Sunday, February 08, 2009

Strawbs : From The Witchwood 1971


Formed in London in 1967 by Dave Cousins and Tony Hooper . Their sound is a post-folk Progressive style full of tratitional instruments as mandoline , sitar , autoharp , clarinet and more . This album was released in 1971 .

Dave Cousins
Tony Hooper
Rick Wakeman ( YES )
Richard Hudson
John Ford

Tracks

1. A Glimpse Of Heaven
2. Witchwood
3. Thirty Days
4. Flight
5. The Hangman And The Papist
6. Sheep
7. Canon Dale
8. The Shepherd' s Song
9. In Among The Roses
10.I' ll Carry On Beside You



THE HANGMAN AND THE PAPIST

The village square stands quiet with the curfew still in force
The streets are even clear of dogs and whores
Like some Evil bird of pray the scaffold spreads its wings
The people build their fires and bolt their doors

The mayor is giving dinner to the officers and wives
his eldest son is learning how to fawn
the barrack block is hushed and tense , the soldiers drawing lots
Who will be the hangman in the dawn ?

The lot falls on a young man who has served for but a year
his home is in the village close nearby
he shivers at the thought of what he's forced to do next day
he wonders who it is that has to die

The full moon casts a cold light on the gloomy prison walls
The Papist walks his cell he cannot sleep
he hears the waiting gallows creaking just beyond the door
he prays for he has no more tears to weep

The day begins to break , the muffled drums begin to sound
a crowd begins to gatther in the square
the presence of the hangman in his terrifying mask
weights heavy on the minds of all those there

The colonel reads the sentence which the Papist knows by heart
he has failed to show alleigance to the king
his crime is thus with God himself , in HIS NAME he must hang
the Papist , head held high , says not a thing

The jailer binds his hands and puts the blindfold to his eyes
he leads him through the door before the crowd
the hangman sees his victim and the blood drains from his face
he sees his younger brother standing proud

The hangman tries to protest but his is ordered to proceed
his trembling hands begin to take the strain
his eyes are blind with streaming tears , he cries for all to hear
FORGIVE ME LORD , WE HANG HIM IN THY NAME .

Size 91 MB
Bitrate 320
Format : Vinyl LP
Label : AM - Slam 64304
Made in Italy : Dischi Ricordi S.P.A
Produced by Tony Visconti
Year 1971
                           
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This album is a journey through the mind and the soul

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