GEORGE BELTON
A True Furrow to Hold

Musical Traditions MTCD378

Anybody who was involved in the folk scene in Sussex before 1980 and anyone who attended the National Folk Festival in the years before then may well remember that Grand Old Man of traditional song, George Belton. (1898 - 1980) Now Rod Stradling has put together recordings of George made by Tony Wales, Jim Ward, Keith Summers and myself. I was also able to supply most of the background material and the photographs that went to make up the 40-page booklet.
The result is a delightful evocation of the way these songs were sung in the days before the folk revival came along. When George sings songs about life as a carter or a ploughman, he is singing them from personal experience. He also had a keen sense of humour and this is brought out in a number of the songs heard here.

At over 81 minutes and 26 full songs and an extract from a radio interview with me, this may be the longest CD that you ever hear.

1      Jim the Carter Lad 3:19
2      Interview 2:46
3      The Lad In The Scots Brigade 4:46
4       The Constant Farmer's Son 4:50
5      I am a Donkey Driver 1:49
6      The Bold Fisherman 3:43
7       The Dark Eyed Sailor 3:58
8       When the Fields are White with Daisies 2:48
9       Green Broom 2:14
10       The Little Shirt Mother my Made For Me 1:56
11       The Sailor Cut Down In His Prime 2:26
12      If Those Lips Could Only Speak 3:45
13      All Jolly Fellows that Follow the Plough 3:00
14      Barbara.Alien 5:21
15      Little Footprints in the Snow 2:25
16      My Old Man 1:47
17      Never No More for Me 2:28
18       The Banks of Sweet Primroses 2:16
19       The Rest of the Day is Your Own 3:46
20      The Soldier's Prayer 1:56
21       The Sussex Toast 2.32
22       The Old Rustic Bridge 4:15
23       The Roving Navvy Man 1:37
24      Has Anybody Seen my Tiddler 1:45
25      A Birthday Song 3:20
26      The Volunteer Organist 3.19
27      Time Gentlemen Please & Toast 3:07
Total: 81:05


For further details of the album and where you can purchase it online go to http://www.mtrecords.co.uk/mt_rr.htm