17  Charlie

SHIRLEY COLLINS : vocals, banjo
JOHN HASTED : banjo
GUY CARAWAN : guitar
RALPH RINZLER : guitar

Released : 25th October 2010
Barcode number : 5020393 308021