Stepping It Out!

Traditional Folk Music, Songs and Dances from England

Jeff Wesley (Northamptonshire) Sean MacNamara & Peggy Peakin (Liverpool) Mary Ann Haynes (Sussex) George Fradley (Derbyshire) Padstow Carol Singers (Cornwall) Johnny Doughty (Sussex) The Dartmoor Pixie Band (Devon) Walter Pardon (Norfolk) Sam Sherry (Lancashire) Manny Aldous (Suffolk) David Blick (Gloucestershire) Staithes Fisherman's Choir (Cleveland) Charlotte Renals (Cornwall) Gordon Hall (Sussex) Lucy Farr (London) Geoff Ling (Suffolk) Ted Quantrill (Suffolk) Fred Whiting (Suffolk) Bampton Traditional Morris Dancers (Oxfordshire) Tony Harvey (Suffolk) Will Noble (South Yorkshire) Tommy Morrissey & Charlie Pitman (Cornwall) Bob Cann & Mark Bazeley (Devon) Bob Lewis (Sussex) Gordon Woods (Suffolk)

This compilation celebrates the first twenty five releases from Veteran Tapes: which became in the 1990’s one of the major traditional folk music labels in England. Here are recordings from every corner of the country, of just about every aspect of traditional folk music. Some of the songs date back hundreds of years and we have examples from working farmers, in-shore fishermen and gypsy communities. There are newer songs from the era of the Victorian Music Halls, from the roots of the trade union movement, and even a song put together by squaddies during the Second World War. Many are solo performances, but we also have voices singing together; there are Christmas carollers and a fishermen’s choir as well as choruses captured during lively bar-room sessions. Then there’s the music: a country dance band in full flight, Irish music from London and Liverpool, plus an ancient Morris dancing tradition. Not forgetting of course the stepdancing! This is an important set of field recordings (not one was made in a studio) which shows just how diverse and exciting real English traditional folk music can be.

CD Listing

  1. Brisk & Bonny Lad - Jeff Wesley (2.39)
  2. The Long Strand /Bird in the Bush /Toss the Feathers - Sean MacNamara & Peggy Peakin (2.57)
  3. Lily White Hand - Mary Ann Haynes (4.37)
  4. Mary Anne - George Fradley (3.04)
  5. Rouse Rouse - Padstow Carol Singers (3.43)
  6. The Watercress Girl - Johnny Doughty (2.45)
  7. Ripple of the Teign - The Dartmoor Pixie Band (3.55)
  8. Sons of Labour - Walter Pardon (2.57)
  9. I Want to be a Sausage - Sam Sherry (2.50)
10. 'Cleverly done,' said he. - Manny Aldous (3.35)
11. The REME song - David Blick (1.54)
12. Men of Staithes - Staithes Fishermen's Choir (3.35)
13. Ball of Yarn - Charlotte Renals (1.52)
14. In Horsham Town - Gordon Hall (4.56)
15. Pat Burke's Jig - Lucy Farr (1.35)
16. Two Irish Maltese - Tommy Morrissey & Charlie Pitman (2.28)
17. Change the Old Love for the New - Geoff Ling (2.16)
18. Heave on the Trawl - Ted Quantrill (1.31)
19. Enoch Brown - Fred Whiting (1.58)
20. Old Tom of Oxford - Bampton Traditional Morris Dancers (2.26)
21. Jolly Fine Fellows who Follow the Plough - Tony Harvey (2.14)
22. Swaledale - Will Noble (3.54)
23. Stepdance to Uncle George's - Bob Cann & Mark Bazeley (1.42)
24. The Cuckoo - Bob Lewis (2.49)
25. The Wireless Song - Gordon Woods. (3.31)