The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Vol. 2: F.J. Child Ballads

The “Child Ballads” are a large collection of 305 songs from England and Scotland compiled by Francis James Child in the late 19th century. Here, Ewan MacColl presents 14 of these songs, sung without accompaniment. MacColl explains the notion of the ballad: “Defined in its simplest terms, the ballad is a folksong that tells a story … is always narrative, and is always learned from the lips of others rather than by reading.” The songs presented here all detail historical events from Scotland and England. It is appropriate then that they are sung by MacColl who himself played a role in English history through his affiliation to the communist parties of the 1930’s which hindered his musical career at the time. His roots in the laboring class add authenticity to the concept of the ballad which grew out of the “popular” lower classes. Liner notes include some song information and lyrics.

Track Listing

101	The Beggar Man (Child 279 Appendix) Ewan MacColl	06:06
102	Lord Gregory (The Lass of Roch Royal) - Child 76 Ewan MacColl	05:48
103	Young Beichan (Child 53) Ewan MacColl	08:48
104	Glasgow Peggy (Child 228) Ewan MacColl	02:57
105	Amang the Blue Flowers and the Yellow (Willie's Lyke-Wake) - Child 25 Ewan MacColl	02:24
106	Bessie Bell and Mary Grey (Child 201) Ewan MacColl	00:53
201	The Bonnie House o' Airlie (Child 199) Ewan MacColl	04:50
202	Captain Ward and the Rainbow (Child 287) Ewan MacColl	01:53
203	The Gypsy Laddie (Child 200) Ewan MacColl	03:05
204	The Broomfield Hill (Child 43) Ewan MacColl	03:17
205	Hughie Graeme (Child 191) Ewan MacColl	04:07
206	Geordie (Child 209) Ewan MacColl	04:43
207	Proud Lady Margaret (Child 47) Ewan MacColl	02:14
208	The Sweet Kumadee (The Sweet Trinity) - Child 286 Ewan MacColl	04:42