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Sandy Denny - The BBC Sessions 1971-73 (1973)

Track listing:
  1. North Star Grassman and the Ravens 4:27
  2. Sweet Rosemary 3:25
  3. The Lady 3:46
  4. Next Time Around 2:39
  5. Blackwaterside 3:43
  6. John the Gun 3:14
  7. Late November 5:09
  8. The Optimist 3:46
  9. Crazy Lady Blues 2:18
  10. The Lowlands of Holland 3:16
  11. It Suits Me Well 4:22
  12. Bushes and Briars 2:37
  13. The Music Weaver 3:10
  14. It'll Take a Long Time 4:03
  15. Who Knows Where the Time Goes? 5:37
  16. Until the Real Thing Comes Along 4:10
  17. Whispering Grass 3:44
  18. Like an Old Fashioned Waltz 3:32
  19. Dark the Night 4:09
  20. Solo 4:29

Notes

This 20-track CD was available only super-briefly in the spring of 1997 before Island Records prevented further copies from being distributed. The several thousand copies that had already been released, however, were allowed to remain in circulation, meaning that this disc is difficult but not impossible to find. And if you like Sandy Denny, you need to find it, because it's some of her best material. Most of the tracks are BBC versions of songs that appeared on her first three solo albums, and most are her own compositions; all but four are performed solo on piano or guitar. In a sense, it's Sandy unplugged, although that term didn't exist in those days. Denny arguably sounds much better on these spare versions than she does on the official takes, when she had to contend with often humdrum, over-arranged session accompaniment. In this context, she comes off much more like a kindred spirit to early-'70s singer/songwriters, especially Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins, than she does a British folk troubadour. You could, indeed, make a strong argument for this as her best solo recording, with fidelity that ranges from good to excellent. While eight of these tracks previously appeared on the fine bootleg Dark the Night, the remaining 12 did not, making it an essential addition for Denny fans.

This CD contains a selection of live concert tracks recorded at the Paris Theatre on March 16, 1972, as well as a variety of live studio tracks recorded for the BBC. It was compiled by John Penhallow of the Australian Friends of Folk. Most of the tracks are of excellent sound quality and this CD is highly valued by Sandy's fans. The CD almost didn't make it because of a legal dispute but 3,500 copies were salvaged from destruction, were sold on the day of first issue only, and found their way to fans all over the world.

Musicians
Sandy Denny: vocals, piano, guitar
Tracks 16-17 and 19-20 with the addition of
Hughie Burns: guitar;
Pat Donaldson: bass;
Willie Murray: drums

Tracks
Track 1-6: BBC Radio “Radio One In Concert”, March 16, 1972, Paris Theatre

The North Star Grassman (4:25)
Sweet Rosemary (3:25)
The Lady (3:14)
Next Time Around (4:15)
Blackwaterside (3:12)
John the Gun (3:12)
Track 7-10: BBC Radio “Sounds of the Seventies”, August 24, 1971

Late November (3:07)
The Optimist (3:44)
Crazy Lady Blues (2:16)
The Lowlands of Holland (3:13)
Track 11-14: BBC Radio “Sounds of the Seventies”, October 25, 1972

It Suits Me Well (4:20)
Bushes and Briars (2:35)
The Music Weaver (3:07)
It'll Take a Long Time (4:01)
Track 15 and 18: BBC Radio “Sounds of the Seventies”, September 11, 1973

Who Knows Where the Time Goes? (3:31)
Track 16-17 and 19-20: BBC Radio “Sounds of the Seventies”, November 14, 1973

Until the Real Thing Comes Along (4:07)
Whispering Grass (3:42)
Track 15 and 18: BBC Radio “Sounds of the Seventies”, September 11, 1973

Like an Old Fashioned Waltz (3:30)
Track 16-17 and 19-20: BBC Radio “Sounds of the Seventies”, November 14, 1973

Dark the Night (3:06)
Solo (4:26)
All tracks Sandy Denny except
Tracks 5, 10 Trad. arr. Sandy Denny
Track 16 S. Cahn / S. Chaplin / L.E. Freeman
Track 17 D.&F. Fisher