It has always been a wonder to me that more of the Strawbs' inventive and melodic compositions haven't been covered by other artists, despite Cousins' and Hooper's attempts in the late 60s to get into the songwriting business.
This page lists all the cover versions we know about. If anyone has further information, please email
(Static Caravan, VAN 161, 2008)
"Two Weeks Last Summer"
A truly strange version of this Cousins track. You can check out some of their other recordings at their website and MySpace:
(Il Levriro, LEV 003, 2007)
"In Battaglia (The Battle)"
A 4 track CD with an excellent Italian language version of "The Battle".
(Seanachie, SEAN001, 1996)
"The Hangman And The Papist"
A very enjoyable debut album from Canadian celtic folk group Seanachie. Their version of "The Hangman And The Papist" has a bit more bite to it than some of the other covers listed.
(Sweet Folk And Country, SFA009, 1974)
"The Hangman And The Papist"
Another version of "Hangman" lacking the passion, with acoustic guitars and bass that builds slightly but never enough.
This guy seems to be so obscure, there's nothing about him on either Google or Allmusic.com!
(CMI.X, 1998)
(Ultra, ULT001, 1998)
"The Hangman And The Papist"
Blood Axis is a US Duo comprising Michael Moynihan and Annabel Lee. Blót is a live recording which is very much a 'performance' and "The Hangman And The Papist" is one of the few tracks Moynihan attempts to sing in a very monotone, off-key, deep voice with little regard to the tune at times. Other tracks incorporate classical music by Bach and Prokofiev; spoken words from the works of Kipling, Nietzsche and Longfellow; the voices of Oswald Mosley and Benito Mussolini. The version on The Nitha Fields is a studio recording.
(Wonder Dog Records, WDR1001-2, 1995)
"Two Weeks Last Summer"
This one seems to be a bit of a rarity. Described as Urban Acoustic Folk Soul in one review, this is a very listenable album and "Two Weeks Last Summer" fits in perfectly with the other self-penned tracks.
"Part Of The Union"
One of the more irritating football pop songs ever was "Nice One Cyril" referring to Cyril Knowles of Tottenham Hotspur. The band who recorded that did a whole album's worth, which included a cover of "Part Of The Union". Workmanlike, but not too exciting.
"Lay Down", "Part Of The Union", "Shine On Silver Sun" respectively
When your dear old grannie used to wander down to Woolworths to buy her dear grandson/daughter a record, chances are she'd come back with one of these little gems - a feature of the UK record scene in the 70s, on which various sessions musicians would (try to) recreate the top hits of the moment. The covers invariably featured a scantily-clad young woman, which probably (for an adolescent lad) was the best bit of the package. Usually pretty dreadful versions, but occasionally a few of them weren't too bad. Old Reg Dwight (aka Sir Elton John), before he made it big, apparently played on a few of these shockers, but not I think any of these featured here.
For a full round-up of the known chart hits covers (well the ones I know about), and MP3 extracts, go to the Chart Hits page.
"The Hangman And The Papist"
Thanks to Dave Jones who sent me this bargain he picked up for 10p at a car boot sale - a Band called Tantalus treating us to their take on Country & Folk - apparently their third volume of such. Their choice of material is pretty sound, ranging from Carole King/James Taylor/Graham Nash material through to Lindisfarne's "Meet Me On The Corner" and Gerry Rafferty's "Steamboat Row" - Not certain quite where the country comes in though.
Their take on "Hangman" has a few nice touches - some brooding fuzz guitar behind the main acoustic strum, but the vocals are a bit "nice" and never really match the intensity of the lyrics. The track ends a la "The Battle" with a howling wind.
(RCA, KXL1-0202, 1977)
(Boot, BOS 7212, 1980)
"A Glimpse Of Heaven"
Mike Forest has provided details of a cover by Newfoundland band Ryan's Fancy. Fergus O'Byrne emigrated to Canada in 1967 from Dublin, Ireland and co-founded the group Ryan's Fancy, which according to the website, "went on to become highly respected, having championed Atlantic Canadian music on their own nationally televised CBC series" before breaking up 13 years later.
I've had an e-mail from Fergus updating the website link: see www.ryansfancy.com.
The track also appears on the 1980 album, Sea People.
"The Hangman And The Papist"
Jon Hall alerted me to a cover by folk-rock band Treebeard on their latest album "Heavy Wood". Most of the other tracks are fairly traditional. On their site www.treebeard.org.uk, they comment:
"Another one we have been doing since the early Haze days. We first heard this in 1976 when Radio Hallam broadcast the Rick Wakeman concert from the City Hall (my first concert!). As an introduction to the show they played 'Roundabout' by Yes & 'Hangman & the Papist' from the Strawbs. When we used to play it with Haze, not many people recognised it as a Strawbs song & assumed it was an original. We just kept quiet. Now everyone seems to recognise it. "
To order it, you send a cheque for £10.00 to Haze, 25 Fir Street, Sheffield, S6 3TG United Kingdom.
