Jasper, Levi, Minty & Phoebe Smith

Recorded by Mike Yates in Kent, Surrey and Sussex 1972-1975

Musicians

Bill Ellson: vocals, mouth organ [15];
Mary Ann Haynes: vocals [2, 4-6, 17];
Joe Jones: vocals [9-10];
Jasper Smith: vocals [1, 3, 8, 16, 19];
Levi Smith: vocals [11-13, 18];
Pboebe Smith: vocals [14];
Wiggy Smith: vocals [7, 20]

Tracks

Side 1

1. You Subjects of England (1.22)
2. Little Dun Dee (1.59)
3. Hartlake Bridge (1.34)
4. The Young Officer (3.41)
5. All Through Mi Rakli (1.01)
6. At The Atchin Tan (1.15)
7. The Oakham Poachers (1.47)
8. Thornymoor Park (1.16)
9. The Farmer of Chester (1.44)
10. The King and the Keeper (2.35)
11. Georgie (1.25)
12. The Haymakers (1.04)
13. The Broomdasher (1.04)

Side 2

1. Barbara Allen (11.06)
2. Will You Buy My Sweet Blooming Lavender? / Love Is Pleasing waltz (2.25)
3. The Squire and the Gypsy (0.55)
4. Erin’s Lovely Home (2.42)
5. The Game of Cards (1.16)
6. While the Yogger Mush Lays Sleeping (1.39)
7. The Deserter (2.52)

All tracks trad.

Recorded by Mike Yates 1975-76;
Produced by Mike Yates and Tony Engle;
Sleeve notes by Cecily Taylor;
Booklet notes and photographs by Mike Yates;
Front sleeve photograph by Fred Shaw, hand-coloured by Julia Bennett Studios, London

Musicians

Jasper Smith, vocals , mouth organ , tuning ;
Levi Smith, vocals , drum ;
Minty Smith, vocals , tuning ;
Pboebe Smith, vocals

Tracks

Side 1

1. The Small Bird’s Whistle (1.58)
2. The Sheepfold (5.43)
3. One Penny (0.50)
4. The Basket of Eggs (2.14)
5. The Pony March / Whistling Rufus (2.06)
6. Green Bushes (4.52)
7. Raking the Hay (4.58)
8. The Moon Shines Bright (1.11)

Side 2

1. Father Had a Knife (1.13)
2. The Jew’s Garden (1.03)
3. Step Dance Tunes (1.00)
4. Sweet William (6.10)
5. Johnny Abourne (5.05)
6. Died for Love (1.51)
7. The Irish Girl (1.10)
8. Captain Thunderbold (2.38)
9. Jigs and Polkas incl: Cock of the North; Flowers of Edinburgh; The Girl I Left Behind Me (2.42)

All tracks trad. except
Track 5b Mills / Kennedy

Recorded in Suffolk by Mike Yates in 1975/6 and by Paul Carter and Frank Purslow in 1969 ;
and at the King’s Head in Islington, London, by Rod Stradling in 1969 and by Peta Webb in 1970 ;
Design by John Howson and Ken Lees;
Notes by John Howson, Mike Yates, Danny Stradling and Peta Webb

Musical Traditions review by Danny Stradling

Musicians

Pboebe Smith: vocals [1-8, 10-11, 13-14], step dancing [12];
Joe Smith (Phoebe’s husband): vocals [8-9];
Martin Byrnes: fiddle [12]

Tracks

1. Raking the Hay (4.59)
2. Old Gypsy’s Waggon (Romany Rye) (2.08)
3. Barbara Allen (11.03)
4. Jolly Herring (3.06)
5. Johnny Abourne (5.08)
6. Wings of a Swallow (Old Rocky Road) (2.06)
7. Green Bushes (4.59)
8. Young Morgan (1.24)
9. Lavender (0.42)
10. The Sheepfold (7.37)
11. A Blacksmith Courted Me (7.50)
12. Stepdance (1.05)
13. Game of All Fours (3.00)
14. The Yellow Handkerchief (4.16)

All tracks trad.

Track 11 is from Once I Had a True Love (Topic 12TS193, 1970);
Track 3 is from Songs of the Open Road (Topic 12TS253, 1975);
Tracks 1, 5, 7, 10 are from The Travelling Songster (Topic 12TS304, 1977)