Parcel of Rogues

1973
Chysalis (CHR 1046)
PRIOR - HART - KNIGHT - JOHNSON - KEMP

Recorded at Sound Techniques, Chelsea, London.
Producers - Steeleye Span and Jerry Boys
Engineers - Jerry Boys and Roger Mayer

Peak UK Chart Position - 26 (5 weeks on chart). 4th best performing album.

Produced and mixed once again by Steeleye Span and Jerry Boys as a collaborative effort. It was their most successful album thus far, breaking into the UK Top 30. Cited by Maddy as her favourite album. All the harmonies on the album were arranged by Peter. The band was moving more towards Rock sensibilities on this album but it is still a varied album as two tracks featured drums (by Rick), Maddy started the bringing together of different traditional songs in more complex arrangements (The Weaver) but there was still room for more pastoral traditional songs like One Misty Moisty Morning.

The album partly grew out of a theatre project the band undertook - Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, staged in Edinburgh. The play was set against the backdrop of the Scottish Jacobite movement, and in the course of developing the play, the band came across a considerable amount of 18th century Scottish poetry that they used for material.
The sleeve shows a milkmaid on decorated tiles probably because it was recorded in "Sound Techniques" studio, a former dairy. The 1st pressing LP was a good quality gatefold edition and included a double page lyrics sheet.

1. One Misty Moisty Morning

(Trad arr. Lyrics thought to be from 1680, maybe earlier. The tune usually used, including by Steeleye, is 'The Friar and the Nun')
Maddy - 'This always strikes me as an unusual aural version of a Millais painting of the milkmaid romantically wandering through the water meadows.'

'The Fleurs Of Edinburgh' is the tune that got added to the song when played live from the 80's
Re recorded for the 2002 'Present' Album (including above tune)

LIVE/RELEASES

[1973] Jan, Feb & June BBC Sessions; BBC TV Full House; UK Spring Tour; US Spring 'Parcel of Rogues' & Summer Tour (on KCET PBS-TV); 'Sound Of Britain' concert - 'The Harvest of Gold' CD Collection (2003).
[1974] Spring & Autumn UK (features on 'Good Times of Old England' Box set (2022) from the 28th Nov Rainbow Concert) and US 'Now We are 6' tours - 'Live at the Bottom Line 1974 CD (2024)' ; Thoresby Hall on the Electric Folk TV series;
[1975] Featured again on the Electric Folk series at Raby House, maybe it's only '75 appearance.
[1986] Spring UK 'Back In Line' Tour; US and Australian Tours. Added 'The Fleurs of Edinburgh' tine at the end. Recorded on the Spring tour and added to the 1991 'Back In Line' CD & 1994 'In Concert' CD
[1987] Played throughout the World Tour including UK Spring Tour.
[2002] Reunion Tour. Appeared on the 'Official Bootleg' CD - One of only two tracks (Black Jack Davy the other) that were on this CD but not the other live releases in that decade.
[2004] Australian Tour but dropped on UK Tours.
[2019] UK Spring & Autumn 50th Anniv. tours and so features on the '50th Anniversary Tour' DVD/CD set.
[2021] UK Autumn Tour.
[2022] UK Spring Tour.

2. Alison Gross

(5.29, Trad lyrics (Child 35). Arrangement by Bob Johnson loosely to the tune used in 'Down in Yon Forest' (which of course Steeleye later sung on the 'Winter' Album in 20014) . Peter had come across the jig while looking through an old book of tunes. Bob then applied it to the Alison Gross arrangement he was working on.
Originally intended to be sung by Tim and with Drums! The drums (played by Rick) were removed from the final mix as it sounded better meanwhile Tim was ill when the vocals needed recording. Often described as 'Heavy Metal without Drums!'. Over the years the versions have remain pretty faithful to the original though of course introducing drums.

LIVE/RELEASES:

[1973] Fanfare For Europe Concert - sang by Tim; Feb UK Tour - sang by Bob; US Spring 'Parcel of Rogues Tour' (Before Nigel) ; Autumn UK Parcel of Rogues Tour (with Nigel) joined.
[1974] Thoresby Hall - Electric Folk TV Series; Spring Now We are Six Tour; Summer US 'Now We Are Six' Tour - 'Live at the Bottom Line 1974 CD (2024)'; Europe: Kaleidospop Swiss TV Show.
[1981] UK Autumn Tour
[1982] Winter Australian Tour; Festivals; UK Autumn Tour (Possibly. Features on the Gone to Australia (On Tour 1975-1984) 2001 CD
[1989] UK 20th Anniversary Tour Autumn. One mention of this song being played on the tour but didn't feature on video/radio
[2001] Folk on the Pier' Cromer. Sung by Tim Harries
[2017] 'Hark! The Village Wait' UK Tour. Re-introduced and sung by Julian Littman.
[2018] Festivals - Including Shrewsbury available on Youtube; UK Autumn Tour
[2019] Irish Tour; Festivals; UK Spring and Autumn '50th Anniversary' Tours. Available on the '50th Anniversary Tour DVD/CD set.

