The Watersons

English singers of traditional and contemporary songs, most sung a capella.

(Martin Carthy has recorded with Waterson:Carthy, Steeleye Span, the Albion Band, Brass Monkey and solo)
(Norma Waterson (b 1939) has also recorded with Waterson:Carthy and solo)
(Norma Waterson, Mike Waterson and Martin Carthy have recorded with Blue Murder)
(Mike Waterson (b 1941) has also recorded solo)
(Lal Waterson (1943 - 1998) also recorded solo)

Original Studio Albums.

Title.	year.	Label.	number.
New Voices (5 tracks only)	1965	Topic	12T125
Frost and Fire (LP)	1965	Topic	12T136
[Reissue on CD](*)		Topic	TSCD136
The Watersons	1966	Topic	12T142
A Yorkshire Garland	1966	Topic	12T167
For Pence and Spicy Ale	1975	Topic	12TS265
[Reissue]	1992	Topic	TSCD462
Sound Sound Your Instruments Of Joy (LP)	1977	Topic	12TS346
[issued as cassette]	1977	Topic	KTS346
[Reissue on CD]	2007	Topic
Greenfields	1981	Topic	12TS415
A Yorkshire Christmas	2005 (**)	Witchwood	WMCD 2029

(* The CD version contains tracks from "Sound Sound Your Instruments of Joy").
(** Live recordings from about 1980)

Multi-volume Albums.

Title	Year.	Label.	number.
Early Days (*)	1994	Topic	TSCD472

(* 5 Tracks from "New Voices", 11 of the 12 tracks from "The Watersons" (omitting "The Plains of Mexico"), and 10 of the 14 tracks from "A Yorkshire Garland" (omitting "Morning Looks Charming", "Pretty Drummer Boy", "Sorry for the day I was Married" and "Yorkshire Tup")

Collaboration/ Tribute - Dick Gaughan, Billy Bragg, Maddy Prior, Richard Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Christy Moore, Blue Murder etc.

Title.	year.	Label.	number.
Shining Bright: The Songs of Lal and Mike Waterson	2009	Topic	?

Compilations.

Title.	year of release.	Label.	number.
Early Days	1994	Topic	TSCD472
The Definitive	2003	Highpoint	HPO 6004
Mighty River of Song (box) (4 CDs + 1 DVD)	2004	Topic/ Proper	TSFCD4002

Best albums(*).

Title.	year.
The Watersons	1966
Sound Sound Your Instruments Of Joy	1977
Mighty River of Song	2004

(*) Based on critical opinion.

Popular downloads.

Title.
Dido Bendigo
Country Life
The Good Old Way
David's Lamentation
Souling Song
Christmas is Now Drawing Near at Hand
Hal-An-Tow

Anthology - Frankie Armstrong, Maddy Prior, Cyril Tawney, The Watersons, Peta Webb, A.L. Lloyd, Roy Bailey, Linda Adams, Peter Bellamy, Patti Reid, John Kirkpatrick, Martin Carthy, Shirley Collins, Swan Arcade, June Tabor et al.

Title.	year.	Label.	number.
Voices - English Traditional Songs	1992	Fellside	FECD 87
[Reissue]	1999	Musica Pangaea	MP10004

Anthology - The Spinners, Johnny Handle, Stan Kelly, The Watersons, etc.

Title.	year.	Label.	number.
Folk Song - An Anthology. Topic Sampler 2	1966	Topic	TPS 145
Men At Work - An Anthology. Topic Sampler 3	1966	Topic	TPS 166

Anthology - The Watersons, Harry Cox, Barely Works, Billy Pigg, Coope Boyes and Simpson etc.

Title.	year.	Label.	number.
A Rough Guide to English Roots Music	1998	World Music Network	?

Album tracks.