Neil Punnett adds "I had a quick shufti at the Treebeard website. What a great set of songs make up Treebeard's repertoire, from the Verve to the Strawbs via David Gray and Led Zepp. I notice they also do Sandy's "Who Knows Where the Time Goes". I wonder if they know the version on the Strawbs' "All Our Own Work" - surely the most plaintive and affecting of the many recorded versions?
(Artic Records, 1978, ARC-8636)
"Part Of The Union (adapted as "Gjengen i gata" - The gang in the street)
Robert Øvrebø sends me a scan of the front cover of Barnevisegruppa Erta Berta's LP, a Norwegian children's songs LP. The album's called "Sukkererta" ("Sugar Pea"). The band's and album's names put together makes up the first line from a children's (mocking) rhyme in Norwegian. On the LP side 1, track 1 is a version of "Part Of The Union" called "Gjengen i gata" (The gang in the street) about one's children friends down the street. The political content is all gone.
Click on the picture for a scan of the credits.
(AOI 2001, 2001)
"The Winter And The Summer"
A strikingly faithful version of this Dave Lambert classic, with guitarist Peter Hanmer picking up many of the original Lambert licks. Hanmer is also responsible for bass, drum programming but only sings on this track, a duet with vocalist Sherry-Lee Jones. The rest of the album is extremely listenable and comes highly recommended.
(Candletime, CA4104, 2001)
"Sail Away To The Sea"
A spartan but highly effective arrangement for this early Cousins classic. Hamel plays mandola, and her producer/accompanist Gerry O'Beirne joins her on vocals and 12-string, and there's a flute instrumental. The rest of the album is thoughtful, mainly self-written material; Hamel's voice is very attractive indeed. Recommended.
(Westwood, WRS026, 1973)
"I'll Show You Where To Sleep"
The Yardarm, a folky 4-piece (I think from Montgomeryshire, in mid-Wales) turn in a fairly close cover of this song from Strawbs' first album, complete with the intro piece "Here Am I" (though this isn't mentioned on the sleeve). Two singers, Goff Jones and John Evans handle 12 string, guitar, fiddle and banjo, and there's another guitarist Pete Mackreth and a bass player Phil James. The remainder of the album mixes traditional numbers with a few other contemoprary covers, such as "Caravan" by Allan Taylor and Brenda Wootton and Harvey Andrews' "Writer Of Songs". Nice enough example of what was most likely a private pressing of a successful local folk band. Anyone have any more info - be glad to hear it.
(Ensign Records, 0946 3 21961 1 8, 1992)
"Here It Comes"
A surprise cover of a 1972 Strawbs single by this fairly obscure 90s band, described to me as "more performance art" than music, nevertheless a pretty good one. Menacing growly vocals over early 90s thrash electric guitars turn what was a fairly throwaway number into something really rather good. Some of the other stuff on this 2LP set of unreleased rarities by the band are a bit less easy to get into, but worth it for Strawbs fans for this alone.
RCA, LSP-4209, 1970)
Josephine For Better Or For Worse
The Preserves Uncanned sleeve notes recount that they played it on a TV show and Jack Jones' manager, Charlie Williams, brother of US TV singer Andy Williams, said "There's a song for you there, Jack". Astute as ever, Cousins had the song round to Jones' hotel room the next morning (probably on a copy of the legendary Strawberry Sampler). At the Troubadour in 1997, Cousins recalled that the show was the Julie Felix TV show, on which Jack Jones was also appearing. Cousins didn't think much of Jones' version of the song, and had never forgiven him for marrying Susan George either!!
Dave has mentioned from time to time on stage that he thought it was recorded by Jones, and I've finally tracked it down. Album also includes Bacharach & David's "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", and a song from Hair. The album was produced by Jack Pleis and "Josephine" was arranged and conducted by Ralph Carmichael.
(China Records, WOLCD 1025, 1991)
"Further Down The Road"
Chanteuse Cassell was reported to be considering a cover of "Flying", back in 1991; instead this 1991 CD includes a more recent Cousins composition. China Records is run by Derek Green, formerly head honcho at A&M Records.
(no details)
"Tears And Pavan"
Any further info on this one ?
(no details)
"Part Of The Union"
Hud tells me that there's a tongue in cheek cover on the b-side of a single around, performed by comic Jim Davidson - anyone out there seen or heard this ?
(Birth 1973)
No fewer than three Dave Lambert songs were covered by Christine Harwood on this album, recorded in late 1971.
Lambert plays guitars throughout the LP and sings too in "Flies..."
Tell Me What You See In Me ??
