> Folk Music > Records > Harry Cox

Harry Cox

Harry Fred Cox (27 March 1885 – 6 May 1971) was a Norfolk farmworker and one of the most important singers of traditional English music of the twentieth century, on account of his large repertoire and fine singing style. [Wikipedia]

Publications

Bruce Lindsay: Two Bold Singermen and the English Folk Revival (Equinox 2020)

Bruce Lindsay
Two Bold Singermen and the English Folk Revival
The Lives, Song Traditions and Legacies of Sam Larner and Harry Cox
Sheffield: Equinox Publishing, 2020,
ISBN 978 1 78179 917 8

The English Folk Revival: Home Stage interview with Bruce Linday

> Folk Music > Records > Harry Cox: Down by the Riverside / The Pretty Ploughboy

Harry Cox: Down by the Riverside / The Pretty Ploughboy

Harry Cox: Down by the Riverside (Decca OC87)

Down by the Riverside / The Pretty Ploughboy
Harry Cox (1885-1971)

Decca OC87/88 (78rpm, UK, ca. 1934)

This 78rpm record is the first folk song record issued by the EFDSS of a traditional singer.

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Recorded in London, 1934, organised by E.J. Moeran

Musicians

Harry Cox: vocals

Tracks

Side 1

  1. Down By the Riverside (The Bold Fisherman) (Roud 291; Laws O24; G/D 4:834) (2.59)

Side 2

  1. The Pretty Ploughboy (Roud 186; Laws M24; G/D 1:170; Henry H105) (2.59)

Both tracks are now available on the Topic anthologies Come Let Us Buy the Licence and My Ship Shall Sail the Ocean (The Voice of the People Series, Volumes 1 and 2, 1998).

Video

> Folk Music > Records > Traditional English Love Songs

Traditional English Love Songs

Harry Cox: Traditional English Love Songs (Folk-Legacy FSB-20)

Traditional English Love Songs
Harry Cox (1885-1971)

Folk-Legacy Records FSB-20 (LP, USA, 1964)

Harry Cox Sings English Love Songs
Harry Cox (1885-1971)

EFDSS / DTS Records LFX 4 (LP, UK, 1965)

Harry Cox Sings English Love Songs (DTS LFX 4)
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Recorded by Peter Kennedy 1953-1956

Folk-Legacy album booklet

Musicians

Harry Cox: vocals

Tracks

Side 1

  1. Seventeen Come Sunday (Roud 277; Laws O17; G/D 4:791; Henry H152)
  2. The Spotted Cow (Roud 956)
  3. Next Monday Morning (Roud 579)
  4. The Greasy Cook (Roud 510; G/D 4:914)
  5. Colin and Phoebe (Roud 512)
  6. The Birmingham Man (Roud 510; G/D 4:914)
  7. Betsy the Servant Maid (Roud 156; Laws M20; G/D 6:1094)

Side 2

  1. The Bonny Labouring Boy (Roud 1162; Laws M14; Henry H576)
  2. The Female Drummer (Roud 226; G/D 1:182; Henry H497)
  3. The Squire and the Gypsy (Roud 1628)
  4. Marrowbones (Roud 183; Laws Q2; G/D 2:318; Henry H174; TYG 6)
  5. The Groggy Old Tailor (Roud 311; G/D 7:1463)
  6. Up to the Rigs of London Town (Roud 868; G/D 2:299)
  7. The Old German Musicianer (Roud 17774)

> Folk Music > Records > Harry Cox: Harry Cox

Harry Cox

Harry Cox: Harry Cox (EFDSS LP 1004)

Harry Cox
Harry Cox (1885-1971)

EFDSS LP 1004 (LP, UK, 1965)

Harry Cox: Harry Cox (EFDSS LP 1004)
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Recorded by Peter Kennedy;
Photograph by Peter Kennedy

Musicians

Harry Cox: vocals, fiddle, melodeon

Tracks

Side 1

  1. Barton Broad Ballad (Roud 1781)
  2. The Prentice Boy (Roud 263; Laws P35; G/D 2:200)
  3. Windy Old Weather (Roud 472)
  4. Newlyn Town (Roud 490; Laws L12; G/D 2:260; Henry H691)
  5. The Bonny Bunch of Roses O (Roud 664; Laws J5; G/D 1:155)
  6. Adieu to Old Eng-e-land, Here’s Adieu (Roud 1703)
  7. Blackberry Fold (Roud 559; Laws O10)

Side 2

  1. Widdliecombe Fair (Roud 666) / The Ploughboy fiddle
  2. Talk about himself
  3. What Will Become of England? (Roud 1779)
  4. Talk about his father
  5. Waltz melodeon
  6. Talk and melodeon tunes
  7. Talk about singing / Hornpipes fiddle
  8. The Foggy Dew (Roud 558; Laws O3; G/D 7:1496)
  9. Nancy and Johnny (Roud 32572)
  10. Firelock Stile (Roud 1780)

