Halcyon Days (Strawbs Album)
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Halcyon Days (Strawbs Album)
''The Very Best of the Strawbs: Halcyon Days'' is a compilation album by English band Strawbs. Although credited to Strawbs it does contain three Hudson Ford tracks and a Dave Cousins solo track (taken from his album ''Two Weeks Last Summer''). The album was released as a 2-CD set in the UK and US. The US release has a slightly different title (''The Very Best of Strawbs: Halcyon Days – The A & M Years'') and a different track listing. Cover The cover image is of a common kingfisher, a reference to the mythical kingsfisher of Halcyon days. Track listing – UK release CD one #"Ghosts" (Dave Cousins) – 8:30 #:"Sweet Dreams" #:"Night Light" #:"Guardian Angel" #:"Night Light" #" On Growing Older" (Cousins) – 1:56 #"The Man Who Called Himself Jesus" (Cousins) – 3:50 #"Stormy Down" (Cousins) – 2:44 #"I Turned My Face into the Wind" (Cousins) – 2:35 #" Queen of Dreams" (Cousins) – 5:31 #"Witchwood" (Cousins) – 3:22 #"Keep the Devil Outside" (John Ford) – 3:01 ...
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Strawbs
Strawbs (or The Strawbs) are an English rock band founded in 1964 as the Strawberry Hill Boys. The band started out as a bluegrass group, but eventually moved on to other styles such as folk rock and progressive rock. They are best known for their hit "Part of the Union", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in February 1973, as well as for "Lay Down", a popular progressive rock hit from the same LP. Strawbs toured with Supertramp in their "Crime of the Century" tour, doing their own "Hero and Heroine" tour, which drew musical similarities and themes. History Early days The Strawbs formed in 1964 as the Strawberry Hill Boys while the founder members were at St Mary's Teacher Training College, Strawberry Hill, London. The name was shortened to 'The Strawbs' for a June 1967 concert in which they wanted to display the band name on stage. Their long-time leader and most active songwriter is guitarist and singer Dave Cousins (guitar, dulcimer, banjo, vocals) (born ...
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Lay Down
"Lay Down" is a single by the Strawbs which reached No. 12 in the UK Singles Chart in October 1972 - their first hit. It was included on their 1973 album '' Bursting at the Seams''. The lyrics are loosely based on the 23rd Psalm in the Old Testament and the song was widely considered to be writer Dave Cousins's most commercial and radio-friendly offering to date. Indeed, some aficionados accused Cousins and the band of "selling out", especially as the band later appeared on Top of the Pops dressed in glittery "glam rock" outfits and wearing make-up (with drummer Richard Hudson unusually placed at the front of the stage). The single was described, in the original A&M Records Press Release, as ".. the Strawbs first real attempt to crack open the singles market." It featured strong rock guitar riffs from the band's new guitarist Dave Lambert. The album version features an additional guitar solo, making it about thirty seconds longer than the single. The song was brought to the ...
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Heavy Disguise
"Heavy Disguise" is a song by English band Strawbs written by bassist John Ford. The track first appeared on the '' Grave New World'' album and features just John Ford from the band singing and accompanying himself on the acoustic guitar backed by "The Robert Kirby Silver Band" – i.e. a brass section arranged by Robert Kirby (who later became a Strawbs keyboard player). Ford has said in interview that the song was inspired by the rhythm of a Jethro Tull song he heard on the radio. The lyrical content was inspired by him seeing a news report of a Vietnamese demonstration at the US embassy, but also draws heavily from the situation prevalent in Northern Ireland at the time (in the same way that "New World" does). The song was originally entitled "IRA Meeting Blues". Personnel *John Ford – vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music ( ...
