Harry Cox sang Just As the Tide Was A-Flowing in a BBC recording supervised by E.J. Moeran in The Windmill, Sutton, Norfolk, on December 18, 1945. This was published on BBC 17231 and on the Topic anthology We've Received Orders to Sail (The Voice of the People Series Vol. 12).

Stephen Baldwin played Just As the Tide Was Flowing as a Morris Dance tune with the Travelling Morrice in the primary school at Bishop Upton, Herefordshire, June 22, 1954. This was published in 1976 on his Leader album English Village Fiddler and in 1998 on the Topic anthology As Me and My Love Sat Courting (The Voice of the People Series Vol. 15).

Shirley Collins learned a fragment of this song from her aunt Grace Wingorn and recorded it four times, each with very similar words: The first time in 1959 for her second LP, False True Lovers, and the second time in 1967 for her album The Power of the True Love Knot. The latter version was also included in her compilation The Classic Collection. The third and best known version is with the Albion Country Band on their album No Roses, on her anthology A Favourite Garland, and on the two compilations Rave On and The Greater Antilles Sampler. A live recording from Shirley and Dolly Collins made in London in 1979 was published on both Harking Back and Within Sound. Additionally, the first, third and the live recording were included in Shirley Collins 4CD anthology Within Sound.

Shirley Collins commented in the No Roses sleeve notes:

   

This is a fragment from my Aunt Grace [Grace Winhorn, Hastings] that she sang to my sister and me when we were children. To my amazement and amusement it was covered by the American group 10,000 Maniacs. I like their version—it's very much like mine, so I've got to!

Peter Bellamy recorded Just As the Tide Was A-Flowing for his 1968 album Mainly Norfolk. He commented in his sleeve notes:

   

From Harry Cox also comes this version of Just As the Tide Was A-Flowing. This is (to me) the most complete text and most beautiful melody of the several versions in existence.

Tony Rose sang Just As the Tide Was Flowing on his 1971 LP Under the Greenwood Tree (with Dolly Collins playing her flute-organ on this album too though not on this track). His version has one more verse than the other versions listed below. Tony Rose commented in his sleeve notes:

   

Just As the Tide Was Flowing seems to have been a tremendously popular song with traditional singers in the South of England. Its appeal lies in the fine tune and a somewhat unusual story line. Among the scores of returning sailors celebrated in song, this must surely have been one of the most fortunate in meeting such a generous young lady.

Robin and Barry Dransfield recorded Just As the Tide Was Flowing in 1971 for their Trailer album Lord of All I Behold.

Tim Laycock sang Just As the Tide Was A-Flowing in 1976 on the fundraiser album The Second Folk Review Record.

Tony Hall, accompanied by Nic Jones on fiddle, sang Just As the Tide Was Flowing in 1977 on his Free Reed album Fieldvole Music. This track was also included on the Free Reed anthology This Label Is Not Removable.

Like Peter Bellamy, Eliza Carthy learned Just As the Tide Was Flowing from the singing of Harry Cox. She recorded it in 2002 for her CD Anglicana. She sang and played her octave violin and was accompanied by Ben Ivitsky on viola and Tim van Eyken playing melodeon and guitar.

Jon Boden, who used to play this song with Eliza and the Ratcatchers, sang it as the June 1, 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.


All this information comes from that indispensible source of information on British songs and performers provided by Reinhard Zierke from Germany - see http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/