Review

This review is from Norm Cohen: Folk Music Discography, Western Folklore, Vol. 30, No. 2 (April 1971), pp. 157-166:

(…) Harry Cox, another great English folksinger, has been better represented on LP. In addition to seven selections on the Caedmon set, Folk Legacy issued an entire LP of his songs in 1965. Harry Cox (EFDSS LP 1004) includes another fourteen selections from his repertoire issued in 1965 when the singer was eighty years old; there are no duplications with the other LPs cited. Recorded and edited by Peter Kennedy, the album includes several familiar ballads (Laws J5, L12, O3, O10, P35) and songs, two examples of Cox’s fiddling and four excerpts from interviews in which Cox talks about himself and his music. Cox was first “collected” in 1922 by composer E.J. Moeran; ten years later he was featured on the first recording of an English traditional singer issued by the EFDSS.

> Folk Music > Records > Harry Cox: What Will Become of England?

Harry Cox: What Will Become of England?

Harry Cox: What Will Become of England? (Rounder 11661-1839-2)

What Will Become of England?
Harry Cox (1885-1971)

Rounder Records 11661-1839-2 (CD, UK, 2000)

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Recorded by Peter Kennedy in Catfield, Norfolk in October 1953 [3, 5-6, 12-15, 18-19, 25-26, 32, 34, 36, 39, 41, 43-45],
by Alan Lomax in Sutton, Norfolk in October 1953 [9, 23-24],
by Alan Lomax in London in November 1953 [1-2, 4, 7-8, 11, 16-17, 22, 28, 30-31, 33, 35, 38, 42, 46],
by Alan Lomax and Peter Kennedy in London in December 1953 [20],
and by Peter Kennedy in London in December 1953 [10, 21, 27, 29, 37, 40];
Edited and with notes by Peter Kennedy

Musicians

Harry Cox: vocals, fiddle, melodeon

Tracks

  1. What Will Become of England? (Roud 1779) (0.50)
  2. My life talk (1.05)
  3. A-Going to Widdliecombe Fair (Roud 666) (1.07)
  4. Working in a gang talk (0.25)
  5. The Spotted Cow (Roud 956) (1.40)
  6. Barton Waltz melodeon (0.49)
  7. The harvest talk (0.47)
  8. The Barley Straw (Roud 19112) (2.51)
  9. The Farmer’s Servant (Roud 792) (2.37)
  10. The Pretty Ploughboy fiddle air (0.33)
  11. My grandfather and my father talk (1.18)
  12. Jack Tar on Shore (Roud 919; Laws K39) (2.26)
  13. Two Hornpipes: Yarmouth / Meg Merilees fiddle (0.44)
  14. On Board of the Kangaroo (Roud 925; G/D 6:1211) song fragment (0.17)
  15. Young and Growing (Roud 31; Laws O35; G/D 6:1222) song fragment (0.58)
  16. My mother talk (1.16)
  17. My upbringing talk (0.57)
  18. The Foggy Dew (Roud 558; Laws O3; G/D 7:1496) (3.55)
  19. Hunger and pay talk (1.07)
  20. Three Toasts (1.43)
  21. Nelson’s Monument (Roud 1552) (2.56)
  22. I used to go along of him talk (1.12)
  23. Barton Broad Babbing Ballad (Roud 1781) (2.16)
  24. Babbing for eels talk (0.49)
  25. Talk and melodeon pieces talk (2.40)
  26. Singing in public houses talk (0.59)
  27. Charming and Delightful (Roud 660; Laws O30; TYG 51) (0.34)
  28. The old songs talk (0.27)
  29. On Yon Lofty Mountain (Roud 688; Henry H520) song fragment (0.30)
  30. Learning from my father talk (1.28)
  31. She never had time to sit down talk (1.00)
  32. The Turkish Lady (Roud 8124; Laws O26) (1.50)
  33. Poaching talk (1.36)
  34. Henry the Poacher (Roud 221) (5.23)
  35. Windy Old Weather (Roud 472) (1.53)
  36. My father at sea talk (1.00)
  37. Sweet William (Roud 273; Laws K12; G/D 6:1245) (2.53)
  38. How my father learned songs talk (0.18)
  39. The Yarmouth Fishermen’s Song (Roud 2434) (2.58)
  40. The Crocodile (Roud 886; G/D 8:1700; Henry H231a) (1.15)
  41. The Soldier and Sailor’s Prayer (Roud 350; G/D 3:685) (1.57)
  42. London Is As Sharp As the Edge of a Knife (Roud 15036) song fragment (1.23)
  43. Up to the Rigs of London Town (Roud 868; G/D 2:299) (3.31)
  44. Up the present I ain’t forgot anything yet talk (1.36)
  45. Blackberry Fold (Roud 559; Laws O10) (5.25)
  46. Adieu to Old Eng-e-land, Here’s Adieu (Roud 1703) (1.10)