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Forever (Strawbs Song)
"Forever" is a song by English band Strawbs written by Dave Cousins and Tony Hooper. It did not feature on any of their studio albums at the time but was included as a bonus track on the CD re-release of the albums ''Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios'' and '' Dragonfly. B-Side The B-side track "Another Day" is taken from the '' Dragonfly'' album. The Italian release was paired with "Fingertips", a song from ''Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios''. Personnel *Dave Cousins – lead vocals, acoustic guitar * Tony Hooper – backing vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion *Ron Chesterman – double bass * Rick Wakeman – organ * Claire Deniz – cello *Bjarne Rostvold – drums *Tony Visconti Anthony Edward Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is an American record producer, musician and singer. Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers. His first hit single was T. Rex's " Ride a White Swan" in 1970, the first of man ... – production *Roger Queste ...
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Wild Mountain Thyme
"Wild Mountain Thyme" (also known as "Purple Heather" and "Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?") is a Scottish/Irish folk song. The lyrics and melody are a variant of the song "The Braes of Balquhither" by Scottish poet Robert Tannahill (1774–1810) and Scottish composer Robert Archibald Smith (1780–1829), but were adapted by Belfast musician Francis McPeake (1885–1971) into "Wild Mountain Thyme" and first recorded by his family in the 1950s. Tannahill's original song, first published in Robert Archibald Smith's ''Scottish Minstrel'' (1821–24), is about the hills (''braes'') around Balquhidder near Lochearnhead Lochearnhead (Scottish Gaelic: Ceann Loch Èireann) is a village in Perthshire on the A84 Stirling to Crianlarich road at the foot of Glen Ogle, north of the Highland Boundary Fault. It is situated at the western end of Loch Earn where the A8 .... Tannahill collected and adapted traditional songs, and "The Braes of Balquhither" may have been based on the traditional so ...
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Part Of The Union
"Part of the Union" is a song by English band Strawbs, featured on their 1973 album '' Bursting at the Seams'' and was the band's most successful single, peaking at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart. It also reached No. 10 in the Irish Singles Chart. Background The song was included on the album '' Bursting at the Seams'' but is not considered typical of the songs on that album. Indeed, the track was originally recorded without a contribution by band leader Dave Cousins and was to be released under the name of "The Brothers". It demonstrates the different, more commercial direction the writing partnership of Richard Hudson and John Ford was taking within the band. The song (especially its chorus "You don't get me I'm part of the Union") quickly became popular as an unofficial anthem of the trade union movement. Subsequently, the Strawbs have confirmed that the song was written with genuine celebratory intent, in support of the unions. The song resurfaced on the UK television adve ...
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Rod Coombes
Rodney Coombes (born 15 May 1946) is an English musician. He was mostly known from playing drums with British bands Stealers Wheel in 1972 to 1973 and again in 2008 and Strawbs from 1974 to 1977 and again from 2004 to 2010. Career He has played drums professionally since he was 17, when he joined singer Lulu's backing band The Luvvers. He played with the Jeff Beck Group at the time of the release of the single "Hi Ho Silver Lining" and then joined soul band Trifle, with whom he stayed for about 18 months. He moved on to raunchy blues rock band Juicy Lucy before joining Stealers Wheel for their eponymous first album (which spawned the million seller " Stuck in the Middle With You"). In 1973, he left the increasingly dysfunctional band and joined Strawbs, with whom he stayed until after the release of the 1977 album '' Burning for You''. After spending some time on the studio side learning to engineer and produce, he lived in Malaysia for a period, returning to obtain his mas ...
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John Hawken
John Christopher Hawken is an English keyboard player, best known as a member of The Nashville Teens, Renaissance, and the Strawbs. He also played in Spooky Tooth, Third World War, Vinegar Joe, Illusion, as well as being a session musician. Background Hawken was born 9 May 1940 in Bournemouth, England. He trained in classical piano from the ages of 5 until 18, prompted by his mother Dorothy Constance Hawken, who was formally trained as both a pianist and painter from an early age. He took an interest in Rock and roll and, in 1960, joined his first rock band – the Cruisers Rock Combo. The band included future Renaissance guitarist Michael Dunford. Nashville Teens In 1962, The Cruisers Rock Combo were joined by singers Ray Phillips and Arthur Sharp to form The Nashville Teens. John Allen soon joined on lead guitar after Dunford's departure, and Terry Crowe joined as a third singer. This line-up turned professional in 1963 and went to Germany to play in the clubs (including ...
