Shirley Collins. Classic. Dud is not an option here, I'm afraid.

I've never heard For as Many As Will. I remember seeing it when I worked in a record shop years ago; no-one bought it or played it much, and because I was a teenage idiot I never even bothered to check it - or any of her other stuff - out myself. I was totally wrong and foolish and am making up for it now. I think there are some musicians that you can't really appreciate until certain things have happened to you, and she is one of those. For me, anyways.

http://www.thebeesknees.com/bk-sc-box-set.htm

Incidentally, Shirley now has her own web site.

I don't know what may have primed me for Shirley Collins, perhaps some slight study into Child ballads and a lifelong affection for Jean Ritchie--whose two volumes of British Traditional Ballads in the Southern Mountains (on Folkways, sadly out of print) are extraordinary. Unaccompanied ballad singing so perhaps an acquired taste. I would also recommend Harry Cox and Texas Gladden *and* it's useful to pay attention to the folk motifs in RV Williams and Britten (Williams and Cox and Gladden are some of Shirley's heroes). Ii think these artists are more proximate to Shirley's aesthetic as any of the britfolk artists who are routinely namechecked here.

For As Many As Will is the last album the Collins sisters recorded. I think Shirley had actually announced her retirement prior to making the album, but something (temporarily) postponed that decision. I recognize that Anthems in Eden and The Power of the True Love Knot may be more important albums, but I treasure this one perhaps above the others for reasons I couldn't begin to explain. This is the only album on which Shirley sings a contemporary song, "Never Again" by R. Thompson. But that's not necessarily a highlight. "The Blacksmith Courted Me" and "The Moon Shines Bright" are remarkable, I like the unabashed "recital" quality of Shirley's singing here. "Gilderoy" is I think one of the sisters' major achievements.

I found the article in the Wire fascinating to learn of Shirley's roots in the CP's people's song movement, I could have guessed I suppose.

msphinx: Shirley's version of "Lord Gregory" is on Folk Roots, New Routes.

Then there is the Folkways LP of nothing but versions of The Unfortunate Rake/The Streets of Laredo/One Morning in May/When I was a Cowboy. You really don't need to hear folklorists sing, but the liner notes are ace.

Dolly's sea shanties project, "We Have Fed Our Seas," was a collaboration with Peter Bellamy of the Young Tradition. It hasn't been recorded yet to my knowledge. An earlier collaboration, "The Transports," is available on CD but I haven't heard it. I agree that Dolly's voice is charming; there's something ecstatic about the moment when Shirley takes over, their voices seem in such close accord.

One more thing: Anyone interested in Shirley and Dolly's music should try out the Voice of the People series on Topic Records. This was the major field recording/compiling projects of the English folk revival and made available something close to the full spectrum of folk music from the British Isles--somewhat akin to Alan Lomax's Southern Journey project. All of VotP has been reissued on CD. A wonderful English web site called Musical Traditions features very informed (you might say partisan) reviews of this sort of thing. They have a part of their site devoted to VotP with lots of information.

Shirley is I think my favorite singer and performer of all time. A better scholar than I should really take up the task of assessing her life's work. One fascinating thing about it is the way she combines an intense respect for and understanding of sundry traditional styles (ballad singing, "early music," art song) but combines these styles in such a way that is absolutely sui generis. It is a very selfconscious appropriation and mixture of different aspects of British musical heritage, but it works beautifully through the force of Shirley's taste and talent and that of her collaborators -- foremost among them Dolly Collins, but also including David Munrow (R.I.P.) and the London Early Music Consort, whose own records (there are many) are worth seeking out (=gross understatement).

I might have mentioned this above but one of Dolly's common arrangement techniques--setting a rich polyharmonic arrangment in counterpoint to an almost perversely uninflected ballad reading by Shirley--reminds me of some of Britten's folksong settings, including my favorite, "O Waly, Waly," where the piano part is basically continually unfolding variations on being several beats behind the very foursquare vocal line, resolving into a standard meter only after the singer has finished. it's devastating (i hope I described it OK, obviously it's not technically correct as I am musically illiterate but perhaps it conveys some sense of the music).

i always picture shirley standing stock-still, hands folded into one another, as if in a formal recital, framed against a wall with a rich cover of green vines, undulating in continually shifting patterns of shadow and reflected light. like shirley is maintaining a sort of tableau-like rigidity and dignity amidst an effusion of intense emotion. it's like all this history and heartbreak and tragedy (personal and political and both at once) is suggested but cannot quite be contained by the strictures of a great tradition.

ok i need to go to bed now.

*for a good example--and I do actually mean "good" as in worth hearing--of the sort of folksong presentation both were running from, see the records of Richard Dyer-Bennett.