3. The Bold Poachers

(4.19, Trad, introduced by Tim Hart)
Was also sung by Martin Carthy when he was in Steeleye 1970 but a slightly different arrangement.

Album liner notes: Transportation, usually to Australia or the Americas, was, to rustic people who rarely travelled further than the local market town, tantamount to a sentence of death. In Norfolk, where this song was collected, there was a tradition whereby a bottle of the transported man's urine was hung up in his house. If it clouded it meant he was ill and if it wasted he was believed to have died and his family went into mourning.

Maddy - "An American film maker, many years ago made a short film of Steeleye Span's version of this song. He portrayed one of the brothers as being about 9 years old which gave the song an abiding poignancy". This film was shows at the start of the concerts on the 1974 tour. Sadly the short film has never surfaced so has not been seen since.

LIVE/RELEASES:
[1970] July BBC Sessions. Sang by Martin Carthy who was also singing it solo at the time. Available on the Please to See the King CD Reissue (2006)
[1973] Feb UK Tour.
[1974] Autumn UK Tour - where the above film was played before the concert.
[2022] Autumn UK Tour. Sung by Julian Littman. Re-introduced as part of the band returning to early Chrysalis albums. Largely faithful arrangement.

4. The Ups and Down's

(2.46, Trad, arranged by Bob Johnson. Also known as "The Maid of Tottenham")
The Ups and Downs was the euphemistic name of the 69th Lincolnshire Regiment. Possibly the first song introduced by Bob as it was played on a January 1972 radio session just after he joined, although not recorded until his 2nd album in 1973. Bob usually introduced it as a rude song about seduction.

LIVE/RELEASES:
[1972] Jan, Sept & Oct BBC Sessions. UK Tour- Debut of new line up; UK Below the Salt' Tour; 1st US Tour;
[1973] Feb BBC Session- available as high quality bootleg; UK Feb Tour; US Parcel of Rogues tour'
[1974] Autumn UK Tour. (features on 'Good Times of Old England' Box set (2022) from the 28th Nov Rainbow Concert)
[1975] The New Inn - Electric Folk TV Series.
[1976] 17th March - played as a one off for a concert in Aylesbury - the 'home' of the song.
[1992] UK Autumn Tour
[1995] Played at The Journey reunion concert and so included on The Journey Live CD (1999)

5. Robbery With Violins

(Based on the tune 'The Bank of Ireland', hence the 'pun' name)
(1.47, Trad, arranged by Knight) Played as a Kemp/Knight Bass/Fiddle arrangement.

Was initially played live as 'The Banks of Ireland/Lucy Campbell medley of tunes, sometimes including a third - 'Duffy the Dancer' but was shortened to just The Bank of Ireland and called 'Robbery with Violins'. Later, in 1974 it was then partnered again with Kitty Come Down From Limerick and O'Rourke's Reel (For many years mistakenly called 'The Wild Irishman')

LIVE/RELEASES:
[1972] Oct BBC Sessions; UK 'Below the Salt' Tour
[1973] UK Feb Tour; US 'Parcel of Rogues' Tour (on KCET - PBS-TV show); June - early Nigel appearance; Unknown source from The Harvest of Gold CD Collection (2003) Listed as 'The Bank of Ireland / Lucy Campbell'
[1974] UK and US 'Now We are Six' tours. 'Live at the Bottom Line 1974 CD (2024)' Kaleidospop Swiss TV Show
[1982] UK Autumn Tour
[2000] UK Autumn Tour - when Rick returned to tour with the band.

6. The Wee Wee Man

(4.02, Trad lyrics- Child 38. Arranged with tune and melody by Bob Johnson) Kemp-drums & Bass. Another Scottish Ballad

LIVE:
[1973] ? The only mention of being played live are at the Colston Hall in June just after Nigel joined the band (but newspaper reviewers often got name wrong)
[2022] Autumn UK Tour. Sung by Spud Sincalir. Re-introduced as part of the band returning to early Chrysalis albums. Faithfull reproduction of the recorded version.

