him!

The Strawbs

Who wants a strawberry, anyone? 🍓

Strawbs, “Burning for You” (Oyster/Polydor, 1977), with cover art by Patrick Woodroffe.

♥♪♫ Part of the Union ♫♪♥ 1973 ♥

Now I'm a union man Amazed at what I am I say what I think, that the company stinks Yes I'm a union man

When we meet in the local hall I'll be voting with them all With a hell of a shout, it's "Out brothers, out!" And the rise of the factory's fall

Oh, you don't get me, I'm part of the union You don't get me, I'm part of the union You don't get me, I'm part of the union Til the day I die Til the day I die

Us union men are wise To the lies of the company spies And I don't get fooled by the factory rules 'Cause I always read between the lines

And I always get my way If I strike for higher pay When I show my card to the Scotland Yard And this is what I say

Oh, oh, you don't get me, I'm part of the union You don't get me, I'm part of the union You don't get me, I'm part of the union Til the day I die Til the day I die

Before the union did appear My life was half as clear Now I've got the power to the working hour And every other day of the year

So though I'm a working man I can ruin the government's plan And though I'm not hard, the sight of my card Makes me some kind of superman

Oh, oh, oh, you don't get me, I'm part of the union You don't get me, I'm part of the union You don't get me, I'm part of the union Til the day I die Til the day I die

177: Sandy Denny & The Strawbs // All Our Own Work

All Our Own Work Sandy Denny & The Strawbs 1973, Hallmark

The ‘60s Were a Different Time, Vol. 13,261: In Strawbs’ leader Dave Cousins warm liner notes on the 1968 sessions that produced All Our Own Work, he offhandedly mentions that 28-year-old guitarist Tony Hooper really wanted to nail a 15-year-old as a quirk on the same level as Sandy Denny sleeping on a couch in Copenhagen. All Our Own Work wouldn’t see release till 1973, by which time Hooper had left the Strawbs, so maybe Cousins was trying to sabotage his former bandmate, who knows.

Hooper’s ephebophilia aside, I picked this up because I’m a big Sandy Denny fan and these sessions represent some of her earliest recordings. These recordings, largely of Cousins’ compositions, offer further proof that Denny arrived on the English folk scene fully-formed as a singer—and, as her original rendition of “Who Knows Where the Time Goes” attests, as a songwriter to boot. The sound here is neither the neo-traditionalist folk Denny would explore with Fairport Convention nor the bardic prog Strawbs would become known for, but easy folk rock that’s reminiscent at times of the Byrds. Denny handles the majority of the lead vocals and elevates Cousins’ sturdy melodies and generic countercultural lyrics with her usual clarity and grace. The solo version of “Who Knows Where the Time Goes” found here is as good or better than the more familiar Fairport take from Unhalfbricking, and is by far and away the highlight of All Our Own Work—but in fairness to the Strawbs, not the only one. “Tell Me What You See in Me,” which Strawbs would re-record sans-Denny for their self-titled debut, is a stellar slab of folk psychedelia complete with tablas and cobwebbed acoustic guitars, while “Stay Awhile” is a wonderful ballad with a trace of flamenco influence. Of the non-Sandy vocals, Cousins’ “Nothing Else Will Do” is a jangling minor pop gem the band would’ve been wise to dust off for their debut—it’s almost certainly the song I’ve listened to most frequently from the album.

Hooper’s songwriting contributions are unremarkable and Cousins’ coughs up an embarrassing attempted satire in “How Everyone but Sam Was a Hypocrite,” but on balance, All Our Own Work would’ve been a fine launching pad for both artists had it arrived on schedule in 1968. As it is, it’s a satisfying footnote in their respective discographies, especially if you’re starved for more Sandy after working your way through the rest of her exceptional catalogue (Sandy in particular is a masterpiece).

177/365

Autumn

I'm a strawbaby ♥

so many base edits because I have art block and the only other thing I've been doing is commissions 🎉

Anyway I haven't drawn Strawbs in so long, I wanna expand more on my Spritzie species I'm just lazy lol

Base: Tocyabases

Bless the daytime, bless the night Bless the sun which gives us light Bless the thunder, bless the rain Bless all those who cause us pain Bless the free man, bless the slave Bless the hero in his grave Bless the soldier, bless the saint Bless all those whose hearts grow faint

One masterpiece of folklore rock and roll.

The Strawbs

Strawbs - Autumn