Produced by Mike Steyn and Peter Cooke;
Liner notes by Hamish Henderson;
Cover design by Barbara Salisbury;
Cover photo by Dave Thomas

Musicians

Alison McMorland: vocals;
Aly Bain: fiddle [5];
Rab Wallace: Lowland bagpipes [6]

Tracks

Side 1

1. Skippin’ Barfit Through the Heather (Roud 9750)
2. Great Selkie of Sule Skerry (Roud 197; Child 113)
3. The Blackbird (Roud 2375)
4. Maybe I’ll Be Mairriet (Roud 6210)
5. The Swan Swims Sae Bonnie (Roud 8; Child 10; G/D 2:213)

Side 2

6. The Highland Widow’s Lament (Roud V13721)
7. A Foolish Young Girl (Roud 60; Laws P25; G/D 6:1170; Henry H683)
8. The Cruel Mother (Roud 9; Child 20; G/D 2:193; TYG 73)
9. On Monday Nicht He Cam tae Ma Door
10. The Cuckoo’s Nest (Roud 1506, 5407)
11. The Belt wi’ Colours Three (Roud 5534)

All tracks trad. except
Track 9 Sheila Douglas

Produced by Alison McMorland with assistance from John Tams and Derek Pearce;
Recorded by John Gill at Riverside Studios in July 1977;
Front cover illustration by Helen Oxenbury

Musicians

Alison McMorland: vocals, 5-string banjo [2-3, 11-12];
Katy McMorland: vocals [9-10, 12];
Pete Bullock: clarinet [1, 8, 10-12], harmonium [2, 4], baritone saxophone [3, 6, 8], knees [12];
Alan Harris: double bass [1, 8], tenor banjo [1, 3, 6, 8], spoons [11];
Terry Loane: xylophone [1, 3, 6, 8], treble recorder [2], mouth organ [3], whistle [4, 12], Northumbrian smallpipes [7], paper and comb [11], flute [12], knees [12];
Derek Pearce: banjo [1, 3, 8], drum [1, 8], percussion [3], fiddle [5-6, 12], E-flat tuba [11], bass drum [11], knees [12];
John Tams: tenor banjo [1, 8], concertina [3], melodeon [3, 5-6, 8, 10], mouth organ [5, 11], saucepan lids [11], knees [12]

Tracks

Side 1

1. The Funny Family
2. Babes in the Wood (Roud 288; Laws Q34)
3. When I Was One (Roud 19188)
4. Finger Rhymes: Thumbkin (Roud 12837) / Two Little Dicky Birds (Roud 16401) / Here’s the Church and Here’s the Steeple (Roud 16226)
5. I Have a Bonnet Trimmed with Blue (Roud 8212)
6. Knee Jogging Rhymes: O Kafoozalum (Roud 13707) / Mrs Sippy O and Mrs Epplewhite / Up in the North
7. Lullaby

Side 2

8. Band Medley
9. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
10. A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea (Roud 18338)
11. Punchinello (Roud 13189)
12. Singing Games Medley: Sally Go Round the Sun (Roud 11591) / The Farmer in His Den (Roud 6306) / Pee Pee Pollyana / Here Comes Mrs Macaroni (Roud 13203) / Lazy Katy Will You Get Up? (Roud 6561) / In and Out the Rushing Bluebells (Roud 13206) / London Bridge Is Falling Down (Roud 502; G/D 8:1566; Henry H48h)

All tracks trad.

Recorded at Riverside Studios, London;
Engineered by Antony David;
Produced by Tony Engle;
Photography by Keith Morris;
Sleeve design by Tony Engle

Musicians

Alison McMorland: vocals;
Peta Webb: vocals

Tracks

Side 1

1. Two Pretty Boys (Roud 38; Child 49) (4.11)
2. What Can a Young Lassie? (Roud 1295) (2.28)
3. Jogging Up to Claudy (Roud 6336; G/D 5:956) (1.57)
4. In London So Fair (Roud 2989; G/D 1:178) (5.44)
5. The Convict’s Song (Roud 5122) (2.39)
6. Sailing’s a Weary Life (Roud 273; Laws K12; G/D 6:1245) (3.48)

Side 2

7. The Factory Girl (Roud 1659) (4.10)
8. The May Morning Dew (Roud 5405) (2.50)
9. The Green Banks of Yarrow (Roud 172; Child 24; G/D 6:1225) (2.26)
10. The Dowie Dens of Yarrow (Roud 13; Child 214; G/D 2:215) (5.25)
11. Our Ship Is Ready (Roud 2995) (4.33)

Tracks 1, 6-7, 9, 11 trad. arr. Alison McMorland, Peta Webb;
Tracks 2-5, 8, 10 trad.

