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First released in 1965, FROST AND FIRE, A CALENDAR OF RITUAL AND MAGICAL SONGS was the debut album from the then new group on the folk scene. Originally from Hull, two sisters, their brother and cousin had been singing family songs all their lives and as a new folk group had been attracting attention for their powerful and exciting performances. They were taken into the studio by Bill Leader to record an album for TOPIC RECORDS and what came out of the sessions was incredible. FROST AND FIRE was essentially a concept album, the songs following the passage of the year. It’s effect was seismic, standing the folk scene on it’s head and influencing not just folkies but the ever growing and eclectic rock scene as well, particularly Traffic whose magnificent “John Barleycorn Must Die” came directly from FROST AND FIRE. Sympathetically and carefully re-mastered from the original master, the resulting sound on this new release of FROST AND FIRE is nothing short of a revelation. Belying it’s years, the power and sonority of the voices hits the listener just as hard now as it did in 1965. To accompany such an incredible sonic upgrade, the packaging has been enhanced with a slipcase and an expanded booklet which has many photos of English folk traditions and is a visual treat. CLASSIC ALBUM RE-MASTERED – FANTASTIC SOUND Tracks; Here We Come A-Wassailing / The Derby Ram / Jolly Old Hawk / Pace-Egging Song / Seven Virgins (The Leaves of Life) / The Holly Bears a Berry / Hal-An-Tow / Earsdon Sword Dance Song / John Barleycorn / Harvest Song: We Gets Up in the Morn / Souling Song / Christmas Is Now Drawing Near at Hand / Herod and the Cock / Wassail Song.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
There's interesting things happening in the British folk music world at present, not least recent work by Waterson:Carthy. And yet it's greatly refreshing to go back to this album. It was one of the definitive recordings of the "folk revival" of the 60s. When I first heard it, as a student and well into the Stones, blues and soul music and jazz,it stopped me in my musical tracks. I'd never heard anything like it - so uncompromising, and utterly different from everything around it, and I include other "revival" groups and singers - Ian Campell, Ewan McColl, whoever. It still sounds entirely unique. It takes fragments and oddments of custom and ritual from a past not so long ago in historical time but now, culturally, light years away, and it makes it something we can make part of our lives. Even the best folkies can sometimes try a bit too hard to be folky. For all his integrity and power, Ewan McColl sometimes seems to me a very mannered performer. He's got designs on you. This recording is utterly sincere, simple and direct. They are taken up entirely by their material, they make it their own, and they pass it on to us. What a great gift. Thanks to them.
So after hearing this, I went to see them live in a pub near Sheffield. I was late, and as I came up the stairs, I could hear a mighty sound sweeping towards me. Gooseflesh time.
So after hearing this, I went to see them live in a pub near Sheffield. I was late, and as I came up the stairs, I could hear a mighty sound sweeping towards me. Gooseflesh time.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
There are many traditions throughout england that have been celebrated through Folk music. This Debut album by the Watersons takes us on a journey of a year of celebrations from December to January.
The Watersons were an English folk group who performed mainly traditional songs with little or no accompaniment. Their distinctive sound comes from their closely-woven harmonies. The Watersons at the time of this debut recording were Norma, Mike, and Lal Waterson, with their cousin John Harrison. This release was their first album. Frost and Fire was recorded and released in 1965. It was a tremendous success and was awarded the "Melody Maker" Album of the Year. This was rare for a debut album.
Frost and Fire is an incredibly strong album. It begins in Winter with "Here we come a wassailing" a traditional song sung at midwinter as ploughing time was near and plough workers sang and danced through the village in return for money, food or drink in the hope of luck for all. The next song "The Derby Ram" was a song used in the custom of worshiping gods in the form of animals. Then "Jolly old Hawk" is a song discovered by Cecil Sharp and represents songs used for the customs of keeping demons away during the period around the twelve days of christmas when the light from the sun was at its weakest. The recording moves on to Spring with "Pace egging song". This song represents the songs that were used to celebrate the new sign of life through spring. The pace eggers begged for eggs a symbol of new life. Sometimes this was accompanied with the Mummers death and aresserection play. "Seven virgins or the leaves of life" is a christian based ballad carol for the eastertime. And "The holly bears a berry" is a carol also for easter. "Hal an tow" represents the ritual of the May day celebrations which included May games, sword and morris dance, hobby horse dance and Robin Hood play. The "Earsdon sword dance song" comes from the mining community. It is another death and ressurection piece. Summer is celebrated with "John Barleycorn" and "We gets up in the morning" These represent the harvest and the cutting of the corn. Autumn is marked with "Souling Song" this represents the customs of Halloween, All saints and souls. At this time children went from door to door asking for Soul cakes for the momentarily returning dead. Then we get back to winter again with "Christmas is now drawing near at hand" and "Herod and the cock". These are two carols. The latter looks at the legend of St Stephen and the christian story. Finally we end with another wassail song with "Wassail song". The wassailers took a bowl with holly and ivy to collect money for luck conveyed in the song.
This album is a glorius celebration of English customs throughout the year and the nature worship and rituals of magic. All of the songs are traditional. The performance is fantastic and the sound is also great thanks to its re mastering. This is truly an important album of English Traditional Folk music.
The Watersons were an English folk group who performed mainly traditional songs with little or no accompaniment. Their distinctive sound comes from their closely-woven harmonies. The Watersons at the time of this debut recording were Norma, Mike, and Lal Waterson, with their cousin John Harrison. This release was their first album. Frost and Fire was recorded and released in 1965. It was a tremendous success and was awarded the "Melody Maker" Album of the Year. This was rare for a debut album.
Frost and Fire is an incredibly strong album. It begins in Winter with "Here we come a wassailing" a traditional song sung at midwinter as ploughing time was near and plough workers sang and danced through the village in return for money, food or drink in the hope of luck for all. The next song "The Derby Ram" was a song used in the custom of worshiping gods in the form of animals. Then "Jolly old Hawk" is a song discovered by Cecil Sharp and represents songs used for the customs of keeping demons away during the period around the twelve days of christmas when the light from the sun was at its weakest. The recording moves on to Spring with "Pace egging song". This song represents the songs that were used to celebrate the new sign of life through spring. The pace eggers begged for eggs a symbol of new life. Sometimes this was accompanied with the Mummers death and aresserection play. "Seven virgins or the leaves of life" is a christian based ballad carol for the eastertime. And "The holly bears a berry" is a carol also for easter. "Hal an tow" represents the ritual of the May day celebrations which included May games, sword and morris dance, hobby horse dance and Robin Hood play. The "Earsdon sword dance song" comes from the mining community. It is another death and ressurection piece. Summer is celebrated with "John Barleycorn" and "We gets up in the morning" These represent the harvest and the cutting of the corn. Autumn is marked with "Souling Song" this represents the customs of Halloween, All saints and souls. At this time children went from door to door asking for Soul cakes for the momentarily returning dead. Then we get back to winter again with "Christmas is now drawing near at hand" and "Herod and the cock". These are two carols. The latter looks at the legend of St Stephen and the christian story. Finally we end with another wassail song with "Wassail song". The wassailers took a bowl with holly and ivy to collect money for luck conveyed in the song.
This album is a glorius celebration of English customs throughout the year and the nature worship and rituals of magic. All of the songs are traditional. The performance is fantastic and the sound is also great thanks to its re mastering. This is truly an important album of English Traditional Folk music.
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