HARK! THE VILLAGE WAIT

Following the release of the landmark prog folk Fairport Convention album "Liege and lief" in 1969, that band found themselves at something of a crossroads. The album had opened up several possible directions to them, but the members were split on which to follow. Co-founder Ashley "Tyger" Hutchings was seen as the traditionalist who sought to keep the band on the folk path they had been treading for a couple of years. He was outvoted though, and as a result chose to move on.

Hutchings teamed up with folk duo Maddy Prior and Tim Hart, and the trio brought in Terry and Gay Woods to complete their line up. As the band did not include a drummer as such, Gerry Conway and Dave Mattacks (both of whom are well known in the folk rock circuit) helped out. Uniquely for either Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span, this meant that the album featured two female vocalists. The band name Steeleye Span was chosen from the numerous options available within folk songs (reportedly as a result of a rigged ballot!), and the quintet set about recording this their debut album which was released in 1970. The title does not in fact mean "listen to the village awaiting something", but "listen to the small group of musicians who play in the village", such groups being referred to as "waits".

The songs here are mostly traditional numbers, interpreted and adapted by the band to adopt a more contemporary sound. A number of them have remained part of the band's repertoire through the years, and several have reappeared on subsequent Steeleye Span albums.

The album opens with a brief a cappella "Calling on song", with lyrics adapted by Hutchings which set the scene perfectly not just for the album but for the band over the years. "The blacksmith" features the fine voice of Maddy Prior, the acoustic arrangement being highly reminiscent of fellow folkies Pentangle. The melody is based on the hymn "To be a pilgrim". The first of the newer songs is a version of the fine Scottish songwriter Ewan MacColl's (father of Kirsty) "Fisherman's wife". The song tells a familiar tale of awaiting the return of the boat with Gay Wood stepping forward to take lead vocal for the first time. Her harmonies with Prior are highly effective, giving the song a slightly haunted feel.

"Blackleg miner" is thought to date from the late 19th or early 20th century, but its lyrics became equally relevant during the 1980's and the infamous miner's strike in the UK. Steeleye Span nailed their colours to the mast at that time through a high profile performance of the song shortly after the dispute ended. "Dark eyed sailor" could be a track extracted from "Liege and lief", the atmosphere being similar to that of "Crazy man Michael".

Further traditional songs such as " "Copshawholme Fair" and "All Things Are Quite Silent" serve to cement the introductions to what is undoubtedly a highly gifted group of musicians, and in particular to the distinctive vocal tones of Maddy Prior, with which we shall become far more familiar on subsequent albums. "The Hills Of Greenmore" features a less common lead vocal, I think by Tim Hart (but possibly by Terry Woods).

"My Johnny Was A Shoemaker" is a brief song with some fine unaccompanied multi-part female vocal harmonies. At 6 minutes "Lowlands of Holland" is the longest track on the album, the song once again having a Pentangle feel. It appeared on the first LP-length recording of Irish songs made in Ireland (called "The Lark in the Morning"), the version here being faithful to Paddy Tunney's interpretation on that release.

"Twa corbies" is a derivative of the traditional song "Three ravens", a harmonic number about two (or three) ravens discussing in rather gruesome terms what they should eat. The album closes with " One Night as I Lay on My Bed", a song about a lover visiting his sweetheart.

"Hark! The village wait" turned out to be a posthumous release, the tensions within the band turning ever more acrimonious, and leading to the departure of husband and wife Woods before it was even completed, let alone released. Note that the earliest versions of this album (on RCA) have a different sleeve illustration.

As with Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span's debut stands alone in their catalogue, both in terms of the one off line up and the music it contains. Admittedly, the differences with future albums are less obvious here, but as a whole the band adhere firmly to a traditional style of delivery. It is however a highly enjoyable affair which will appeal to those with a bent for prog folk.

Share this STEELEYE SPAN review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to Easy Livin
• Report this review (#205565)
• Buy STEELEYE SPAN music online with PA partners
• Show all STEELEYE SPAN MP3/Stream
• Go to STEELEYE SPAN page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Hark! The Village Wait page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for STEELEYE SPAN related discussions