Three Score & Ten - A Voice To The People [Box set]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 20, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 7
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Topic
• ASIN: B002HRE0F0
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #289,067 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

See all items

Editorial Reviews

Motown and Island turn 50 in 2009; for Topic Records-the oldest truly independent record company in the world-the candles on the cake count 70! Seven decades of music and social history are celebrated with this 7-CD set and its 108-page hardback book. The label started out selling left-wing political music, orchestral recordings and blues; folk and folk-rock became the label's strong suit, and they dominate this sumptuous set: San Francisco Bay Blues Jesse Fuller; Talking Union Blues Pete Seeger; Joe Hill Paul Robeson; Time to Ring Some Changes Richard Thompson; Talking Dustbowl Blues Ramblin' Jack Elliott; Angi Davy Graham; A Place Called England June Tabor; Hal-An-Tow Watersons; The Banks of Red Roses Sarah Makem; Lady Eliza Winnie Campbell; Go Down Ye Murderers Ewan MacColl; No Telling Linda Thompson; The Liverpool Barrow Boys Spinners; Georgie Levi Smith, and more!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most respected of all British folk music labels, December 10, 2009

By 

Thomas E. Davis (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Three Score & Ten - A Voice To The People (Audio CD)

To celebrate 70 years of great performances on their eminent label, Topic has selected more than twice that number of tracks, a full gross, and packed them onto seven themed CDs at an eminently reasonable price. It would be more accurate to call this imported box set a "book set," since the CDs fit into slots inside the front and back covers of a beautifully-illustrated hardbound history of the company. Filled with photos, album covers, stories, and quotes from the people who have played and sung for Topic since 1939, this is the sort of coffee-table tome that could easily cost $50 even without the discs. Yet you also get much of the music that has made this label famous the world over for its loving preservation and curation of traditional and often political music from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

Some of my favorites among the artists represented include Nic Jones, Martin Carthy, Dave Swarbrick, Anne Briggs, Frankie Armstrong, June Tabor, The Watersons, The Boys of the Lough, Battlefield Band, Dick Gaughan, Eliza Carthy, Martin Simpson, Ewan MacColl, Richard Thompson, and The Silly Sisters. If you don't know who these amazing performers are, it's time you were introduced to this music and its offshoots. Many obscure but worthy songs, singers, and musicians are here, together with tracks from other European countries and a few folks across the pond, like Pete Seeger, Paul Robeson, and Jack Elliott, who were profoundly influenced by the songs of the British Isles.

Since Amazon has not listed the tracks on this set, I will do so. I include the title of each CD, the title and length of each track, the album it comes from, and the year it was released:

CD 1 - A selection of treasures from the Topic catalogue
1 The Humpback Whale - NIC JONES 6:06 from Penguin Eggs 12TS411 / 1980
2 Angi - DAVY GRAHAM 2:27 from 3/4 AD TOP70 / 1963
3 The Shaskeen Reel - JOHN WRIGHT 3:05 from The Lark In The Clear Air 12TS230 / 1974
4 The Lancashire Toreadors - The OLDHAM TINKERS 3:14 from Best O' T' Bunch 12TS237 / 1974
5 Sullivan's March - PAT MITCHELL 1:45 from Uilleann Pipes 12TS294 / 1976
6 San Francisco Bay Blues - JESSE FULLER 3:28 from Working on the Railroad 10T59 / 1959
7 Country Gardens - WILLIAM KIMBER 2:16 from The Art Of William Kimber 12T249 / 1974
8 Tamlyn - MIKE WATERSON 11:00e from Mike Waterson 12TS332 / 1977
9 The Air for Maurice Ogg / Jumping Jack / The Air for Maurice Ogg - ALISTAIR ANDERSON 8:25 from Steel Skies 12TS427 / 1982
10 Creeping Jane - JOSEPH TAYLOR 3:06 from The Voice of the People - 8: A Story I'm Just About To Tell TSCD658 / 1998
11 Wasps In The Woodpile - ANDREW CRONSHAW 3:44 from Till The Beasts' Returning 12TS447 / 1988
12 Prince Heathen - MARTIN CARTHY with DAVE SWARBRICK 6:59 from Prince Heathen 12TS344 / 1977 originally recorded in 1969
13 The Bonny Labouring Boy - HARRY COX 3:30 from The Bonny Labouring Boy TSCD 512D / 2000
14 Rawtenstall Annual Fair - LEE NICHOLSON 3:08 from Deep Lancashire 12T188 / 1968
15 Music For A Found Harmonium - PATRICK STREET 2:48 from Irish Times SPDCD 1033 / 1990
16 Bitter Withy - JOHN TAMS 6:45 from The Reckoning TSCD 551 / 2005