Recorded by Ian McCalman;
Notes to the songs by Geordie McIntyre, other notes by Pete Heywood;
Front cover detail from a painting by Gladys McMorland;
Sleeve design by John Slavin

Musicians

Alison McMorland: vocals, banjo;
Kirsty Potts: vocals [12];
Norman Chalmers: concertina, imbira (thumb piano);
Derek Hoy: fiddles

Tracks

1. Traivellers Joy (Roud 22011) (3.57)
2. Sailing’s a Wearie Life (Roud 273; Laws K12; G/D 6:1245) (3.40)
3. Edom o’ Gordon (Roud 80; Child 178; G/D 2:231) (4.40)
4. Be Guid Tae Me (3.09)
5. The Swan Swims Sae Bonnie (Roud 8; Child 10; G/D 2:213) (7.47)
6. Twa Years Ower Young (Roud 380; G/D 6:1187) (3.22)
7. Hap and Row (Roud 7252; G/D 7:1398) (2.31)
8. The Flyting o’ Life and Daith (4.28)
9. The American Stranger (Roud 1081; G/D 7:1469) (4.01)
10. Skippin’ Barfit Through the Heather (Roud 9750) (2.56)
11. Belt wi’ Colours Three (Roud 5534) (5.15)
12. Pullin’ Hard Against the Stream (Roud 1958) (4.25)
13. Cloudberry Day (4.20)

All tracks trad. arr. Alison McMorland except
Track 1 Helen Fullerton;
Track 8 Hamish Henderson;
Track 13 Geordie McIntyre

Produced by Alison McMorland;
Recorded by Ian McCalman at Kevck Digital, Lasswade;
Sleeve notes by Alison McMorland and Geordie McIntyre;
Cover photograph by Geordie McIntyre;
Sleeve design by John Slavin

Musicians

Alison McMorland: vocals [1, 3, 6-8, 10, 12-14], chorus [4], banjo [2, 7, 9, 11];
Geordie McIntyre: vocals [2, 4-5, 8-11, 13], guitar [6];
Kirsty Potts: vocals [1, 6];
Derek Hoy: fiddle [1, 7, 9, 13];
Norman Chalmers: whistle [2], concertina [1, 13], bodhrán [5], moothie [8];
Patsy Seddon: clarsach [14]

Tracks

1. The A83 (3.55)
2. Wild Geese / Norland Wind (3.18)
3. Backies (3.16)
4. Inveroran (2.48)
5. Seven Men of Knoydart (3.24)
6. Now Westlin Winds (Roud 6936) (5.29)
7. The Silkie of Sule Skerry (Roud 197; Child 113) (6.33)
8. Joy of Living (5.00)
9. Another Valley (4.06)
10. Braes o’ Balquidder (Roud 541; G/D 4:862) (2.26)
11. Quiet River (4.36)
12. Mother Earth (5.04)
13. John Muir (3.58)
14. Rowan in the Rock (3.26)

Tracks 1, 3 words Helen Fullerton, music trad.;
Track 2 word Violet Jacob, music Jim Reid;
Tracks 4, 9 Geordie McIntyre;
Track 5 words Hamish Henderson, music trad.;
Track 6 words Robert Burns, music trad.;
Tracks 7, 10 trad.;
Track 8 words Ewan MacColl, music trad.;
Track 11 Jim Brown;
Track 12 Frankie Armstrong;
Tracks 13-14 words Geordie McIntyre, music trad.