New Voices. Released 2005. Recorded 1965. Anthology. The Watersons: Norma Waterson (vocals), Michael Waterson (vocals), Elaine Waterson (vocals), John Harrison (vocals)

Title.	Author.	artist	Time
1. Boston Harbour	Trad	The Watersons	1:50
2. To The Begging	Trad	Harry Boardman
3. The White Cockade	Trad	Maureen Craik
4. Owdham	Trad	Harry Boardman
5. The Greenland Whale Fishery	Trad	The Watersons	2:34
6. Hard Times	Trad	Harry Boardman
7. The Sandgate Girl's Lament	Trad	Maureen Craik
8. Three Score and Ten	Trad	The Watersons	3:28
9. The Broom of Cowdenknowes	Trad	The Watersons	1:23
10. Bonny at Morn	Trad	Maureen Craik
11. The Hand Loom versus the Power Loom	Trad	Harry Boardman
12. A U Hinny Burd	Trad	Maureen Craik
13.The Shurat Weaver	Trad	Harry Boardman
14. King Arthur's Servants	Trad	The Watersons	1:12
15. The Weaver of Wellbrook	Trad	Harry Boardman

The Watersons. Released 1966. Norma Waterson (vocals), Michael Waterson (vocals), Elaine Watersonn (vocals), John Harrison (vocals). There is a guitar on tracks 2, 4 and 5.

Title.	Author.	Timing
1. Dido, Bendigo	Traditional	2:53
2. The North Country Maid	Traditional	2:31
3. Brave Woolfe	Traditional	4:27
4. The Jolly Waggoners	Traditional	2:53
5. I Am a Rover	Traditional	4:59
6. Fathom the Bowl	Traditional	2:51
7. The Thirty-Foot Trailer	Ewan MacColl	3:30
8. The Holmfrith Anthem	Traditional	1:58
9. Twanky-Dillo	Traditional	3:38
10. The White Hare of Howden	Traditional	1:59
11. The Plains of Mexico	Traditional	?
12. All For Me Grog	Traditional	2:39

A Yorkshire Garland. Released 1966. Norma Waterson (vocals), Michael Waterson (vocals), Elaine Watersonn (vocals), John Harrison (vocals).

Title.	Author.	Timing
1. The Poacher's Fate	Traditional	1:38
2. Morning Looks Charming	Traditional?	?
3. Pretty Drummer Boy	Traditional	?
4. The Tour of the Dales	Traditional	4:30
5. Willy Went to Westerdale	Traditional	1:58
6. L'Anson's Racehorse	Traditional	3:14
7. The Ploughboy	Traditional	3:03
8. The White Cockade	Traditional	3:36
9. Sorry for the day I was Married	Traditional	?
10. Ye Noble Spectators	Traditional	3:36
11. Stow Brow	Traditional	3:21
12. The Wanton Wife of Canongate	Traditional	1:41
13. Yorkshire Tup	Traditional	?
14. The Whitby Lad	Traditional	3:41

Early Days. Running time: 77 minutes 32 seconds. Released 1994. Norma Waterson (vocals), Michael Waterson (vocals), Elaine Waterson (vocals), John Harrison (vocals). Compilation of tracks from "New Voices" (1965), "The Watersons" (1966) and "A Yorkshire Garland" (1966). There is a guitar on tracks 8, 10 and 11.

Title.	Author.	Time
1. Boston Harbour	Trad	1:50
2. The Greenland Whale Fishery	Trad	2:34
3. Three Score and Ten	Trad	3:28
4. The Broom of Cowdenknowes	Trad	1:23
5. King Arthur's Servants	Trad	1:12
6. Rap Her to Bank (*)	Trad	1:38
7. Dido, Bendigo	Trad	2:53
8. The North Country Maid	Trad	2:31
9. Brave Woolfe	Trad	4:27
10. The Jolly Waggoners	Trad	2:53
11. I Am a Rover	Trad	4:59
12. Fathom the Bowl	Trad	2:51
13. The Thirty-Foot Trailer	Ewan MacColl	3:30
14. The Holmfrith Anthem	Trad	1:58
15. Twanky-Dillo	Trad	3:38
16. The White Hare of Howden	Trad	1:59
17. All For Me Grog	Trad	2:39
18. The Poacher's Fate	Trad	1:38
19. The Tour of the Dales	Trad	4:30
20. Willy Went to Westerdale	Trad	1:58
21. L'Anson's Racehorse	Trad	3:14
22. The Ploughboy	Trad	3:03
23. The White Cockade	Trad	3:36
24. Ye Noble Spectators	Trad	3:36
25. Stow Brow	Trad	3:21
26. The Wanton Wife of Canongate	Trad	1:41
27. The Whitby Lad	Trad	3:41

(* Previously unreleased. Recorded in 1966 at "Folk Union One", where The Watersons were residents).

Website:

www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/watersons/

Last updated on 01/09/2010