Frost and Fire

Product Information

We thought – my generation of musicians – that we'd all get old and grey and there'd be nobody left. And then all this new generation of young musicians came up, and we all said, 'Thank God.' So if people say traditional music has got to be like that, or like that, then you're going to freeze it. You may as well put something in a museum or bury it in the ground in a time capsule and dig it up so many years later to see what it was like then. You can't do that with tradition. You have to hope each generation brings their own thing to it, so it keeps going forever." Feeling part of a dynasty in musical terms is a great feeling' ". The Guardian. 12 May 2007 . Retrieved 6 January 2022. A family folk ensemble from Hull, Yorkshire, Norma, Mike and Lal Waterson formed the crux of the group, joined by their cousin, John Harrison, who occasionally performed guitar accompaniment. For the most part, they were known for their head-turning four-part vocal performance, often unaccompanied, of traditional songs from around the United Kingdom. Then things get wonderfully weird: ‘The Holly Bears A Berry’ connects the plant with a “ dying and resurrected god” (Thank you, always, liner notes!). And, by the way, in Nordic mythology, that blind god Hod was deceived by that nasty fellow Loki to kill the really nice guy Balder with a mistletoe dart. Go figure.

With the exception of the thirteen drum beats on Hal-an-Tow, provided by Leader, the entire album consists of unaccompanied vocals, vocals of unrivalled power, depth and brilliance. What’s New for the 20th of August: Some favorite mysteries; jazz, country, RT, and a musical grab bag; a hoedown, a big dragon, Hellboy, and of course ice cream! The Watersons: Mighty River of Song Brave General Wolfe The Watersons: Mighty River of Song Brave Ploughboy, The The Watersons: Green Fields Brave Wolfe The Watersons: The Watersons;

The sisters also became good friends with Kate and Anna McGarrigle, and Gift is dedicated to Kate, who died earlier this year. McGarrigle's death has affected Waterson profoundly. "When you lose a member of your family who is your singing partner, as well as your best friend and sister …" She shakes her head. "It's irreplaceable." The Watersons: Early Days Yold Yellow Legged Marry Waterson & Oliver Knight: The Days That Shaped Me Yorkshire Tup, The The Watersons: A Yorkshire Garland; The Watersons: A Yorkshire Christmas Wealthy Squire, The Lal & Norma Waterson: A True Hearted Girl; The Watersons: Frost and Fire (CD reissue) Cornfield Lal Waterson & Oliver Knight: Once in a Blue Moon Country Life The Watersons: For Pence and Spicy Ale; The Watersons perform in the original classic lineup – Lal, Mike and Norma Waterson and John Harrison.

What’s New for the 17th of September: WWII (and other) mysteries; jazz, Americana, Celtic music and more; Doc Martin; summer beer and ale Lal Waterson: Teach Me to Be a Summer’s Morning Another Time Marry Waterson & Oliver Knight: The Days That Shaped Me Apple Tree Wassail The Watersons: For Pence and Spicy Ale; Norma’s lead on the gorgeous ‘Jolly Old Hawk’, a Twelfth Night carol, has a similar effect on the listener. These songs don’t appear to emerge from the exertions of the lungs of these singers; they seem to exist within and without them. The delicate family harmony that unfolds around the lyric “his wings were grey” also has all the warmth of a grandparent’s arms. Seasons of anxiety, seasons of joy. The common people had their rites of propitiation and triumph, older than the rituals of the church and closer bound to their daily lives. This album takes us through a year’s calendar, displaying songs that accompanied these ceremonies, season by season. On October 28th, a new generation gets the chance to fall under its spell as a fresh edition appears on Topic Records. The vinyl edition has been re-cut 45 rpm for optimal sound quality, and the sleeve is a replica of the original (with minor adaptations for 2022), including the original sleevenotes by legendary folklorist, A.L. Lloyd.

Lyrics

Their style can be compared to the Copper Family of Sussex, a dynasty of traditional singers who sing in harmony, [4] which was extremely unusual in traditional English music. Norma Waterson at the BBC Folk awards on 27 April 2016, where she received the lifetime achievement award. Photograph: Christie Goodwin/Redferns And the seasonal circle continues: ‘Jolly Old Hawk’ mentions a “ twelfth most day”, which matches with those twelve days of Christmas, or the mysterious “ twelfth night”, which ritualistically attempts to counter the darkest days of the year. Supernatural stars and souls (and perhaps even Shakespeare’s ghost) hover over the tune.