Produced by Alison McMorland;
Recorded by Peter Haigh at Pier House Studios, Edinburgh;
Mixed by Alison McMorland and Peter Haigh;
Sleeve notes by Geordie McIntyre;
Sleeve design by John Slavin

Musicians

Alison McMorland: vocals [1, 3-4, 6-7, 9, 11];
Geordie McIntyre: vocals [2, 5, 7-8, 10];
Kirsty Potts: vocals [3, 6, 11];
Rob MacKillop: lute [1];
Steve Sutcliffe: concertina [5, 7];
Bill Taylor: psaltery [9], bray harp [11]

Tracks

1. The Wife of Usher’s Well (Roud 196; Child 79) (5.32)
2. Lamkin (Roud 6; Child 93; G/D 2:187; Henry H735) (4.05)
3. The Two Brothers (Roud 38; Child 49) (4.15)
4. May Colvin (Roud 21; Child 4; G/D 2:225; Henry H163) (4.05)
5. Braes o’ Yarrow (Roud 13; Child 214; G/D 2:215) (3.40)
6. Lover’s Ghost (Roud 179; Child 248) (3.42)
7. The Wee Toon Clerk (Roud 120; Child 281; G/D 2:317; Henry H201) (5.10)
8. Tam Lin (Roud 35; Child 39; G/D 2:330) (5.51)
9. Clerk Saunders (Roud 3855; Child 69) (6.40)
10. The Daemon Lover (Roud 14; Child 243; G/D 2:332) (3.15)
11. King Orfeo (Roud 136; Child 19) (5.15)

All tracks trad. arr. Alison McMorland, Geordie McIntyre, Kirsty Potts except
Track 1 tune Geordie McIntyre arr. Alison McMorland, Rob MacKillop;
Track 5 trad. arr. Geordie McIntyre, Steve Sutcliffe;
Track 7 trad. arr. Alison McMorland, Geordie McIntyre, Steve Sutcliffe;
Track 9 trad. arr. Alison McMorland, Bill Taylor;
Track 11 trad. arr. Alison McMorland, Bill Taylor, instrumental piece Gaber Reel by Bill Taylor

Produced by Alison McMorland;
Recorded at Kevock Digital, Lasswade;
Booklet notes and cover photo by Geordie McIntyre;
Sleeve design by John Slavin

Musicians

Alison McMorland: vocals [1-8, 10, 12-13];
Geordie McIntyre: vocals [1, 4, 6, 8-9, 11, 14], guitar [11];
Kirsty Potts: vocals [1, 3, 13];
Derek Hoy: fiddle [1, 4-5, 8, 12, 14], viola [12, 14];
Norman Chalmers: concertina [1, 4-5, 8, 14], whistle [8], jew’s harp [8], mouth organ [14]

Tracks

1. White Wings (3.16)
2. The Rocks o Gibraltar (Roud 2174; G/D 6:1118) (4.50)
3. The Virginnia Maid (3.39)
4. The Shoreheid Boat (4.01)
5. Time Wears Awa (Roud 21760) (4.46)
6. Here’s a Health to All True Lovers (Roud 1235) (3.07)
7. The Gairdner (Roud 339; Child 219; G/D 4:840) (4.26)
8. John Barleycorn (Roud 164; G/D 3:559) (3.01)
9. The Shira Dam (4.04)
10. MacCrimmon’s Lament (Roud 5134) (5.19)
11. Last Farewell to the Bens (2.44)
12. In Freenship’s Name (Roud 21761) (3.53)
13. Our Ship Is Ready (Roud 2995) (3.40)
14. My Last Farewell tae Stirling (Roud 5160; G/D 8:1534) (4.23)

Track 1 Geordie McIntyre arr. Geordie McIntyre, Derek Hoy, Norman Chalmers;
Tracks 2-3, 6-7, 10, 13 trad. arr./adapt Alison McMorland;
Track 4 words Ian Philip, tune trad. arr./adapt Geordie McIntyre, Norman Chalmers, Derek Hoy;
Track 5 trad arr./adapt Alison McMorland, Derek Hoy, Norman Chalmers;
Track 8 trad. arr./adapt Geordie McIntyre, Derek Hoy, Norman Chalmers;
Track 9 words Helen Fullerton, tune trad. arr./adapt Geordie McIntyre;
Track 11 words Gaelic translation George Buchanan, tune trad. arr./adapt Geordie McIntyre;
Track 12 trad. arr./adapt Alison McMorland, Dered Hoy;
Track 14 trad. arr./adapt Geordie McIntyre, Norman Chalmers, Derek Hoy, Alison McMorland

