Hark! The Village Wait

Hark! The Village Wait

Track Listings

1. Calling on Song

2. Blacksmith

3. Fisherman's Wife

4. Blackleg Miner

5. Dark Eyed Sailor

6. Copshawholme Fair

7. All Things Are Quite Silent

8. Hills of Greenmore

9. My Johnny Was a Shoemaker

10. Lowlands of Holland

11. Twa Corbies

12. One Night as I Lay on My Bed

Tracks:

A Calling-On Song
The Blacksmith
Fisherman's Wife
Blackleg Miner
Dark-Eyed Sailor
Copshawholme Fair
All Things Are Quite Silent
The Hills Of Greenmore
My Johnny Was A Shoemaker
Lowlands Of Holland
Twa Corbies
One Night As I Lay On My Bed

Customer Reviews:

Quintessential "Classic" Steeleye Span..........2007-05-02

Steeleye Span pioneered folk rock along with Fairport convention (whose music I still haven't picked up yet, though I've been meaning to for variety's sake). If you're a Steeleye Span fan, you will like this CD. Period. It's a Steeleye classic, and one of my many favorites.

Skip the newer releases, like: They Called Her Babylon, Bedlam Born, Bloody Men.

Go for the Classics: Tempted and Tried, All Around my Hat, Sails of Silver, Storm Force Ten, Rocket Cottage, Hark! The Village Wait, Please to See the King, Ten Man Mop, Commoners Crown, Now We Are Six, Parcel of Rogues, Below the Salt, Back in Line.

If you must pick up "modern" Steelye albums, pick up: Time (one of their best "modern" releases) and Horkstow Grange (their other good "modern" release). "Winter" is supposed to also be good, on par with the classics (traditional arrangements of holiday songs), though I haven't yet seen it.

The above "classic" albums cover the early and middle years.

Steeleye Span is off to a great Start!.......2006-05-28

"Hark! The Village Wait" is one of the best debut album rivaling Tull's "This Was". Starting off with a breath taking harmony "Calling-on Song", the group eases into a perfect ten, grade A album. One of the best Progressive rock albums, (Though not as popular as some), "Hark!" is truely a great album to own for any prog rock -or even Steeleye- fan. THis album stands out above the others mainly because there are two female vocalists, Maddy Prior, (In my opinion, could win American Idol) and Gay Woods. They originally started out with a drummer, but dropped one after the album. Though constantly shifting personnel, the band came out on top as one of Prog Rock's greats.

Hark!......... I hear a new and beautiful sound!.......2005-06-08

Steeleye's first album truly is something special! Every song on here is great...too bad that this line-up didn't get a more thorough work-out since the magic is flying everywhere on this recording, and having BOTH female singers makes this one SOAR (though the male vocals are spot-on as well)! The Blacksmith version on here may be one of my favorite songs I've ever heard in this genre. Other beautiful songs like Fisherman's Wife, Dark-Eyed Sailor, Lowlands of Holland, All Things Are Quite Silent, and One Night as I Lay on my Bed have such great harmonies, melodies and energy (some rock! I'd love to see Tull record a couple of these) that they stick with you long after the cd shuts off. Black-leg Miner is such an energetic and trippy string-whacking and cool vision of a new musical style, I am amazed...even that heavy accent really adds to the song (Bluegrass musicians should check this out). I could go on and on with other songs on HARK! This album is just wonderful from beginning to end, do yourself a favor and let this soak into your soul, you won't regret it. Cross-over appeal is broad with this band. I should further explore Terry and Gay Wood's music to see if this magic was created on other recordings of theirs. I know it was on the (also great) later Steeleye albums (this album has drumming which gives it a familiar feel, although they tried it without drums after this album for awhile). Is there a better way to start a new band and album than the Calling On Song?

You might want to get "Lark in the Morning" if you don't have the 1st 3 Steeleye albums - all 3 remastered on 2 cd's for about $11.00 is a nicely packaged steal! I imagine this band sometimes as hairy-feet Hobbits smoking long-bottom leaf cranking their wired, crazy little electric instruments to the Shire's delight at the great harvest festival - Mordor quakes at the power of these Middle-Earth minstrels, Orcs and Goblins run for their lives...fun thought anyway! Thanks for the gift of your music Steeleye members past and present. The world would feel more empty without it. Enjoy!

A Tie for Steeleye Span's Best: "Hark! The Village Wait".......2005-04-10

Previously at Amazon I wrote in a review that "Parcel of Rogues" was acid folk-rock Steeleye Span's most perfected album, but after listening to "Hark! The Village Wait" again recently on a wave of folk-rock nostalgia, I almost have to say those two albums are tied for that title. Maddy and Gay are exceptional as the strong female voices of this early Steeleye Span lineup, and bring such life to the likes of "The Blacksmith", "My Johnny Was A Shoemaker", and an undulating version of "The Lowlands of Holland". The rest of the band is particularly notable as well, and the myriad instruments used to enliven the selection of period/Renaissance songs for a modern era truly are strengths in themselves. While later albums have a more medieval feel, "Hark!" conjures up more a sense of the early ocean mariners through sea shanties (loosely applied) and songs reworked by the various bandmembers. A distinctive album and one not to be missed by fans of folk-rock and period ballads alike, "Hark! The Village Wait" is sure to gain a favored spot in any compact disc collection of appreciable diversity.

Fresh sound, amazing vocals.......2003-06-01

This first Steeleye Span album is folkier and less rock-influenced than their later work -- but, if you haven't heard them, don't get the false impression that "folky" means soft or wimpy -- or that "traditional" music has to be a dead museum piece. This album bursts with energy. The gutsy yet finely-honed voices of Maddy Pryor and Gay Woods never let you down, either separately or in rich harmony. The tunes are memorable and always make me want to sing along. The mood varies from the romantic "All things are quite silent," to the angry last verse of "Blacksmith" and the creepy, macabre "Twa Corbies." One of my favorite albums ever!

Average customer rating:

Hark the Village Wait
Steeleye Span
Manufacturer: Castle Music UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Folk | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Ten Man Mop
Please to See the King
All Around My Hat
Below the Salt
Unhalfbricking

ASIN: B000BJRJDG
Release Date: 2006-01-23

Tracks:

Calling-On Song
Blacksmith
Fisherman's Wife
Blackleg Miner
Dark-Eyed Sailor
Copshawholme Fair
All Things Are Quite Silent
Hills of Greenmore
My Johnny Was a Shoemaker
Lowlands of Holland
Twa Corbies
One Night as I Lay on My Bed

Album Description

This is the 1970 debut album from the British folk-rock stalwarts. CD features mainly traditional folk songs plus the Ashley Hutchings composition 'A Calling On Song'. Castle. 2005.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Edition of the 1970 Album by the Original Steeleye Span Line-up of Ashley Hutchings, Maddy Prior, Tim Hart and Gay and Terry Woods. They Never Survived Long Enough to Perform in Public, but They Did Leave Behind this Stunning Debut Album, Filled with Remarkable Renditions of Timeless Traditional Folk Tunes.