The Power of the True Love Knot
Encyclopedia
The Power of the True Love Knot is an album by Shirley Collins
.
The theme of this collection of songs is "the idea of true love as a power outside society's control", as Shirley writes on the liner notes. If the first track sounds slightly like "Eleanor Rigby
", this is because Bram Taylor plays cello on both of them. Two other guests are Mike Heron
and Robin Williamson
from The Incredible String Band. The relationship bore fruit on Shirley's next album. Anthems in Eden (1969) contains "God Dog", a song written by Robin Williamson.
The title of this album comes from the song "Lady Margaret and Sweet William". On this song, Shirley accompanines herself on 5-string dulcimer
, adapted to have a banjo
neck. The sound is so charming that you wish she had used the instrument on later albums, but she never did. Three of the songs on this collection had previously been recorded on False True Lovers (1960) - "Just as the Tide Was Flowing", "Richie Story" and "The Unquiet Grave". Clearly, they were among her favourites. Dolly Collins
puts her stamp on "Richie Story" in her pipe-organ accompaniment, a stately march as the couple in the song progress through the street to church to marry.
In 1964, Shirley had recorded Folk Roots, New Routes, which introduced eastern rhythms to English folk song. On this album, there is a vaguely Indian flavour to "Seven Yellow Gipsies" with Robin Williamson's complicated clapping, and his chanter playing on the song "The Maydens Came".
Shirley Collins
Shirley Elizabeth Collins MBE is a British folksinger who was a significant contributor to the English Folk Revival of the 1960s and 1970s...
.
The theme of this collection of songs is "the idea of true love as a power outside society's control", as Shirley writes on the liner notes. If the first track sounds slightly like "Eleanor Rigby
Eleanor Rigby
"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by The Beatles, simultaneously released on the 1966 album Revolver and on a 45 rpm single. The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney...
", this is because Bram Taylor plays cello on both of them. Two other guests are Mike Heron
Mike Heron
Mike Heron is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work in the Incredible String Band in the 1960s and 1970s.-Career:...
and Robin Williamson
Robin Williamson
Robin Williamson is a Scottish multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, songwriter and storyteller, who first made his name as a founder member of The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
from The Incredible String Band. The relationship bore fruit on Shirley's next album. Anthems in Eden (1969) contains "God Dog", a song written by Robin Williamson.
The title of this album comes from the song "Lady Margaret and Sweet William". On this song, Shirley accompanines herself on 5-string dulcimer
Appalachian dulcimer
The Appalachian dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings. It is native to the Appalachian region of the United States...
, adapted to have a banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
neck. The sound is so charming that you wish she had used the instrument on later albums, but she never did. Three of the songs on this collection had previously been recorded on False True Lovers (1960) - "Just as the Tide Was Flowing", "Richie Story" and "The Unquiet Grave". Clearly, they were among her favourites. Dolly Collins
Dolly Collins
Dorothy Ann Collins, known as Dolly Collins , was an English folk musician, arranger and composer. She was the older sister of Shirley Collins....
puts her stamp on "Richie Story" in her pipe-organ accompaniment, a stately march as the couple in the song progress through the street to church to marry.
In 1964, Shirley had recorded Folk Roots, New Routes, which introduced eastern rhythms to English folk song. On this album, there is a vaguely Indian flavour to "Seven Yellow Gipsies" with Robin Williamson's complicated clapping, and his chanter playing on the song "The Maydens Came".
Track listing
- "Bonnie Boy" (Trad)
- "Richie StoryRichie Story-Synopsis:Of a group of sisters , one falls in love with Richie Story and rejects an earl for him...
" [Child 232] (Trad) - "Lovely Joan" (Trad)
- "Just as the Tide Was Flowing" (Trad)
- "The Unquiet GraveThe Unquiet Grave"The Unquiet Grave" is an English folk song in which a young man mourns his dead love too hard and prevents her from obtaining peace. It is thought to date from 1400 and was collected in 1868 by Francis James Child, as Child Ballad number 78....
" [Child 78] (Trad) - "Black-eyed Susan" (Trad)
- "Seven Yellow GipsiesThe Gypsy Laddie"The Gypsy Laddie" , also known as "Black Jack Davy" and "The Raggle Taggle Gypsies" among many other titles, is a Border ballad , possibly written about 1720 on the Scottish side of the border...
" [Child 200] (Trad) - "Over the Hills and Far Away" (Trad)
- "Greenwood Laddie" (Trad)
- "Lady Margaret and Sweet WilliamFair Margaret and Sweet William"Fair Margaret and Sweet William" or Lady Margaret or Lady Margaret and Sweet William is a folk song, collected by Francis James Child as Child ballad number 74...
" [Child 74] (Trad) - "The Maydens Came" (Trad)
- "Polly VaughanPolly Vaughn-Synopsis:A man, sometimes called Johnny Randle, goes out hunting for birds. Usually this is described as being in the evening or by moonlight in the rain. He sees something white in the bushes. Thinking this is a swan, he shoots. To his horror he discovers he has killed his true love, Polly...
" (Words: Trad/ Tune: S Collins) - "The Barley Straw" (Trad)
- "Barbara Allen" [Child 84] (Trad)
Personnel
- Shirley Collins - vocal, 5-string dulcimer
- Dolly CollinsDolly CollinsDorothy Ann Collins, known as Dolly Collins , was an English folk musician, arranger and composer. She was the older sister of Shirley Collins....
- pipe-organ - Bram Taylor - cello on tracks 1 and 9
- Mike HeronMike HeronMike Heron is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work in the Incredible String Band in the 1960s and 1970s.-Career:...
- finger cymbals, African drum, clapping - Robin WilliamsonRobin WilliamsonRobin Williamson is a Scottish multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, songwriter and storyteller, who first made his name as a founder member of The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
- Japanese sticks, tin whistle, chanter from Indian Shahanhai, clapping