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Chas Cronk
Chas Cronk is an English musician, best known as the bass player and acoustic guitarist for the Strawbs from 1973 to 1980 and again from 2004 to the present. Chas also toured and recorded with Steve Hackett and Rick Wakeman in the 1980s and Cry No More in the 1980/90s. He released a solo album, ''Liberty'', in March 2022 on Renaissance Records (USA). Discography Albums Phillip Goodhand-Tait band *''Songfall'' (1972) Strawbs *''Hero and Heroine'' (1974) *''Ghosts'' (1974) *''Nomadness'' (1975) *'' Deep Cuts'' (1976) *''Burning for You'' (1977) *'' Deadlines'' (1978) *'' Heartbreak Hill'' (1978) *'' Blue Angel'' (2003) *''Déjà Fou'' (2004) *'' Strawbs Live at Nearfest 2004'' (2005) *''A Taste of Strawbs'' (2006) (box with 4 CDs, recordings 1967–2006) *''Strawbs NY '75'' (2007) (live recording of a 1975 show) *'' Lay Down with the Strawbs'' (2008) (double CD recorded live at The Robin in Bilston 5 March 2006) *''The Broken Hearted Bride'' (2008) (with the ''Hero and Heroin ...
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Dave Lambert (British Musician)
Dave Lambert (born 8 March 1949)Strong, Martin C. (2002) ''The Great Rock Discography'', Canongate, , p. 1014 is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter, who has been a member of the Strawbs at various stages of the band's career, beginning in the 1970s. Career Lambert was born in Hounslow, Middlesex. He was a member of several bands in the 1960s, including The Syndicate, The Chains, and Friday's Chyld / Fire.Eder, BruceDave Lambert Biography, Allmusic, retrieved 16 July 2011 In 1972 he joined the King-Earl Boogie Band, an outfit formed by two former members of Mungo Jerry. They had briefly fired Ray Dorset from Mungo Jerry with the intention of replacing him on guitar and vocals with Lambert, until Dorset was reinstated by management and record company. The King-Earl Boogie Band's debut album was produced by Dave Cousins, a move which led to Lambert playing on Cousins' solo album ''Two Weeks Last Summer''. Lambert then joined Cousins in Strawbs on guitar and vocals late ...
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Shine On Silver Sun
"Shine on Silver Sun" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1974 album ''Hero and Heroine''. It is written by Dave Cousins and was intended as a "come-back" single after the post-"Part of the Union" band split. The single was a minor success peaking at number 34 in the UK Singles Chart. B-Side The B-side track "And Wherefore" is a band composition, not released on any studio album. It forms the second part of the composite song "Why and Wherefore" which appears on the compilation/rarities album '' Halcyon Days''. Personnel *Dave Cousins – vocals, acoustic guitar * Dave Lambert – backing vocals, electric guitar *Chas Cronk – backing vocals, bass guitar *Rod Coombes – drums * John Hawken – piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ..., mellot ...
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Here It Comes (song)
"Here It Comes" is a song by the English band Strawbs. It did not appear on any of their studio albums, but it was included on two compilation albums: '' Strawbs by Choice'' and '' Halcyon Days''. Written by bandleader Dave Cousins, "Here It Comes" shows definite pop influences and a more commercial view to song-writing, a trait that would extend to the next single, "Lay Down". B-Side The B-side track "Tomorrow" is taken from the ''Grave New World'' album and is a band composition, although the main lyrical idea is Dave Cousins's and stems from the feelings Cousins had at the decision taken by Rick Wakeman to leave the band at the end of recording the previous album '' From the Witchwood''. Personnel *Dave Cousins – lead vocals, acoustic guitar * Tony Hooper – backing vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion *John Ford – backing vocals, bass guitar * Richard Hudson – backing vocals, drums, percussion *Blue Weaver – keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyb ...
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