Produced by Alison McMorland and Geordie McIntyre;
Recorded at Shirramuir Studios, Dunblane, Scotland, in February 2010;
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Micah Gilbert and Paul Syme;
Booklet notes by Geordie McIntyre;
Photography by Stuart Ogg;
Sleeve design by John Slavin

Musicians

Geordie McIntyre: vocals [1, 5, 7, 9, 11-14], guitar [4, 14];
Alison McMorland: vocals [2-4, 6, 8, 10-13], banjo [1, 7, 9, 12];
Kirsty Potts: vocals [3, 6];
Jo Miller: fiddle [1];

Tracks

1. From Gulabeinn (3.20)
2. Thomas Rymer (Roud 219; Child 37) (6.38)
3. The Factory Girl (Roud 1659) (4.45)
4. Love Song (3.20)
5. Tam Chambers (2.25)
6. Mary Slessor (2.26)
7. Clyde’s Water (Roud 91; Child 216; G/D 6:1231) (5.36)
8. Burns and Highland Mary (Roud 820; Laws O34; G/D 6:1249) (6.55)
9. The Lights of Home (3.50)
10. The Cruel Grave (Roud 179; Child 248) (9.05)
11. The Tryst (2.15)
12. Winter in Glencoe (3.45)
13. Gloomy Winter’s Noo Awa (Roud V703) (2.20)
14. Where Ravens Reel (3.02)

Tracks 1 words Geordie McIntyre, tune trad. arr. Alison McMorland, Jo Miller;
Track 2 words trad., tune Alison McMorland arr. Alison McMorland;
Tracks 3, 8, 10, 13 trad. arr. Alison McMorland;
Track 4 words Hamish Henderson, tune trad. arr. Alison McMorland, Geordie McIntyre;
Track 5 words Geordie McIntyre, tune trad. arr. Geordie McIntyre;
Track 6 words Geordie McIntyre, tune trad. arr. Alison McMorland;
Track 7 trad. arr. Alison McMorland, Geordie McIntyre;
Track 9 words Geordie McIntyre, tune trad. arr. Alison McMorland, Geordie McIntyre;
Track 11 words William Soutar, tune Geordie McIntyre arr. Alison McMorland;
Track 12 words Helen Fullerton, tune Geordie McIntyre arr. Alison McMorland;
Track 14 Geordie McIntyre

Tracks 1, 4, 6-11, 13-14, 17 recorded, edited and mixed at Heriot Toun by Mattie Foulds in 2014 and 2015;
Tracks 3, 5, 12, 16 recorded by Jim Hunter at ARC recording studio, Mintlaw, in July 2014;
Tracks 2, 15 recorded by Marcus Mackay at Diving Bell Lounge, Glasgow, in October 2014;
Additional recording, editing and mixing by Mattie Fould at Heriot Toun;

Musicians

Kirsty Potts: vocals [1-5, 7-13, 15-16], chorus [1-5, 7-8, 10-11, 13, 15-16], Fender Rhodes [1-2, 4-5, 15], piano [1, 3-4, 8, 10-11, 13], accordion [2, 5, 9, 16], hand claps [1, 13];
Mattie Foulds: drums [1, 4, 7-8, 11, 13], percussion [1-2, 11, 13, 15], hand claps [1, 13];
Alasdair Roberts: chorus [1-2, 4, 8, 13, 15], electric guitar [1-2, 8, 13, 15], acoustic guitar [9], bass [1, 4, 11], hand claps [1];
Anne Wood: chorus [2, 15], fiddle [2, 9, 15], viola [8-9];
Frances Wilkins: concertina [3, 5, 12, 16];
Claire White: fiddle [3, 5, 12, 16];
Geordie McIntyre: chorus [3];
Alison McMorland: chorus [3, 5, 7-8, 11, 13, 16], banjo [7, 10, 13];
Rise Kagona: chorus [4], electric guitar [4, 11];
Donald Lindsay: chorus [4], small pipes [4], small whistle [11];

