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Mike Waterson

Mike Waterson: Mike Waterson (Topic 12T332)

Mike Waterson
Mike Waterson

Topic Records 12TS332 (LP, UK, 1977)
Topic Records TSCD516 (CD, UK, 1999)

 Mike Waterson: Mike Waterson (Topic TSCD516)

Tracks 11, 13 and 14 were re-released on the CD reissue of For Pence and Spicy Ale (as tracks 16, 4 and 11). Tracks 1 and 2 were re-released on the Green Fields CD and tracks 4 and 8 on the compilation CD Round Cape Horn.

The LP Mike Waterson was reissued on CD in 1999 with two additional tracks from the Watersons’ LP A Yorkshire Garland.

Recorded by John Gill at Riverside Studios, London, January 1977;
Produced by Tony Engle 1977;
CD extra tracks produced by Bill Leader 1966;
LP photograph by Davey O’Donnell;
LP sleeve design by Tony Engle;
CD photograph by Keith Morris;
CD sleeve designed at the Art Surgery

Musicians

Mike Waterson: vocals;
Lal and Norma Waterson: chorus [1, 6, 8, 10, 13];
Maria Waterson, Jim Eldon: chorus [1, 6, 8, 13];
Rod Stradling: chorus [6, 13];
John Harrison: chorus [10]

Tracks

LP Side 1

  1. The Wensleydale Lad (Roud 21176; TYG 8) (3.25)
  2. The Brisk Lad (Roud 1667) (2.04)
  3. The Two Brothers (Roud 6360) (0.51)
  4. The Man o’ War (Roud 662) (2.42)
  5. The Charlady’s Son (Roud 357) (2.03)
  6. The Light Dragoon (Roud 162; Child 299; G/D 7:1470) (2.50)
  7. The Cruel Ship’s Carpenter (Roud 15; Laws P36A; G/D 2:201, 2:202) (4.34)
  8. Bye Bye, Skipper (0.52)

CD Bonus Tracks

  1. Sorry the Day I Was Married (Roud 1561) (1.25)
  2. The Yorkshire Tup (Roud 126; G/D 3:645; TYG 59) (1.44)
    both from The Watersons: A Yorkshire Garland

LP Side 2

  1. Tamlyn (Roud 35; Child 39; G/D 2:330) (10.51)
  2. Lord Rothschild (1.27)
  3. Swansea Town (Roud 1416) (4.18)
  4. Seven Yellow Gypsies (Roud 1; Child 200; G/D 2:278; Henry H124) (4.09)

All tracks trad. arr. Mike Waterson

Sleeve Notes by A. L. Lloyd

Mike Waterson. He comes from Hull and now lives on a farm on the North Yorkshire moors with his singing sisters and their families. Admirers of the Watersons group (and who, hearing them sing, is not?) know Mike’s tone as a most valuable ingredient in their fine and peculiar ensemble sound. But we’re not so used to Mike solo, the naked voice, as offered on this record. What we hear is a unique singer with a sly approach to a song, at first disconcerting, then utterly convincing, whether it’s a music hall bit or a big classic ballad. No cheating here, no mock sincerity or false geniality. Just the bloke himself with that dark yellow voice (and what a handsome colour it turns out to be, once you’re used to it) and that arrow-straight sense of what make a song really tell. Here’s Mike Waterson, then. Enjoy then.

[A.L. Lloyd]