> Folk Music > Records > Harry Cox: The Bonny Labouring Boy

Harry Cox: The Bonny Labouring Boy

Harry Cox: The Bonny Labouring Boy (Topic TSCD525D)

The Bonny Labouring Boy
Traditional Songs and Tunes From a Norfolk Farm Worker
Harry Cox (1885-1971)

Topic Records TSCD512D (2 CD, UK, 2000)

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Recorded between 1945 and 1970;
Compiled and researched by Paul Marsh, Steve Roud and Reg Hall;
Design by John Haxby

Musical Traditions CD review by Mike Yates

Musicians

Harry Cox: vocals, fiddle, melodeon

Tracks

CD 1

  1. “You must get the tune first…” (0.07)
  2. The Female Drummer (Roud 226; G/D 1:182; Henry H497) (4.27)
  3. “People what don’t like to hear an old song…” (0.26)
  4. Two Jolly Butchers (Roud 17; Laws L4; G/D 2:186; Henry H185) (5.15)
  5. Polka melodeon (1.06)
  6. “When I sing a song my mind is on it…” (0.18)
  7. Bold Archer (Roud 83; Child 188; G/D 2:244) (3.34)
  8. There’s Bound to be a Row (Roud 1616; G/D 7:1287) (2.38)
  9. Betsy the Servant Maid (Roud 156; Laws M20; G/D 6:1094) (4.35)
  10. Firelock Stile (Roud 1780) (2.06)
  11. The Green Mossy Banks of the Lea (Roud 987; Laws O15) (2.31)
  12. The Pretty Ploughboy (Roud 186; Laws M24; G/D 1:170; Henry H105) song / fiddle (5.54)
  13. The Watercress Girl (Roud 1541) (2.17)
  14. A Week’s Matrimony (Roud 1692) (5.58)
  15. The Black Velvet Band (Roud 2146) (3.21)
  16. A Hornpipe fiddle (0.55)
  17. The Maid of Australia (Roud 1872) (3.31)
  18. Alone, Alone in London (Roud 16059) (1.50)
  19. Miss Doxy (Roud 1638) (3.32)
  20. The Bonny Labouring Boy (Roud 1162; Laws M14; Henry H576) (3.25)
  21. The Good Luck Ship (Roud 951; G/D 1:40) (3.47)
  22. The Fowler (Roud 166; Laws O36; Henry H114) (2.46)
  23. In Scarborough Fair Town (Roud 185; Laws K18; G/D 1:20; TYG 7) (4.34)
  24. I Had an Old Hoss (Roud 974) (0.46)
  25. The Green Bed (Roud 276; Laws K36; G/D 1:48; Henry H779) (3.23)
  26. A Jig melodeon (0.26)
  27. The Bold Drover (Roud 311; G/D 7:1463) (3.27)

CD 2

  1. Georgie (Roud 90; Child 209; G/D 2:249) (3.13)
  2. A Schottische melodeon (4.27)
  3. Black-Hearted Gypsies O (Roud 1; Child 200; G/D 2:278; Henry H124) (6.07)
  4. Rigs of the Times (Roud 876) (2.23)
  5. The Grand Hotel (Roud 564; Laws P18; G/D 6:1188) (2.05)
  6. The Transports (Roud 221) song / fiddle (6.23)
  7. Where the Shamrocks Grow (Roud 16061) (2.33)
  8. Barton Broad Ditty (Roud 1781) (1.55)
  9. Adieu to Old England (Roud 1703) (0.49)
  10. Bold Fisherman (Roud 291; Laws O24; G/D 4:834) (4.47)
  11. Polka fiddle (0.57)
  12. Ekefield Town (Roud 263; Laws P35; G/D 2:200) (4.05)
  13. A Happy Family (Roud 850) (1.19)
  14. Old Joe, the Boat is Going Over melodeon (1.19)
  15. Blackberry Fold (Roud 559; Laws O10) (5.40)
  16. They Told Me in the Gaol (Roud 16058) (0.28)
  17. The Fowler fiddle (0.56)
  18. Colin and Phoebe (Roud 512) (3.40)
  19. Jack Tar on Shore (Roud 919; Laws K39) (2.34)
  20. The Turkish Lady (Roud 8124; Laws O26) (4.57)
  21. Slow Stepdance Tune melodeon (1.32)
  22. Lost Lady Found (Roud 901; Laws Q31) (4.10)
  23. Coming Home from the Wake (Roud 1606) (1.58)
  24. The Poacher’s Fate (Roud 793; Laws L14) (1.38)
  25. The Poor Smuggier’s Boy (Roud 618) (0.29)
  26. A Hornpipe dancing doll and voice (0.29)
  27. The Bonny Bunch of Roses O (Roud 664; Laws J5; G/D 1:155) (4.15)

