Help: There Are No Lights on Our Christmas Tree

Subject: There Are No Lights On Our Xmas Tree
From:
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 06:42 PM

After Looking for many years I finally got around to tracking this song down on the www and found the lyrics on the Mudcat site. It attributes the song to Cyril Tawney and the Watersons. Does anybody know if this song has been recorded on an album, and if so what are the album details so I can try to buy a copy? I've been going crazy trying to track this thing down over the last 15 years!

Subject: RE: Help: There Are No Lights On Our Xmas Tree
From: Jeff Dennison
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 04:49 PM

If I remember rightly the author of the song is Sydney Carter the man who wrote Lord of the Dance. It was recoded by him I believe at the end of the 1960's but I don't have a copy. It's still being sung by a friend at this time of year.

Happy Yuletide Jeff

Subject: RE: Help: There Are No Lights On Our Xmas Tree
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Mar 10 - 02:26 PM

It's on the Watersons' box set "Mighty River of Song," (2004). The Seekers also recorded it on "Morningtown Ride to Christmas," (1967).

And it was written by Cyril Tawney.

This information is from Allmusic.com.

And the lyrics are in the DT: THERE ARE NO LIGHTS ON OUR CHRISTMAS TREE.

Subject: RE: Help: There Are No Lights On Our Xmas Tree
From: doc.tom
Date: 25 Mar 10 - 03:26 PM

Written by Cyril Tawney - he also recorded it. Try his website, which Rosemary still runs and still sells his recordings!

Subject: RE: Help: There Are No Lights On Our Xmas Tree
From: EnglishFolkfan
Date: 25 Mar 10 - 03:36 PM

Details of the Watersons recording and this on Cyril's own recording:

"Cyril Tawney's own version has been reissued in 2002 on the brilliant Bah! Humbug - The Alternative Christmas Album."

are on this link:

http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/watersons/songs/therearenolightsonourchristmastree

Looking for the info I also found an old website

http://www.mcqn.net/mcfilter/archives/31_songs/jackie_bridie_there_are_no_lights_on_our_christmas_tree.html

with details showing there is a recording of the song by

Jackie & Bridie - Live at the Liverpool Philharmonic 1987 which is available now as 3 CD set.

The current website with many Jackie & Bridie CD's listed is here:

http://www.jacquiandbridie.com/cdsforsale.htm

On there a CD of The Liverpool Spinners - Live in Brighton 1962 is also available!

Subject: RE: Help: There Are No Lights On Our Xmas Tree
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 25 Mar 10 - 09:40 PM

I guess it doesn't say much for my folkie credentials that This song was the one that came immediately to mind when I saw the thread title ...