''Below the Salt'' is the fourth studio album by Steeleye Span and their first after they joined the Chrysalis label. The album takes medieval influence and combines it with the band's

British folk rock British folk rock is a form of folk rock which developed in the United Kingdom from the mid 1960s, and was at its most significant in the 1970s. Though the merging of folk and rock music came from several sources, it is widely regarded that the ...

style. The lineup on the album includes Bob Johnson and

Rick Kemp Frederick Stanley 'Rick' Kemp (born 15 November 1941) is an English bass player, guitarist, songwriter, vocalist and record producer, best known for his work with the British folk rock band Steeleye Span. Projects In the 1960s, he shot to promi ...

making their debuts in the band. By this point, Ashley Hutchings had left the band, leaving

Tim Hart Tim Hart (9 January 1948 – 24 December 2009) was an English folk singer and multi-instrumentalist, best known as a founding member of British folk rock band Steeleye Span. Early years Tim Hart was born in Lincoln, England, but moved to St ...

and

Maddy Prior Madelaine Edith Prior MBE (born 14 August 1947) is an English folk singer, best known as the lead vocalist of Steeleye Span. She was born in Blackpool and moved to St Albans in her teens. Her father, Allan Prior, was co-creator of the police ...

as the only remaining founding members. The album was recorded in May and June 1972 at

Sound Techniques Sound Techniques was a recording studio in Chelsea, London that was operational between 1965 and 1976. Housed in a former dairy, it was founded by recording engineers Geoff Frost and John Wood. The studio became well known as the place where man ...

studios in

Chelsea, London Chelsea is an affluent area in west London, England, due south-west of Charing Cross by approximately 2.5 miles. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames and for postal purposes is part of the south-western postal area. Chelsea histori ...

. Tracks were mainly chosen by Hart and Prior, but it was Johnson who suggested the band add their Christmas hit "

Gaudete ''Gaudete'' ( or , ; "rejoice ye.html"_;"title="wikt:ye.html"_;"title="/nowiki>wikt:ye">ye">wikt:ye.html"_;"title="/nowiki>wikt:ye">ye/nowiki>"_in_Latin.html" ;"title="wikt:ye">ye.html" ;"title="wikt:ye.html" ;"title="/nowiki>wikt:ye">y ...

". They self-produced the album because they could not yet find a replacement after Sandy Roberton departed. "Gaudete" became the band's first hit, reaching number 14 on the UK charts. To give the impression of the choristers approaching and then moving away, the song was given a long fade-in and -out on the album. The single release, however, featured no fade. The album reached number 43 in the UK album charts.

Track listing

All songs on the album are Traditional, adapted by Steeleye Span #" Spotted Cow" #"Rosebud in June" #"Jigs: The Bride's Favourite/Tansey's Fancy" #"Sheep-crook and Black Dog" #" Royal Forester" #" King Henry" #"

" #"

John Barleycorn "John Barleycorn" is an English and Scottish folk song listed as number 164 in the Roud Folk Song Index. John Barleycorn, the song's protagonist, is a personification of barley and of the alcoholic beverages made from it: beer and whisky. ...

" #"Saucy Sailor"

Personnel

;Steeleye Span *

- vocals *

- vocals,

Appalachian dulcimer The Appalachian dulcimer (many variant names; see below) is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings, originally played in the Appalachian region of the United States. The body extends the length of ...

, guitar * Peter Knight -

violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...

viola ; german: Bratsche , alt=Viola shown from the front and the side , image=Bratsche.jpg , caption= , background=string , hornbostel_sachs=321.322-71 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded by a bow , range= , related= *Violin family ...

, mandolin, banjo, piano, vocals *

- bass, drums, vocals * Bob Johnson - guitar, vocals

References

{{Authority control 1972 albums Chrysalis Records albums Steeleye Span albums