> Folk Music > Records > Harry Cox

Other records with Harry Cox

Folk Song Today (HMV DLP 1143) Various Artists, Folk Song Today, LP, HMV DLP 1143, 1955

The Barley Mow (HMV 7EG 8288) The Barley Mow (HMV 7EGM 8288) Various Artists, The Barley Mow: Songs From the Village Inn, EP, HMV 7EG 8288, 1957

The Unfortunate Rake (Folkways FS 3805) Various Artists, The Unfortunate Rake: A Study in the Evolution of a Ballad, LP, Folkways FS 3805, 1960

Songs of Seduction (Caedmon TC1143) Songs of Seduction (Topic 12T158) Songs of Seduction (Topic 12T158) Classic Ballads  of Britain and Ireland Volume 1 (Rounder 11661-1778-2) Various Artists, Songs of Seduction (The Folk Songs of Britain Vol. 2), LP, Caedmon TC1143, 1961; Topic 12T158, 1968; CD, Rounder 1778, 2000

The Child Ballads 2 (Caedmon TC1146) The Child Ballads 2 (Topic 12T161) The Child Ballads 2 (Topic 12T161) Classic Ballads  of Britain and Ireland Volume 2 (Rounder 11661-1776-2) Various Artists, The Child Ballads 2 (The Folk Songs of Britain Vol. 5), LP, Caedmon TC1146, 1961; Topic 12T161, 1968; CD, Rounder 1776, 2000

Fair Game and Foul (Caedmon TC1163) Fair Game and Foul (Topic 12T195) Various Artists, Fair Game and Foul (The Folk Songs of Britain Vol. 7), LP, Caedmon TC1163, 1961; Topic 12T195, 1970

Bob Robert at al: Sea Songs and Shanties (Saydisc CD-SDL 405) Various Artists, Sea Songs and Shanties, CD, Saydisc CD-SDL-405, 1994

Hidden English (Topic TSCD600) Various Artists, Hidden English: A Celebration of English Traditional Music, CD, Topic TSCD600, 1996

A Century of Song (EFDSS CD02) Various Artists, A Century of Song, CD, EFDSS CD02, 1998

Come Let Us Buy the Licensce (Topic TSCD651) Various Artists, Come Let Us Buy the Licence (The Voice of the People Vol. 1), CD, Topic TSCD651, 1998

My Ship Shall Sail the Ocean (Topic TSCD652) Various Artists, My Ship Shall Sail the Ocean (The Voice of the People Vol. 2), CD, Topic TSCD652, 1998

We've Received Orders to Sail (Topic TSCD662) Various Artists, We've Received Orders to Sail (The Voice of the People Vol. 12), CD, Topic TSCD662, 1998

It Fell on a Day, a Bonny Summer Day (Topic TSCD667) Various Artists, It Fell on a Day, a Bonny Summer Day (The Voice of the People Vol. 17), CD, Topic TSCD667, 1998

The Rough Guide to English Roots Music (World Music RGNET 1018 CD) Various Artists, The Rough Guide to English Roots Music, CD, World Music RGNET 1018 CD, 1998

English Originals (Topic TSCD706) Various Artists, English Originals: A Defining Collection of English Folk Song, CD, Topic TSCD706, 1999

Chumbawamba: Readymades (Mutt CD001) Chumbawamba, Readymades, CD, Mutt CD001, 2002

The Pigeon on the Gate (Veteran VTDC11CD) Various Artists, The Pigeon on the Gate: Melodeon Players from East Anglia, 2 CD, VTDC11CD, 2008

Three Score and Ten (Topic TOPIC70) Various Artists, Three Score and Ten: 70 Years of Topic Records, 7 CD, Topic TOPIC70, 2009

East Anglia Sings (Snatch’d from Oblivion SFO 005) Various Artists, East Anglia Sings, CD, Snatch’d from Oblivion SFO 005, 2012

Good People, Take Warning (Topic TSCD673) Various Artists, Good People, Take Warning (The Voice of the People Vol. 23), 3 CD, Topic TSCD673T, 2012

Rhythms of Labour: Music at Work in Britain (Harbourtown HARDCD055) Various Artists, Rhythms of Labour: Music at Work in Britain, 2 CD, Harbourtown HARDCD055, 2013

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Alistair Bandfield for record details.