CD 2 - England Arise!
1 The Nut Dance (excerpt) - The BRITANNIA COCONUT DANCERS 2:16 from The Voice of the People - 16: You Lazy lot of Bone-Shakers TSCD 666 / 1998
2 Spencer The Rover - BOB & RON COPPER 3:24 from Come Write Me Down - Early Recordings of The Copper Family of Rottingdean TSCD 534 / 2001
3 All Things Are Quite Silent - SHIRLEY COLLINS 2:38 from The Sweet Primeroses 12T170 / 1967
4 Blackwater Side - ANNE BRIGGS 3:54 currently available on A Collection TSCD504 / 1999
5 The Two Magicians - A L Lloyd 4:44 from The Bird in the Bush : Traditional Songs of Love and Lust 12TS135 / 1966
6 Scan's Polkas - OAK 2:17 from Welcome To Our Fair 12TS212 / 1971
7 The Crafty Maid's Policy - FRANKIE ARMSTRONG 2:15 from Lovely On The Water 12TS216 / 1972
8 A Place Called England - JUNE TABOR 4:42 from A Quiet Eye TSCD510 / 1999
9 When I Die - PETER BELLAMY 2:48 from Both Sides Then 12TS400 / 1979
10 The Bold Princess Royal - SAM LARNER 3:45 from A Garland For Sam 12T244 / 1974
11 Hal-An-Tow - The WATERSONS 2:07 from Frost and Fire: A calendar of Ritual and Magical Songs 12T125 / 1965
12 We Shepherds Are The Best of Men - FRED JORDAN 3:09 from Songs Of A Shropshire Worker 12T150 / 1967
13 The Rose Of Britain's Isle / Glorishears - JOHN KIRKPATRICK & SUE HARRIS 4:42 from The Rose Of Britain's Isle 12TS247 / 1974
14 Riding Down To Portsmouth - TOM WILLETT 3:44 from The Roving Journeyman - The Willett Family 12T84 / 1962
15 Higher Germany - PHEOBE SMITH 3:21 from Once I Had A True Love 12T193 / 1970
16 The Ideal Schottische - The CHEVIOT RANTERS 4:09 from The Cheviot Hills 12TS222 / 1973
17 The Methody Parson - ROY HARRIS 2:27 from Champions Of Folly 12TS256 / 1975
18 The Maid And The Palmer - BRASS MONKEY 5:34 from Brass Monkey 12TS431 / 1983
19 Hopping Down In Kent - LOUIE FULLER 2:07 from Green Grow The Laurels 12TS285 / 1976
20 The Devil And The Farmer's Wife - WALTER PARDON 2:57 from A Country Life 12TS392 / 1982