One hates to be dreary and pedantic about these things but I neither liked nor disliked Shirley Collins straightaway. As it is, I love her albums but I find it difficult to listen to her voice over an entire album - I think it's the fact that she sings slightly out of tune all the time.

i think i've come around to thinking that the first side of "anthems in eden" is her best work overall. though there are things on "power of the true love knot," "adieu to old england" (this is the one that no one ever seems to mention), and "for as many as will" (and several others, though not the first two 59/60 lps) that are magnificent.

A heart-rending emotional journey into the cultural roots of traditional American Music with legendary archivist Alan Lomax. Highly respected English folk singer Shirley Collins describes her year long stint as Lomax's assistant and their diligent work uncovering the traditional music of America's heartland. They covered Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Georgia - along the way encountering Mississippi Fred McDowell, Muddy Waters and many others.

i wish she'd write about her own music and her relationship to traditional english music and its various revivals. that interests me as much if not more (if only because the america stuff has been covered so well by so many).

ok i have a noisy cat begging for my attention...be back later.

"dada is correct abt "rise up like the sun". "poor old horse" is probably worth the price of the album on its own.

did i say that? i dunno.

i don't like shirley with drums really. i don't like "amaranth" much, largely because of the echoey production.

i like shirley with dolly's arrangements, basically.

Amaranth is probably the worst (read least great) shirley collins music I have. I like the folk-rock arrangements on "no roses" tons, but I think it's probably enough of shirley w/that type of sound. Have you got the "etchingham steam band" cd amateurist? That's kind of...interesting, but not great.

you know i'm sort of suspicious of english folk-rock (i've really lost the taste for fairport/sandy denny/et al) in part because it's admirers don't seem to be critical at all; i've hardly read a bad review of a british folk-rock album. it doesn't seem like a world that encourages really serious musical experimentation, as opposed to kitschy "ambitious" stabs (like peter bellamy's "transports," arr. dolly collins, which i'm really NOT getting into).

all this to say that "no roses" sounds like a failure to me, in fact it almost pains me to listen to. but damned if i can find a single negative review of it.

i really don't think shirley has the audience she deserves.

Have you read the (rather lengthy) interview she did Johan @ perfect sound forever? real interesting read. i want to hear more of her albums. we had a copy of anthems in eden at the store and it was great. the only one i own is power of the true love knot. greaaat stuff. i wanna read her book, also.

awweeeeesoooommmeeee

her set in Birmingham a fortnight ago was my favourite musical performance of 2018 so far
more details please!

who did she play with/who was in her band and what did they play
what songs did she sing
venue?

setlist is here https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/shirley-collins/2018/the-crossing-birmingham-england-1bea15b0.html

there were I think five musicians onstage inc the Cyclobe guys who produced Lodestar? or poss just Ossian. also a morris dancer who gamboled across the stage intermittently

there was also a live interview type thing earlier in the day which was good (esp the part where she named Ewan McColl as an historical sex pest) and wrt Nick's post did mention upcoming recording sessions for a new album!

sorry not as detailed as you wanted but yeah it was was wonderful

that is more than i had before, thank you!

Yeah it was a Lodestar run through, but the ?mandolin? couldn't get the right tuning for Sur le Borde de l'Eau despite it having had the full intro from Shirley. Thousands Or More was a nice easy sing-along to fill the gap.

I've just come to the part of All In The Downs where she says she loathes jazz. God, I guess everybody can't be perfect but did hope she might enjoy some of the decent stuff.
Oh well, she did look amazing in the 60s.
Sounded quite good too, but would have loved to hear some more jazz in her sound.
BUt I guess that goes against her singing style.

I finally decided it was time to start reading All in the Downs (I was saving it) and it is such a gigantic treat to hear/read/spend time with Shirley's voice again. I am loving every single minute of reading it. Her writing style reminds me so much of her singing style -- straightforward, unembellished, yet still very distinctively hers. I love her so much!!!

i heard a story about a jane doe ("mountain jane doe") whose body was never claimed the other day and it reminded me of this song. i had not realized the live version with intro was on youtube but here it is <3 <3 <3 to infinity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpGfQ0EUgWk

who knows -- looks like it has been there since 2009? that was sort of past my prime shirley-obsessed years
i love the spare arrangement of this version

forgot to wish Shirley a happy birthday -- happy birthday Shirley! I <3 you always and forever!

Happy Birthday!!

This just snuck up on me at the end of a tough week and god alive it's extraordinary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaJw-ryhBB0

I think the album with Dolly (Anthems in Eden) is my favourite single record she's involved with.

