The Misty Mountains of Home

This is a mix of some of my favorite tracks from the 60s/70s British / Irish / Scottish folk revival. (There is one recording from 1980, but hopefully that can be overlooked...)

Ryan's Mix

The mix is not the typical fare of Ari's blog. (Only a few songs even have drums.) But I'm grateful he let me share it.

1) Incredible String Band - Nightfall (1968) This track will put you in the mood for a journey back in time...

2) Anne Briggs - Willie O'Winsbury (1971) Many of these old folk songs tell wonderful stories in their lyrics. I recommend listening to this closely. Anne Briggs was a young woman with a plain yet unforgettable who was active during the British folk renaissance of the 60s. After recording a few albums and inspiring a generation of musicians, she gave up singing completely and moved to a secluded farm on the Isle of Skye.

3) Mountain Ash Band - Who Knows (1975) From a concept album called "The Hermit" about the life of an 18th century Yorkshire...hermit.

4) Maddy Prior & Time Hart - False Knight On The Road (1972) There are so many wonderful songs by this duo. This one leans toward a more modern sound but the melody seems timeless.

5) Planxty - Johnny Cope (1974) Having heard too much cheesy new-age "celtic" music, I was skeptical when Ari introduced me to Planxty. But these guys are absolutely the real deal. This song slowly builds up to an amazing Uilleann pipe solo.

6) Fairport Convention - Matty Groves (1969) No folk-rock mix would be complete without a track from these guys. The themes of love and sex are nothing new to British folk music.

7) John Renbourn - Caroline's Tune (1976) Here's one for the guitar nerds. Renbourn is probably my favorite guitarist ever. The high trills are as precise as a surgeon's scalpel.

8) Bert Jansch & John Renbourn - Time Has Come (1966) Written by Anne Briggs (who was Bert Jansch's girlfriend in Edinburgh), a wonderful version of this song shows up as the title track of her album in 1971. This version has a nice bluesy feel.

9) Robin & Barry Dransfield - Tapestry (1970) A nice medieval detour. Imagine sitting a banquet hall drinking mead and gnawing on one of those big turkey legs.

10) Pentangle - Cruel Sister (1970) More medieval moods. Pentangle is one of my favorite bands of this era, combining Bert Jansch & John Renbourn's matchless guitar playing with with Jackie McShee's lilting, crystal-clear voice. Oh yeah, and a sitar.

11) Steeleye Span - The Blacksmith (1970) If the voices sound familiar, it's because Maddy Prior and Tim Hart are in the band. Brilliant production with a tight 70s drum sound and crisp banjo playing. A very sexy song, once you crack the metaphor.

12) Bridget St. John - Many Happy Returns (1969) Her voice reminds me of Nico.

13) Robin & Barry Dransfield - The Rout Of The Blues (1970) This is a very traditional rendering, and it might not sound very exciting if you're accustomed to modern [over]production. But listen closely to the vocal harmonies and I'm sure you'll agree that this song is heartbreaking.

14) Planxty - Baneasa's Green Glade (1974) Another Planxty gem with a killer instrumental break at the end. It almost sounds middle-eastern. From what I can tell, this song seems to be about a band of minstrels who live in the forest.

15) Steeleye Span - Gamble Gold Robin Hood (1975) Speaking of bands who live in the forest, I couldn't resist adding this extremely catchy song, which could easily be mistaken for Raffi.

16) Nic Jones - Canadee-I-O (1980) This arrangement shows the virtuosic guitar style that Nic Jones became well known for. At the crossroads of Canadian, Irish, and maritime folk music, the song itself is a real tear-jerker.

17) Vashti Bunyan - Diamond Day (1970) The opening track to her brilliant debut album. She disappeared for 35 years and then released another album on an indie label in 2005.

18) Anne Briggs - Standing On The Shore (1971) If there is a lesson I hope to have learned from this music, it is contained in this song. The most familiar instruments, guitar and voice, properly wielded, can transport us to distant shores.