CD 3 - Ireland Boys, Hurrah
1 The Rising Sun / The Pope's Toe - JACKIE DALY 2:41 from Music From Sliabh Luachra Vol. 6 12TS 358 / 1977
2 The Waterford Boys - PADDY TUNNEY 3:41 from A Wild Bees' Nest 12T139 / 1965
3 The Banks Of Red Roses - SARAH MAKEM 3:06 from Sarah Makem : Ulster Ballad Singer 12T182 / 1968
4 Gillan's Apples / The Prize Jig - JOHN DOONAN & JOHN WRIGHT 2:06 from The Lark In The Clear Air 12TS230 / 1974
5 Slieve Gallon Brae - The McPEAKE FAMILY 2:17 from Irish Traditional Folk Songs & Music 12T87 / 1962
6 Paddy Ryan's Dream / Mamma's Pet - SEAMUS TANSEY with REG HALL 2:20 from The Breeze From Erin 12T184 / 1969
7 My Irish Molly O - The FLANAGAN BROTHERS 3:05 from The Flanagan Brothers 12T365 / 1979
8 The Blackbird - SEAMUS ENNIS 4:19 from The Wandering Minstrel 12TS250 / 1974
9 The Factory Girl - MARGARET BARRY 3:22 from Street Songs & Fiddle Tunes Of Ireland 10T6 / 1958
10 Roaring Mary / The Old Torn Petticoat - The IRISH COUNTRY FOUR 2:35 from Songs, Ballads & Instrumental Tunes from Ulster 12TS202 / 1971
11 Spailpina Rún - SEAN MAC DONNCHADHA 3:08 from More Grand Airs From Connemara 12TS209 / 1971
12 The Choice Wife - WILLIE CLANCY 3:08 from The Breeze From Erin 12T184 / 1969
13 The Tinker's Old Budget - MARY ANN CAROLAN 3:16 from Songs From The Irish Tradition 12TS362 / 1982
14 Padraig O'Keefe's / Con Cassidy's - The BOYS OF THE LOUGH 1:53 from In The Tradition 12TS422 / 1981
15 Dowd's Favourite - HUGH GILLESPIE 2:57 from Classic Recordings of Irish Traditional Fiddle Music 12T364 / 1978
16 Wife Of The Bold Tenant Farmer - JOE HEANEY 3:08 from Irish Traditional Songs In Gaelic & English 12T91 / 1963
17 The Music In The Glen / The Greenfields Of America - The O'HALLORAN BROTHERS 2:23 from Men Of The Ireland 12TS305 / 1976
18 The Knight Templar's Dream - LEN GRAHAM 3:58 from Wind And Water 12TS334 / 1977
19 The Yellow Tinker / The Humours Of Scarriff - SEAN O'SHEA & BOBBY CASEY 1:53 from Paddy In The Smoke TSCD 602 / 1998
20 He Rolled Her To The Wall - FRANK HARTE 3:33 from Through Dublin City12T218 / 1973
21 The Heather Breeze / The Traveller - The RUSSELL FAMILY 2:30 from The Russell Family of Doolin, County Clare 12TS251 / 1975
22 The Patriot Game - DOMINIC BEHAN 4:03 from Easter Weekend and After: Songs of the IRA 12T44 / 1959
23 The Belfast Hornpipe / The Rights Of Man - JOHN REA 3:43 from Traditional Music on the Hammer Dulcimer 12TS373 / 1979
24 Bridie Morley / Duignan's Favourite - PACKIE DUIGNAN & SEAMUS HORAN 2:21 from Music From County Leitrim 12TS339 / 1978