Always scared of reviving this thread, for fear of giving people palpitations, but Lodestar is killing me this evening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIptsu_pFhI

Lodestar really is great.
Recently came across this, which is also great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNO836enS-8

I had another delightful time introducing my students to her music and I always play the Death & the Lady from Lodestar. One student declared it “heavy”. I also kept my audience captive for the short version of my Maria Marten spiel and we listened to the song at the end of class one day. 💕

That session is lovely, Tyler!

She is so funny -- right now she is "furious" and posting on facebook because the BBC isn't airing Paddington 2

Paddington 2 is the perfect antidote for this current situation. I really felt that I needed it.

I have never seen Paddington 2 but now I want to watch it because if Shirley loves it, it's gotta be good right?

It is.

I've not bought Lodestar because I worry her voice isn't up to it.

New album:

.@shirleyeCollins announces new album, Heart’s Ease – watch a video for the song, "Wondrous Love"https://t.co/rZSOIr0i9o

— Uncut Magazine (@uncutmagazine) May 27, 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwLrUuGT288

Not wild about the video but lovely to hear her in fine fettle.

Yes, she sounds great! Looking forward to hearing her sing Canadee-i-o

love it — i think her voice sounds great now. obviously lower range, but it's still unmistakably Shirley.

So there's at least one song on the new album about Paddington then?

i thought this was fantastic, apparently written in the 60s by her first husband, rediscovered on some ancient tape of her and Davy Graham and rerecorded with Nathan Salsburg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa2oIMUKIPM

interview / favourite albums thing in the quietus:

https://thequietus.com/articles/28545-shirley-collins-interview-favourite-music?page=1

Awesome.

One of the many awesome things about that interview is that a couple of the albums she picks have album covers so awful or generic yet I still want to hear them all right now. Can't judge a book, etc.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/quietus_production/images/articles/28545/i__1594058957_resize_460x400.jpg

lol i have that cd but i never added it to my collection in discogs because my god it's ugly (just like 95% of folk cds tbh). nic jones is super great though

She's a treasure <3

Can vouch for Lankum's Between The Earth And Sky being really great, dark and droney. As for the rest (apart from Vaughn Williams) I've no idea but am ready to be surprised.

her new 2020 song came up recently in Discovery and blew me away, now I forget the name of course

great interview!!! classic shirley <3 <3 <3
https://toneglow.substack.com/p/022-shirley-collins

really nice interview, still so classic. new album is great!

i liked the part about how she and her sister used to sleep in the metal box to protect themselves from air raids
poignant and gnarly, just like a good folk song!!

I was just totally bowled over by Heart's Ease, and I've never really listened to much Collins before. I think I've heard No Roses and maybe one Shirley & Dolly one? -- looking forward to exploring more. I suppose I was poised to be emotionally moved by the fact that on the cover she looks quite a bit like my late grandmother, but there's definitely something special about hearing an octogenarian sing these old songs right now, or any songs maybe (I also like the new Dylan much more than I expected to). Enjoying that interview now, thanks LL!

yes this is really really nice, RIYL other recent "nu-trad-folk" releases like Lankum (unsurprising but cool to learn she's a fan), BLH or some Unthanks. it's been said but she really does sound amazing for her age.

public service announcement - she's doing a concert at the barbican next weekend, which you can watch via a paid livestream:

https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2021/event/shirley-collins-the-lodestar-band-live-from-the-barbican

Ooooooh! Thanks for the alert!

Wowza

been rinsing this one lately

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Sn3ZgtIsFw

Usual stab of anxiety whenever this thread gets bumped? CHECK!

But aye, what a glorious album.

sorry Chinaski, but she has a new album coming out in May!

https://shirleycollins.bandcamp.com/album/archangel-hill

One of the most important voices in British folk music Shirley Collins returns with Archangel Hill, her third album for Domino. Due for release on May 26th, it showcases another peerless collection of songs chosen by Collins, some from traditional sources but others from favourite writers of hers.

Produced by Ian Kearey - Shirley Collins’ musical director - the arrangements were shared between Collins, Kearey, Pip Barnes, as well as Dave Arthur and Pete Cooper, players from The Lodestar Band.

All of the songs on Archangel Hill were recorded last year except for “Hand And Heart”, which was taken from a live performance at the Sydney Opera House in 1980 and features an arrangement by Shirley’s beloved and talented sister Dolly Collins.

Hooray! Go Shirley!

yay. had somehow not noticed dave arthur played on the last two albums.

also just learned that there's been a new & updated iteration of the electric muse book/comp including the circa folk roots/new routes track that i think only came as a bonus on the deluxe version of heart's ease.

https://www.discogs.com/release/19452991-Various-The-Electric-Muse-Revisited-The-Story-Of-Folk-Into-Rock-And-Beyond

Yaaaaay get it Shirley!!

https://shirleycollins.bandcamp.com/album/archangel-hill

nobody? very good record imho