A Strawbs song was covered by a band called Day Of The Phoenix. Cy Nicklin (an old friend of Dave Cousins) played sitar on "Tell Me What You See In Me" on the Sandy Denny and the Strawbs Danish sessions. In exchange, Dave gave Cy a Strawbs song (maybe the same one) for Day Of Phoenix's first single (no further details - can anyone oblige ?). Cy Nicklin later formed the excellent Culpepper's Orchard, their first LP issued in 1971.
(Peninsular Records, PEN 001 (cassette))
(Peninsular Records, CDRPM 0015, 1997 (CD))
"Hanging In The Gallery"
"Tell Me What You See In Me"
Long time Strawbs fan Eamonn Harvey includes a cover of a Dave Cousins song on each of the two releases mentioned above. The first, released on cassette, includes a version of "Hanging In The Gallery" from Nomadness; on the more recent CD release, he turns his attention to "Tell Me What You See In Me". If you want to order these, you can contact Eamonn directly at the following e-mail address: eamonnharvey@hotmail.com.
(Decca LK/SKL 5035 (mono/stereo), 1970)
"Till The Sun Shines Through" [aka "Till The Sun Comes Shining Through"]
"Josephine For Better Or For Worse"
"Sail Away" [aka "Sail Away to the Sea"]
"Who Knows Where The Time Goes"
Foggy Dew O were a Yorkshire folk band (who, like the Strawbs, later decided to shorten their working name for a 1972 album, Simple Gifts, on York Records produced by Cousins and Hooper, on which the Strawbs guested. Extremely rare!
Born To Take The Highway, pictured above is also of interest to Strawbs fans, featuring no less than four Strawbs-related tracks!! At a guess, I'd say that they happened to get hold of the Strawberry Sampler, probably when they played at Cousins' and Hooper's folk club in Hounslow, the White Bear ....
(Myrrh, MST 6507, 1972)
(York, FYK 405 , 1972 - re-released on Decca as The World Of The Settlers, SPA 343, 1974)
(Decca, SPA 343, 1974 - previously available on York Records as Lightning Tree, FYK 405, 1972)
"Martin Luther King's Dream"
The Settlers started out in the mid 60s, their first record coming out in 1964. By the time of their first self-titled album (Island ILP 947A, 1967), they were a trio Mike Jones (gtr, lead vcls), Cindy Kent (tambourine, vcls) and John Fyfe (bnjo), mixing the obligatory Dylan - "Mr. Tambourine Man", "Blowing In The Wind" - with a range of then folk/bluegrass standards such as "Jackhammer Blues" and "The Wreck Of The Old '97". They later added a bass player just like the group they emulated - the very much more popular Seekers.
This bass player, Geoff, lived in the same house as Tony Hooper in that part of Hampstead which gave rise to the Strawbs song "Pieces of 79 and 15". According to the sleeve notes to Preserves Uncanned, the Settlers used to perform a number of Strawbs tracks, including Tony's pop-oriented "Always On My Mind" and "You Keep Going Your Way" (the latter also covered by The Johnstons, see below).
The Settlers covered Cousins' anthem to Luther King on their largely-religious self-written release on Myrrh Records "Sing A New Song": other covers were "Streets of London" (Ralph McTell), "Nowhere Man" (Lennon & McCartney) and "Make Me An Instrument of Your Peace (Tom Springfield). The album was released by arrangement with the BBC and the group donated their royalties to a charitable concern, the Tear Fund.
"World of the Settlers" was initially put out as "Lightning Tree" by York Records in 1972, and later re-issued by Decca as part of its familar "World of ..." series, with the addition of both sides of the Settlers only real hit "Lightning Tree" and "Just This Side Of Nowhere" (York Records FYK505, 1971) which reached number 36 in the charts in October 1971. The album also contains a spoken word extract - delivered by the girl singer - from Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream" speech, with atmospheric fuzz electric guitar in the background, leading into a spirited rendition of "Martin Luther King's Dream".
Incidentally, that first album features "On My Way", publisher Copyright Control. Don't be fooled, it's not the Cousins track of the same name, but a spiritual instead. Lucky it only cost me £3 ......
(Transatlantic, TRA 184, 1969)
(Transatlantic, TRA/SAM 16, 1970)
"You Keep Going Your Way"
The Johnstons were originally a family trio, Adrienne, Michael and Luci, but the time they covered "You Keep Going Your Way", brother Michael had been replaced by Mike Moloney, and Paul Brady had also been added to the group. The two albums, Give A Damn and The Barley Corn came out more or less at the same time - the latter showcased their traditional, mainly Irish fare, whilst Give A Damn saw them handling contemporary material including the Cousins cover. The first four Johnstons albums, including Give A Damn have been re-issued by Castle/Transatlantic at mid price (2 LPs on 1 CD) and there is also a best of CD - The Transatlantic Years.