CD 4 - Scotia The Brave
1 Miss Drummond Of Perth / Fiddler's Joy / Traditional Reel / The Shetland Reel - BATTLEFIELD BAND 3:26 from Stand Easy 12TS404 / 1979
2 Come All Ye Fisher Lasses - The FISHER FAMILY 1:51 from The Fisher Family 12T137 / 1966
3 Queen Among The Heather - BELLE STEWART 4:24 from Queen Among The Heather 12TS307 / 1977
4 Cullen Bay / Jig O'Slurs / Seagull - KENTIGERN 4:24 from Kentigern 12TS394 / 1979
5 Wi My Roving Eye - NORMAN KENNEDY 3:31 from Scots Songs and Ballads 12T178 / 1968
6 Blue Bleezin' Blind Drunk - CILLA FISHER 3:17 from Cilla And Artie 12TS405 / 1979
7 Soldier's Joy - TOM ANDERSON & ALY BAIN 2:25 from The Silver Bow 12TS281 / 1976
8 The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow - GORDEANNA McCULLOCH 4:14 from New Voices from Scotland 12T133 / 1965
9 Erin Go Bragh - DICK GAUGHAN 4:35 from Handful Of Earth 12TS419 / 1981
10 Young Jimmy Foyers - SHEILA STEWART 2:48 from A Story I'm Just About To Tell TSCD658 / 1998
11 Kempy Kaye - JOCK TAMSON'S BAIRNS 3:52 from The Lasses Fashion 12TS424 / 1982
12 Lady Eliza - WINNIE CAMPBELL 3:14 from The Singing Campbells 12T120 / 1965
13 Tilley Plump / Auld Foula Reel / Oot And In Da Harbour - CURLEW 2:46 from Fiddle Music From Shetland And Beyond 12TS435 / 1985
14 Herd Laddie O' The Glen - WILLIE SCOTT 3:42 from The Shepherd's Song 12T183 / 1968
15 The Fireman's Not For Me - ISLA CAMERON 2:37 from Moses Of The Mail / The Fireman's Not For Me TRC51 / 1951
16 Dance With Me, Morag - ISABEL SUTHERLAND 1:03 from Vagrant Songs Of Scotland 12T151 / 1966
17 The Wind That Blew The Bonnie Lassie's Plaidie Awa' - JIMMY McBEATH 3:42 from Wild Rover No More 12T173 / 1967
18 MacCrimmon's Lament - JEANNIE ROBERTSON 4:21 from Jeannie Robertson 10T52 / 1959
19 The Gallant Forty Twa - IAN MANUEL 3:22 from The Dales Of Caledonia 12TS301 / 1977
20 The Twa... Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much more than another boxed set, January 22, 2010

By 

Francis M. Murphy "Cavan Frank" (Connecticut) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Three Score & Ten - A Voice To The People (Audio CD)

This is a very handsome package. The CDs are housed in a LP sized book with a great narrative and pictures. The project was obviously a labor of love for those that worked on it, and you can see their effort and attention to detail on every page. This format works great for storing the CDs also.

The collection of music is fascinating. The listening experience of each CD is like stumbling upon a great radio program. I generally prefer to listen to CDs of single artists, but this is much more than a sampler. It provides recordings of many musicians that are long gone, and the opportunity to pursue and seek out CDs or LPs that you didn't know existed. I personally like the sequence of songs and artists on this recording, but I do recognize that many audiophiles are not keen on compilations. I guess it is not for everybody.

The package is altogether engrossing. Guests who see it on my coffee table will pick the book up and look at it for ten minutes (some much longer). For people who grew up in the 60s or 70s, it has a pleasent nostalgiac feel, especially if they were interested in folk music and politics.

The lyrics of some of the songs are very amusing and I find something of merit in every track. I wont nescessarily seek out recordings of every artist, but I will definitely pursue some recordings.

It makes a great gift to ones self or to many people over a certain age. I have bought two and will be buying more for close friends.

I would recommend buying this product from Amazon direct. I ordered from an outfit in SC that were $10 cheaper but canceled the order after 2 weeks. Also, carefully check the packaging. It is not particularly fragile, but the book can get dinged in transit. Amazon took one I returned without any problem, and I'm not sure an independent would be as gracious.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Three Score and Ten scores highly, February 22, 2010

By 

Sassifrage (Adelaide, South Australia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Three Score & Ten - A Voice To The People (Audio CD)

The delivery was timed well and packaged well.
One of the cds seems difficult to replace in its position. There is also a some cracking around its centre which indicates that it has been forced. This is a production problem.
However, the book is excellent and the overall package is wonderful. Price/delivery/service excellent.