Tracks

1. Scotland’s Peace Train (4.43)
2. Binnorie (Roud 8; Child 10; G/D 2:213) (5.59)
3. The Shepherd’s Song (Roud 5124) (4.05)
4. Cuckoo’s Nest (Roud 1506, 5407) (7.08)
5. Will Your Anchor Hold? (3.39)
6. Space Storm at Sea (0.59)
7. Now More Than Ever (2.57)
8. If I Had a Hammer (4.17)
9. College Boy (Roud 31; Laws O35; G/D 6:1222) (4.43)
10. Betsy Belle (Roud 5211) (4.13)
11. A Wee Bird Cam tae My Apron (6.53)
12. The Seeds of Love (Roud 3; G/D 6:1180) (4.42)
13. Bonnie Annie (Roud 172; Child 24; G/D 6:1225) (6.38)
14. Space Percussion (0.24)
15. Woe Is Me (Shame and Scandal in the Family) (3.31)
16. Pulling Hard Against the Stream (5.02)
17. Waterfall in Space (0.40)

Track 1 Kirsty Potts;
Track 2-4, 9-13 trad. arr. Kirsty Potts;
Track 5 Priscilla Owens, William Kirkpatrick;
Tracks 6, 14, 17 Professor Wanda Diaz-Merced;
Track 7 words Geordie McIntyre, music trad. arr. Kirsty Potts;
Track 8 words Lee Hayes, music Pere Seeger;
Track 15 Lancelot Victor Edward Pinard, Lord Melody;
Track 16 Harry Clifton

This album was released to accompany Ruth Perry’s biography The Ballad World of Anna Gordon, Mrs. Brown of Falkland, published by Oxford University Press, ca. February 2025. Anna Gordon (24 August 1747 – 11 July 1810), also known as Mrs. Brown of Falkland, Fife, was one of the most important British ballad collectors.

See also Sigrid Rieuwerts (ed.), The Ballad Repertoire of Anna Gordon, Mrs. Brown of Falkland, The Scottish Text Society, Fifth Series, 2011.

Folking.com review by Dai Jeffries

Introduction and liner notes by William Donaldson, Geordie McIntyre and Ruth Perry;
Ballad texts transcribed by Alasdair Roberts from the sung performances, while remaining faithful to the orthographic particularities and irregularities of the earliest manuscript sources;
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Mark Lough at Tolbooth Recording Studio, Stirling, from 2016 to 2023;
Cover image: Old Aberdeen, courtesy of Aberdeen City Libraries;
Design by Calum Hadden at Birnam CD

Musicians

Alison McMorland: vocals [1, 3, 5-7, 9-11], chorus [4];
Jo Miller: vocals [2, 4, 8, 12];
Kirsty Potts: vocals [11];
Alasdair Roberts: guitar [10];
Owen Sutcliffe: flute [8];
Daniel Thorpe: fiddle [6]

Tracks

CD 1

1. Thomas Rymer and Queen of Elfland (Roud 219; Child 37) (6.46)
2. Kempion (Roud 3912, 3176; Child 34) (6.19)
3. Lady Elspat (Roud 4023; Child 247) (5.50)
4. The Cruel Sister (Roud 8; Child 10; G/D 2:213) (17.05)
5. Clerk Colven (Roud 147; Child 42) (7.16)
6. Young Bekie (Roud 40; Child 53L; G/D 5:1023; Henry H470) (13.41)

CD 2

7. Lamkin (Roud 6; Child 93; G/D 2:187; Henry H735) (8.18)
8. King Henry (Roud 3967; Child 32) (7.17)
9. Brown Adam (Roud 482; Child 98; G/D 5:994) (4.56)
10. The Gay Goss Hawk (Roud 61; Child 96) (11.55)
11. The Baron of Braikly (Roud 4017; Child 203; G/D 2:234) (6.32)
12. Lady Maisry (Roud 45; Child 65) (9.38)

All songs trad.