Later albums Bitter Green (also on Castle CD re-issue) and Colours of the Dawn (Wooded Hill CD re-issue) continued the mix of traditional and contemporary. By the time of their last, mainly contemporary album, the group effectively dwindled to a duo, Brady and Adrienne, and whilst Adrienne had one solo album before her untimely death, Brady has gone on to be Ireland's answer to Chris Rea. Worth a listen to if you like Irish folk.
According to Dave's sleeve notes on Preserves Uncanned, both the Settlers (see above) and the Johnstons used to play "You Keep Going Your Way"......
(Midas Records, MR001, 1972)
"You Keep Going Your Way"
.... and so did this lot! I have a cassette of this, thanks to Anne Pancello. Listening to it's quite clear that this Northern England group were heavily influenced by the Johnstons (see above). They follow their cover version of "You Keep Going Your Way" pretty much note for note, and to underline the point they also do a pretty good copy of the Johnstons' "Dublin Jack Of All Trades". Pleasant, not demanding, and a little slow in places.
(Warners Bros. K46281, 1974)
"The Man Who Called Himself Jesus"
Colin Scot paid his dues in the folk boom of the mid 60s - his name appears fairly frequently in the MM Folk Forum list - but never really seemed to get anywhere despite an album for United Artists - Colin Scot With Friends (UAG 29154, 1971) - which features unusual guest appearances by Peter Gabriel of Genesis and Peter Hamill of Van Der Graaf Generator.
A couple of releases for Warner Brothers with less distinguished sidemen - Just Another Clown (Warner Bros. K46236, 1973) and Out Of The Blue failed to hit the spot, though Strawbs fans who saw the February 1974 Hero and Heroine tour in the UK would have seen the Colin Scot band which made the latter album as the support act.
The version of "Jesus" owes a little to Dave Cousins in its delivery, and though the album as a whole is pleasant listening (with covers of "Mr. Blue" and Paul Brady's "Continental Trailways Bus") , it is fairly undistinguished. Also playing on "Jesus" and on many of the other tracks are Mox, who played harmonica on "Out In The Cold" on Hero and Heroine, and drummer Barry de Souza who played on Rick Wakeman's Six Wives album and also tried out for the Strawbs in late Summer 1973, losing out to Rod Coombes.
Colin Scot died in 1999.
"Two Weeks Last Summer"
This was one of the tracks recorded with Sandy Denny during the course of 1967, during Sandy's brief sojourn with the band. A version of it appears on the Strawberry Sampler, and whilst Dave Cousins chose to leave it off the 1973 release of the Sandy tapes (All Our Own Work), Joe Boyd did include it on the Hannibal CD which drew on these legendary recordings, Sandy And The Strawbs.
After Sandy Denny left Strawbs, she joined Fairport Convention and also formed her own band Fotheringay, which released a single album - see the Sandy/Fotheringay page in the Related section.
Sandy re-recorded "Two Weeks Last Summer" with Fotheringay for their second album, but before that album was completed, the band split and the track was not re-recorded for inclusion on her subsequent solo album North Star Grassman. She had asked Cousins to write an additional verse for the song, which he obligingly did. This version appears on the 4LP or 3CD retrospective Who Knows Where The Time Goes.
List of web pages about Sandy.
(Plant Life PLR023, 1979)
"Grace Darling"
Rosie Hardman is a female singer-songwriter with a big big voice, who recorded two albums for Trailer (the second of which, Firebird, features Barry Dransfield, June Tabor and a host of other folk-scene guest stars), a very rare self-produced album on Cottage and then moved to Steeleye Span drummer Nigel Pegrum's Plant Life label for three more. I was a great fan of Rosie, who used to play the clubs in the North East of England, and I was delighted to be able to book her a couple of times for the club I ran in London.
Rosie does a lilting version of Cousins' "Grace Darling" on this album (There is also a duet with Dave - "Lean On Me" and Brian Willoughby plays acoustic and electric guitar pretty much throughout. For more detail about the duet, click here.
For Rosie's website - lots of information and nice graphics - check out www.rosiehardman.com.
(USA Columbia FC 37960, 1982)
Take a Little Bit/same (USA Columbia 38 03514: 7" promo, 1982)
Take a Little Bit/2 live (USA Columbia 1600: 12" promo, 1982)
"Take A Little Bit Of My Love"
Dave Lambert's rocker from his solo album "Framed" (which was released on vinyl everywhere but the UK!) was covered as a single A-side by Eddie Money (though there's some doubt whether the single ever made it past promo stage. The track does however appear on Eddie's album No Control, credited to Lambert, Proffer and Eddie Money, and Money appears to have extensively rewritten the verses.
Thanks to Kev Biscoe for the info on the promo singles.
