Track 1 recorded at Livingston Studio, London by John Brough;
Track 2 recorded at Nova Studio, Hull by Alan Jones;
Tracks 3, 13 recorded at Sound Cafe Studio, Penicuik by David Gray;
Tracks 4-5, 7-8, 10, 12, 14 recorded at Bryn Derwen Studio, Wales by Dave Wrench;
Tracks 6, 9, 11 recorded at Exchequer Studio, Dublin by Brian Crosby;
Produced by David Rotheray;
Mixed by Alan Jones;
Mastered by Ray Staff;
Cover painting by Kathryn Williams;
Design by Chris Dimmack

Musicians

Jim Causley: vocals [1, 7, 14], backing vocals [4];
Bella Hardy: vocals [2, 7, 12], backing vocals [5];
Eliza Carthy: vocals [3, 13], tenor guitar [13];
Kathryn Williams: vocals [4], backing vocals [4];
Alasdair Roberts: vocals [5], backing vocals [1, 14];
Camille O’Sullivan: vocals [6];
Julie Murphy: vocals [8], backing vocals [5], piano [8];
Eleanor McEvoy: vocals [9], guitar [4, 10], backing vocals [1, 10, 14];
Nat Johnson: vocals [10], guitar [10];
Jack Lukeman: vocals [11];
David Rotheray: guitar [1-2, 7, 12, 14], bass [1, 3-4, 6-7, 9-10, 13];
Rod Clement: mandolin [1, 3, 14], ukulele [1, 14], dobro [1, 3, 10];
Melvin Duffy: guitar [2], pedal steel [5-7, 12], bass [12];
Riley Briggs: guitar [3, 13];
Damon Butcher: piano [3-4, 6-12], organ [3, 6];
Frankie Banham: flute [2];
Ros Stephen: strings [4-5, 8-9, 11-12];
Gary Hammond: percussion [1, 3, 6, 9-10, 12-14];
Murray Briggs: drums [1, 3-4, 7, 10, 12-13];
Ross Turner: drums [6];
Ruth Browne: whistling [1];
Pete Jack: whistling [14]

Tracks

1. [JC] The Sparrow, the Thrush & the Nightingale (3.26)
2. [BH] Living Before the War (3.34)
3. [EC] The Road to the South (4.02)
4. [KW] Crows, Ravens & Rooks (3.24)
5. [AR] Draughty Old Fortress (3.59)
6. [CO’S] Sweet Forgetfulness (4.07)
7. [BH, JC] The Hummingbird on Your Calendar (1.29)
8. [JM] Taller Than Me (3.56)
9. [EMcE] Almost Beautiful (2.54)
10. [NJ] Flying Lessons (3.42)
11. [JL] The Best Excuse in the World (Is the Truth) (3.35)
12. [BH] The Digital Cuckoo (3.36)
13. [EC] Cover Your Garden Over (3.31)
14. [JC] The Sparrow, the Thrush & the Nightingale Part II (2.44)

All tracks David Rotheray except
Tracks 2-3, 9, 11 David Rotheray, Eleanor McEvoy;
Track 4 David Rotheray, Kathryn Williams;
Track 5 David Rotheray, Alasdair Roberts;
Track 6 David Rotheray, Jim Causley;
Track 8 David Rotheray, Julie Murphy;
Track 10 David Rotheray, Nat Johnson;
Track 12 David Rotheray, Bella Hardy;
Track 13 David Rotheray, Eliza Carthy

Produced by David Rotheray;
Tracks 1, 4 mixed by Alan Jones;
Track 2 mixed by Dave Wrench;
Tracks 3, 5 mixed by John Brough

Musicians

Jim Causley: vocals [1, 3, 5];
Bella Hardy: vocals [1];
Alasdair Roberts: vocals [2];
Eleanor McEvoy: vocals [4]

Tracks

1. [BH, JC] The Puffin and the Squirrel (2.10)
2. [AR] Draughty Old Fortress (alternative version) (4.01)
3. [JC] Sweet Forgetfulness (alternative version) (4.07)
4. [EMcE] Living Before the War (alternative version) (2.39)
5. [JC] The Best Excuse in the World (alternative version) (3.03)

Track 1 David Rotheray;
Track 2 David Rotheray, Alasdair Roberts;
Track 3 David Rotheray, Jim Causley;
Tracks 4-5 David Rotheray, Eleanor McEvoy

This is a collection of songs in which David Rotheray, and his collaborators, take twelve classic pop songs and attempt to formulate an ‘Answer Ballad’ for each one. Taking existing fictional characters, from The Police’s ‘Roxanne’ to Elton John’s ‘Daniel’, who are well-known but simultaneously unknown, Rotheray picks up the story from their perspective, using complete artistic licence.

