It was originally released on LP and cassette in 1988 as English Rebel Songs 1381–1914. This version was released on CD in 1994 by One Little Indian Records.
It was re-recorded in 2003,with two additional tracks,as English Rebel Songs 1381–1984,released on the band's newly formed MUTT Records label.
Composed mostly of traditional English protest songs,the recording was a stark contrast to the group's previous punk recordings,pointing towards the band's future integration of choral and a cappella music,as well as a greater focus on harmony in their musical sound. The 2003 recording added some light instrumentation on some tracks.
Some of the songs come from Stand Together by Hackney and Islington music group,100 Songs Of Toil by Karl Dallas,A Touch On The Times,and A Ballad History of England by Roy Palmer. Many of the songs are still performed by modern English folk bands such as The Houghton Weavers and Coope,Boyes &Simpson.
Reception
Allmusic called the album "eloquent",with "utterly relevant" songs,emphasizing that the singing in the 1988 version "was far better than anyone expected",and commending the improved technical quality of the 2003 recording,[1] while The Independent praised the album as having "rousing" songs,with "excellent" vocal performances,but expressed concern that there were no songs from later than 1984.[2]
According to the 1988 LP notes:"The words are sung,with a couple of exceptions,exactly how we found them written. To start chopping and changing them all to fit in with modern language and ideas would have destroyed the reason why we wanted to do them like this (Which isn't to say that folk music isn't to be changed,edited and modernised.) Consequently the language and meaning seem a bit peculiar at times."
From the 2003 re-release:"Now,fifteen years later,we felt we'd learned enough about our voices to try again,updating and rearranging the songs against a backdrop of US/British warmongering. The songs were discovered in songbooks and in folk clubs and on cassette tapes,chopped and changed and bludgeoned into shape with utmost respect for the original tunes."
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