7. The Weaver and the Factory Maid

5.21, Trad, arranged by Maddy Prior from 3 separate 'industrial Ballads' songs all relating to Weavers. (The tune in 3rd part written by Knight). Most of the lyrics are based on the title song. The other songs incorporated are 'The Weaver' (The introduction/first verse) and the 'The Weaver and his Shuttle'. All played in a 5/4 time signature.

Album liner notes: There was a great bitterness felt between the hand-loom weavers and those who worked on the steam looms introduced during the industrial revolution. This feeling polarised in the Luddites (named after their mythical leader Ned Ludd) who were unemployed hand-loom weavers bent on destroying the steam looms which had put them out of work.

Maddy: (2002) - A First attempt at linking songs and ideas. The main song is one of Bert Lloyd's collations. he had a gracefully poetic way of accenting the best aspects of a song and giving it an, often unexpected tune, and thus making them attractive attractive and available again. the opening tune is from the signing of Robert Cinnamon, and Peter wrote the tune to the loom verses. A healthy Mix'

Re-recorded for the 2002 'Present' Album

LIVE/RELEASES:
[1972] Oct BBC Sessions ; UK 'Below the Salt' UK Tour;
[1973] US Spring Tour; Summer concerts when Nigel joined; UK Autumn 'Parcel of Rogues tour'
[1986] Spring UK 'Back In Line' Tour; US and Australian Tours. Recorded on the Spring tour and added to the 1994 'In Concert' CD
[1987] European and US Tours. (Probably UK but no set lists available)
[1989] Cropedy Festival; UK 20th Anniversary Tour. And so appears on the '20th Anniversary celebration Video + 'Live In Nottingham' CD + 'Access All Areas' CD/DVD
[1990] UK Autumn Tour
[1991] UK Autumn Tour. Recorded for the Live Album 'Tonight's the Night' CD (1992)
[1992] UK Autumn Tour
[1993] Chasing Rainbows UK Tour;
[1994] Australian Tour; Cambridge Folk Festival (played on BBC Radio 2)
[1996] Australia 'Time' Tour; Probably on UK tour but no set lists.
[1997] UK Spring 'Time' tour; US Tour; UK Autumn 'Time' Tour.
[2002] UK Reunion Tour.
[2008] Spanfest; Spring UK tour; featured on 'Live at a Distance' Live CD/DVD' (2008)
[2013] UK Spring Tour; Autumn 'Wintersmith' Tour - features on the Wintersmith Tour DVD (2014) (not deluxe CD)
[2014] Ireland Tour; Summer festivals;
[2019] UK Spring 50th Anniversary tour and so is on the '50th Anniversary Tour CD/DVD set'
[2021] UK Autumn Tour
[2022] UK Spring Tour; UK Autumn Tour
[2023] UK 'Green Man' Tour

8. Rogues in a Nation

(4.35, Based on a poem by Robert Burns and arranged by band for the 'Kidnapped' Play)

Album liner notes for both track 8 and 9-

The Stuart dynasty acceded to the English throne in 1603 when James VI of Scotland also became James I of England, but their rule ended in 1714 after James II was forced to flee to France in 1688 and was succeeded by his daughters Mary II 1688-94 (she reigned jointly with her husband William, the Stadtholder of Holland, who reigned solo after her death until 1702) and Anne 1702-14.

Three attempts were made by the Jacobites to reinstate the “Kings across the Water” to their former glory. The first two, in 1690 and in 1715, were never really a serious threat to George I, a German prince of Stuart descent from the House of Hanover, then occupying the English throne. The third, led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie), had some initial success but finally ended in the calamitous defeat on Culloden Moor in 1746.

The rebel clans always believed themselves to have been betrayed, both in parliament and on the battlefield, by their fellow countrymen.

