Halcyon Days (Strawbs album)

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Halcyon Days
Halcyon days uk.jpg
Compilation album by Strawbs
Released 1997 (1997)
Recorded 1968 (1968) – 1991 (1991)
Genre Progressive rock
Length148:37
Label A&M
Strawbs chronology
Strawbs in Concert
(1995)		Halcyon Days
(1997)		 Concert Classics
(1999)
Alternative Album Cover
Halcyon days us.jpg
US release cover

Halcyon Days is a compilation album by English band Strawbs. Although credited to Strawbs it does contain three Hudson Ford tracks and a Dave Cousins solo track (taken from his album Two Weeks Last Summer ). The album was released as a 2-CD set in the UK and US. The US release has a slightly different title (Halcyon Days – The A & M Years) and a different track listing.

Strawbs English rock band

Strawbs are an English rock band founded in 1964. Although the band started out as a bluegrass group they eventually moved on to other styles such as folk rock, progressive rock, and (briefly) glam rock.

Hudson Ford were a UK rock band-style duo, formed when John Ford and Richard Hudson left Strawbs in 1973. The original lineup featured Hudson and Ford along with Chris Parren on keyboards, Mickey Keen on guitars, and Gerry Conway on drums. Conway left in May 1974 prior to the recording of "Free Spirit" and was replaced by Ken Laws. Mickey Keen left the band in December 1974 and was replaced briefly by Mick Clarke, formerly of The Roy Young Band. Mick Clarke moved to the United States in 1975 and was not replaced. The lineup remained stable from that point until the group dissolved in late 1977.

Dave Cousins singer, songwriter and musician from England

Dave Cousins is an English singer and songwriter, who has been the leader, singer and most-active songwriter of Strawbs since 1967.

Contents

Cover

The cover image is of a common kingfisher, a reference to the mythical kingsfisher of Halcyon days.

Common kingfisher species of bird

The common kingfisher also known as the Eurasian kingfisher, and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.

Track listing – UK release

CD one

  1. "Ghosts" (Dave Cousins) – 8:30
    "Sweet Dreams"
    "Night Light"
    "Guardian Angel"
    "Night Light"
  2. "On Growing Older" (Cousins) – 1:56
  3. "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus" (Cousins) – 3:50
  4. "Stormy Down" (Cousins) – 2:44
  5. "I Turned My Face into the Wind" (Cousins) – 2:35
  6. "Queen of Dreams" (Cousins) – 5:31
  7. "Witchwood" (Cousins) – 3:22
  8. "Keep the Devil Outside" (John Ford) – 3:01
  9. "The Hangman and the Papist" (Cousins) – 4:11
  10. "Benedictus" (Cousins) – 3:38
  11. "Golden Salamander" (Cousins) – 4:54
  12. "Tokyo Rosie" (Cousins) – 2:49
  13. "Hero and Heroine" (Cousins) – 3:22
  14. "Pick up the Pieces" (Richard Hudson, Ford) – 2:35 Hudson Ford track
  15. "Lay Down" (Cousins) – 4:32
  16. "Backside" (Cousins) – 3:50
  17. "Out in the Cold" (Cousins) – 3:19
  18. "Round and Round" (Cousins) – 4:44
  19. "Oh How She Changed" (Cousins, Tony Hooper) – 2:52

In the liner notes, track 16 is referred to as "Ciggy Barlust (Backside)"

CD two

  1. "The Battle" (Cousins) – 6:25
  2. "Grace Darling" (Cousins) – 3:54
  3. "Blue Angel" (Cousins) – 9:46 Dave Cousins solo track
    "Divided"
    "Half Worlds Apart"
    "At Rest"
  4. "Here It Comes" (Cousins) – 2:42
  5. "The Shepherd's Song" (Cousins) – 4:33
  6. "We'll Meet Again Sometime" (Cousins) – 3:12
  7. "Martin Luther King's Dream" (Cousins) – 2:53
  8. "Burn Baby Burn" (Hudson, Ford) – 3:02 Hudson Ford track
  9. "Shine on Silver Sun" (Cousins) – 2:46
  10. "Why and Wherefore" (Cousins, Dave Lambert, Chas Cronk, John Hawken, Rod Coombes) – 5:31
  11. "Floating in the Wind" (Hudson, Ford) – 4:13 Hudson Ford track
  12. "Absent Friend" (Cousins) – 4:35
  13. "Part of the Union" (Hudson, Ford) – 2:56
  14. "Will Ye Go" (Francis McPeake) – 3:54
  15. "The River" (Cousins) – 2:23
  16. "Down by the Sea" (Cousins) – 6:19
  17. "Tell Me What You See in Me" (Cousins) – 6:11