Produced by David Rotheray, except tracks 5 & produced by David Rotheray and Eleanor McEvoy;
Mixed by Alan Jones and Davie Rotheray at Nova Studios, Hull;
Mastered by Ray Staff at Air Studios;
Original artwork and layout by Chris Dimmack;
Cover photography by Mark Blissenden

Musicians

Lisa Knapp: vocals [1], backing vocals [1, 4], violin [4];
Eliza Carthy: vocals [2], backing vocals [2], violin [2];
Kris Drever: vocals [3], guitar [1, 3, 11], slide guitar [3];
Kathryn Williams: vocals [4], backing vocals [1, 4, 10];
Gemmy Hayes: vocals [5];
John Smith: vocals [6], backing vocals [6];
Josienne Clarke: vocals [7];
Naomi Bedford: vocals [8];
Mary Coughlan: vocals [9];
Jackie Oates: vocals [10];
Bella Hardy: vocals [11];
Alasdair Roberts: vocals [12], piano [12], Julie Murphy: vocals [13];
Damon Butcher: piano [1-4, 6, 8-11], Rhodes piano [5], organ [7, 12-13], backing vocals [6];
David Rotheray: guitar [1-2, 4], bass guitar [5, 12-13], acoustic guitar [5];
Kenneth McIntosh: bass [1, 3-4, 7, 11, 13];
Murray Briggs: drums [1, 3-4, 6, 8, 11-13];
Gary Hammond: percussion [1-3, 5, 8, 11-13];
Melvin Duffy: pedal steel [1, 3, 7-8, 10];
Jim Causley: backing vocals [1, 4];
Ros Stephen: strings [1, 7, 10-11, 13];
Bradley Blackwell: double bass [2, 6, 9], backing vocals [6];
Rod Clements: mandolin [2], slide guitar [4, 7-8, 12];
Rebecca Stephens: backing vocals [1, 3, 5, 8-10, 12-13];
Pete Marshall, Jonny Lexus, Steve Menzies: backing vocals [3, 5, 8-10, 12-13];
Abel Bonito: drums [5, 9];
Pete Jack: whistling [6];
Mark Blissenden: percussion [6], backing vocals [6];
Frankie Banham: saxophone [9], flute [9]

Tracks

1. Mrs Jones’s Song (featuring Lisa Knapp) (4.02)
   loosely based on a character from the song Me & Mrs Jones
2. Maggie’s Song (featuring Eliza Carthy) (4.38)
   loosely based on a character from the song Maggie May
3. Daniel’s Song (featuring Kris Drever) (4.00)
   loosely based on a character from the song Daniel
4. Roxanne’s Song (featuring Kathryn Williams) (2.43)
   loosely based on a character from the song Roxanne
5. Pearl’s Song (featuring Gemma Hayes) (3.33)
   loosely based on a character from the song Pearl’s a Singer
6. Billy Joe’s Song (featuring John Smith) (4.18)
   loosely based on a character from the song Don’t Take Your Guns to Town
7. Marie’s Song (featuring Josienne Clarke) (2.59)
   loosely based on a character from the song Memphis, Tennessee
8. Bobby’s Song (featuring Naomi Bedford) (3.03)
   loosely based on a character from the song Me & Bobby McGee
9. Lucille’s Song (featuring Mary Coughlan) (3.25)
   loosely based on a character from the song Lucille
10. Mrs Avery’s Song (featuring Jackie Oates) (3.11)
    loosely based on a character from the song Sylvia’s Mother
11. Sylvia’s Song (featuring Bella Hardy) (3.33)
    loosely based on a character from the song Sylvia’s Mother
12. Dino’s Song (featuring Alasdair Roberts) (2.43)
    loosely based on a character from the song The Boys Are Back in Town
13. Jolene’s Song (featuring Julie Murphy) (5.03)
    loosely based on a character from the song Jolene

All songs written by David Rotheray, vaguely inspired by the songs listed above, except
Track 2 David Rotheray, Eliza Carthy;
Track 3 David Rotheray, Kris Drever;
Track 4 David Rotheray, Kathryn Williams;
Track 6 David Rotheray, John Smith;