LIVE/RELEASES:
[1972] Sept BBC Session; Kidnapped Play; UK Below the Salt' tour;
[1973] Fanfare For Europe concert; US Tour; Features on KCET - PBS-TV show - not sure when recorded.
[1974] Warwick Castle - Electric Folk TV Series.
[1981] UK Spring Tour

9. Cam Ye O'er Frae France

(2.49, Trad, arranged by arranged by band for the 'Kidnapped' Play) Kemp-snare drums.
In an article the recorded version is described as being 'drastically slowed down from the Stage version' (Kidnapped)

Album liner notes: 'George I, being a Protestant German King, was viewed with ridicule and hatred by the Jacobite rebels. This is a scurrilous attack on him and his court'

Maddy - This is an early Jacobite song, from the doomed rebellion. It is a doubty satire on the sexual activaties of King George II and his mistress, who was nicknamed 'The Goosy'. There was much travelling between France and Scotland by the disaffected rebel Scots, doe to the 'Auld Alliance'

Re recorded for the 2002 'Present' Album - Faithful to the original with mandolin and not a long outro

LIVE/RELEASES:
[1972] July (& Sept) BBC Session. Newly developed for the Kidnapped play this is played with the mandolin (violin at the end) and features Maddy and Bob singing harmonies with no drums (The album version had Rick on drums); Kidnapped Play (Aug); Autumn 'Below the Salt' Tour; Nov US Tour;
[1973] BBC TV 'Full House'; Feb UK Tour; Occasionally played when Nigel joined but not on the UK 'Parcel of Rogues Tour. But was on the CET - PBS-TV show which suggests it was being played but might not be listed on known set lists.
[1974] Thoresby Hall Electric Folk TV Series; Now We are Six UK and US tours ('Live at the Bottom Line 1974 CD (2024)' ); Don Kirchner Rock Concert - US TV; UK Autumn Tour (On the 'Good Times of Old England' Box set (2022) from the 28th Nov Rainbow Concert);
[1975] Rockpalast TV concert; Festivals;
[1976] Played across the World 'Rocket Cottage' Tour (including live on Finnish TV here); (On the 'Good Times of Old England' Box set (2022) from the 15th Oct Berklee Performance Centre (USA) Concert)
[1977/78] Played live by the Carthy line up and recently available for the first time on 'Live at the De Montfort Hall CD' (2019)
[1980] UK 'Comeback' Tour
[1981] UK Spring Tour; Cambridge Folk Festival (Broadcast on BBC Radio 2); UK Autumn Tour
[1982] Australian Tour; European Tour; UK Autumn Tour
[1984] UK Spring Tour; US Reunion Tour; Australian Tour
[1985] US Tour.
[1987] World Tour. Including at the Philadelphia Folk Festival; UK Spring & Autumn Tours.
[1989] UK 20th Anniversary Tour. And so appears on the '20th Anniversary celebration Video + 'Live In Nottingham' CD + 'Access All Areas' CD/DVD
[1991] UK Autumn Tour. Recorded for the Live Album 'Tonight's the Night' (1992)
[1993] UK Chasing Rainbows UK Tour.
[1994] Australian Tour; Cambridge Folk Festival (played on BBC Radio 2)
[1995] Played at The Journey reunion concert and so included on The Journey Live CD (1999)
[2002] UK Reunion Tour
[2004] All Through the World Tour. Played to higher temp with longer faster instrumentals that on 'Present' and so is on both the '35th Anniv. World Tour DVD' (2004) and 'Folk Rock Pioneers In Concert CD (2004)
[2006] Cropedy Festival
[2008] UK Spring Tour; SpanFest. Back to the more subtle Mandolin driven version as heard on 'Present' & with a longer percussion intro
[2011] UK Spring & Autumn 'Now We are Six Again' Tour. Peter on the Mandolin. Available on the 'Now We are Six Again' Live CD (2011)
[2013] UK Spring Tour; Autumn 'Wintersmith' Tour - Was not played every night and does not feature on the Wintersmith Tour DVD
[2014] Irish Tour; UK Autumn '45th Anniversary' Tour.
[2022] Autumn UK Tour. Re-introduced as part of the band returning to early Chrysalis albums in 2022. Closed 1st set.

10. Hares on the Mountain

(4.35, Trad, introduced by Johnson/Knight from their duo repertoire) .

The author Iain Banks selected this track when he appeared on BBC Radio 4's 'Desert Island Discs'

LIVE/RELEASES:
[1973] Feb BBC Session - available as high quality bootleg.
[1974] Thoresby Hall - Electric Folk TV Series.
[1992] UK Autumn Tour

Session Out-take - 'Bonny Moorhen'

(4.17 Traditional) Another Jacobite song where the 'moorhen' is Charlie Stuart who was not allowed to be mentioned by name at the time. This was another song worked up by the band for the 'Kidnapped' Play

Appeared first on the Steeleye 1976 collection 'Original Masters' but not many collections since. Not played live at the time. The story goes that it was left of the album because it would have had "too many Scottish songs" according to the Record Company!