Track listing – US release

CD one

  1. "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus" (Cousins) – 3:50
  2. "Where Is This Dream of Your Youth" (Cousins)
  3. "The Battle" (Cousins) – 6:25
  4. "The Weary Song" (Cousins) – 3:50
  5. "I Turned My Face into the Wind" (Cousins) – 2:35
  6. "Forever" (Cousins, Hooper) – 3:32
  7. "Song of a Sad Little Girl" (Cousins) – 5:28
  8. "A Glimpse of Heaven" (Cousins) – 3:50
  9. "Witchwood" (Cousins) – 3:22
  10. "Sheep" (Cousins) – 4:14
  11. "The Shepherd's Song" (Cousins) – 4:33
  12. "The Hangman and the Papist" (Cousins) – 4:11
  13. "Benedictus" (Cousins) – 3:38
  14. "Queen of Dreams" (Cousins) – 5:31
  15. "Heavy Disguise" (Ford) – 2:53
  16. "New World" (Cousins) – 4:11
  17. "Two Weeks Last Summer" (Cousins) – 3:07 Dave Cousins solo track
  18. "Blue Angel" (Cousins) – 9:46 Dave Cousins solo track
    "Divided"
    "Half Worlds Apart"
    "At Rest"

CD two

  1. "Here It Comes" (Cousins) – 2:42
  2. "Part of the Union" (Hudson, Ford) – 2:56
  3. "Tears and Pavan" – 6:35
    "Tears" (Cousins)
    "Pavan" (Cousins, Hudson, Ford)
  4. "The River" (Cousins) – 2:23
  5. "Down by the Sea" (Cousins) – 6:19
  6. "Lay Down" (Cousins) – 4:32
  7. "Autumn" – 8:27
    "Heroine's Theme" (Hawken)
    "Deep Summer Sleep" (Cousins)
    "The Winter Long" (Cousins)
  8. "Hero and Heroine" (Cousins) – 3:22
  9. "Midnight Sun" (Cronk, Cousins) – 3:06
  10. "Out in the Cold" (Cousins) – 3:19
  11. "Round and Round" (Cousins) – 4:44
  12. "Ghosts" (Cousins) – 8:30
    "Sweet Dreams"
    "Night Light"
    "Guardian Angel"
    "Night Light"
  13. "Grace Darling" (Cousins) – 3:54
  14. "Lemon Pie" (Cousins) – 4:03
  15. "To Be Free" (Cousins) – 4:17
  16. "Hanging in the Gallery" (Cousins) – 4:32
  17. "The Promised Land" (Cronk) – 4:07

Personnel

The songs were performed by several incarnations of Strawbs, plus the Hudson Ford and Dave Cousins session musicians. The following musicians featured: –

Acoustic guitar type of guitar

An acoustic guitar is a guitar that produces sound acoustically by transmitting the vibration of the strings to the air—as opposed to relying on electronic amplification (see electric guitar). The sound waves from the strings of an acoustic guitar resonate through the guitar's body, creating sound. This typically involves the use of a sound board and a sound box to strengthen the vibrations of the strings. In standard tuning the guitar's six strings are tuned (low to high) E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4.

Appalachian dulcimer fretted string instrument of the zither family

The Appalachian dulcimer 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 the fingerboard, and its fretting is generally diatonic.

Tony Hooper is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as a founder-member of Strawbs together with Dave Cousins and double bassist Ron Chesterman. He left The Strawbs in 1972 after their album Grave New World, when it became obvious that the band was moving further away from its folk roots towards rock and progressive rock. He rejoined for a 10-year stint in 1983. Hooper has been the guitarist in the Ceilidh & Barn-Dance Band Pitchfork since 1984, and is also a member of Misalliance.

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatCatalog
United Kingdom1997 A&M Records 2-CD set 540,662-2
United States1998A&M Records2-CD set31454 0951-2

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References

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