Sails of Silver

Steeleye Span | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 9, 1997)
• Original Release Date: 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Park Records
• ASIN: B0000021NW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #427,730 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Sails Of Silver

2. My Love

3. Barnet Fair

4. Senior Service

5. Gone To America

6. Where Are They Now

7. Let Her Go Down

8. Longbone

9. Marigold/Harvest Home

10. Tell Me Why

11. Bonus Track: Thomas The Rhymer (Live In 1997)

12. Bonus Track: My Johnny (Live In 1996)

13. Bonus Track: The Lark In The Morning (Live In 1996)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spectacular reunion, July 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sails of Silver (Audio CD)

After disbanding upon the release of "Live At Last" Steeleye reunited about two and a half years later to record this magnificent album. Unlike a lot of "reunion" albums, "Sails of Silver" is not an embarrassment, or a painful reminder that past glories lie behind. Instead, it ranks among the very best of all of the band's albums.

Although only two of the songs here (the gorgeous "My Love" and the wistful "Marigold/Harvest Home") carry the familiar Trad. Arng. by Steeleye Span credit, each of the songs here sound very much like they fit that bill.

From the ocean imagery of the title track, to the rural fiddle and theme of "Barnet Fair" to the tragic consequences of "Gone To America" and "Let Her Go Down," these are originals that can easily stand alongside the centuries old songs for which Steeleye is best known. Throw in the traditional "My Love," which ranks among the finest tracks the band has ever recorded, and you have a band that returned to form after a nearly three year hiatus.

"Sails of Silver" is usually quite difficult to find. Order it now while you can!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Rate Reunion Album, September 12, 2005

By 

Tusslebinky (Binky Heaven) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sails of Silver (Audio CD)

I'm amazed at the negative reviews this album has been getting (although the overall average has been artificially dragged down by a one star review that was posted twice). This album was the first one Steeleye made after disbanding for three years and the time away really revitalized the band. Previous studio albums, "Rocket Cottage," and "Storm Force Ten," although not without their merits, clearly lacked the excitement of previous albums and a live album called "Live at Last" was, by and large, on the lackluster side. It seemed that after 8+ years of recording and touring and zapped some of the band's energy.

Three years later Steeleye came roaring back and this album was not only an improvement of the previous two studio albums but one that could take its place along side their best work of the early and mid 70's. many reunion albums prove to be an embarrassment. Not this one.

Highlights of "Sails of Silver" included the title track, which opens the album, the festive "Barnet Fair," a pair of melancholy originals "Gone to America," and "Let Her Go Down," and a pair of traditional songs given modern arrangements -- the type of songs Steeleye was always best known for -- "My Love" (one of the most gorgeous things the band has ever recorded) and "Marigold/Harvest Home" which makes prime use of the band wonderful vocal harmony gifts.

If you are a Steeleye fan it is difficult to imagine why you would not like this, and it belongs in your collection for reasons far beyond any motivated to have a complete set of their work.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of fun and very approachable folk-rock, February 9, 2006

By 

EthanUK (Highlands, Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sails of Silver (Audio CD)

I've loved this album since I first heard it (which must be getting on for 25 years ago). I love pure folk and I enjoy rock and even metal (as well as high doses of classical), and this is probably the one Steeleye Span album that I put on more than any other.

It's not an album for folk purists, the basslines are extremely heavy rock with very prominent rock-style drumming, but it's fun!

Almost every track on the album has a great tune which you can sing or hum along to. It was a departure for Steeleye Span away from the more traditional performances they had tended to previously, although they always tended towards a slightly irreverent treatment of pure folk. But then folk music is music of the people for the people and to give it a bit of a boost with a flavouring of modern instrumentation and styling to give it an injection of fun may be strongly disapproved of in purist terms but it helps make the wonderful songs more approachable to the as yet uninitiated and keeps the music alive.

There are plenty of pure folk albums around to give you much the same songs without the electric bass, but if you want something a bit more light-hearted with a bit of a kick to it that you can really enjoy without giving your braincells a workout and eardrums a bashing from some corncrake of a purist folk-singer then this is worthy of a listen.

Unless you're utterly pedantic you'll probably find that enjoy it a great deal. I recommend listening to the music itself to decide if you like this treatment or not. I think it's very, very good and rates among the best, but if you can't get over the fact that it's not pure folk, then forget about Steeleye Span and shut your ears to Fairport Convention and go study the music scores you can find to see if you can uncover the essence of the real words and the real tunes - then you might discover the whole point of folk music.

If you like folk AND you like rock, and you don't mind hearing highly-professional musicians and vocalists blend the two together in a manner that really works to make some excellent music then listen to this album, buy this album. You'll enjoy this album and you'll keep coming back to it year after year, and you'll still sing along with Maddy!