The North Star Grassman and the Ravens

Chronology

Denny became a solo artist because her previous group Fotheringay dissolved when producer Joe Boyd left to take up a job with Warner Brothers in California when the band were halfway through a second album that was left unfinished until 2008 when it came out as Fotheringay 2. Denny then launched the sequence of solo albums that underlie the claim that she is one of Britain's finest recent singer-songwriters.

Production

Two original compositions from the Fotheringay 2 sessions, "Late November", inspired by a dream and the death of Fairport band member Martin Lamble, and "John the Gun" were re-worked for the album and supplemented by a further six self penned songs and two cover versions, Bob Dylan's "Down in the Flood" and "Let's Jump the Broomstick", recorded by Brenda Lee. Sessions began with Andy Johns producing but in the end the album was produced by Denny herself, current bandmate Richard Thompson and John Wood, who recommended to Denny the film-score arranger Harry Robinson, who added strings to "Next Time Around", a cryptogram about former boyfriend Jackson C. Frank (one of her many portraits in song) and "Wretched Wilbur". Robinson would arrange strings for Denny's further albums as well as for Nick Drake and other artists signed to the same company.

The first songs recorded were the traditional "Blackwaterside" and "Let's Jump the Broomstick" in March 1971 at Sound Techniques. Sessions continued the following month until the end of May at Island studios, where the album was completed with the cutting of the title track, a sea voyage as a metaphor for death inspired by the loss of her friend 'Tigger' (Paul Bamber) who was in the Merchant Navy.

A number of other songs were attempted and discarded during the course of the sessions including "Honky Tonk Women", "Walking the Floor Over You" and the traditional "Lord Bateman".

The album was issued in a gatefold sleeve with a distinctive cover photograph of Denny weighing seeds in an old fashioned apothecary shop. The image covered both the front and rear sleeve, and was taken by Keef (Macmillan) who went on to do a lot of work with another British female singer-songwriter: Kate Bush. A two-disc Deluxe Edition was released by Island Records in 2011. It features the original album plus outtakes and demos, including a previously unreleased instrumental version of Lord Bateman.

The band for the supporting tour consisted of Denny, Thompson (guitar), Gerry Conway (drums), and Dave Richards (bass).

Tracks

All songs were written by Sandy Denny except where noted

1. "Late November" - 4:28
2. "Blackwaterside" (Trad.) - 4:12
3. "The Sea Captain" - 3:09
4. "Down in the Flood" (Bob Dylan) - 3:20
5. "John the Gun" - 4:38

1. "Next Time Around" - 4:26
2. "The Optimist" - 3:24
3. "Let's Jump the Broomstick" (Charles Robins) - 2:42
4. "Wretched Wilbur" - 2:38
5. "The North Star Grassman and the Ravens" - 3:27
6. "Crazy Lady Blues" - 3:22

1. "Late November" (El Pea version) - 4.28
2. "Walking the Floor Over You" (Ernest Tubb) - 4.18
3. "Losing Game" (Richard Clapton) - 3.25
4. "Next Time Around" (alternate take without strings) - 4.45

Disc 1

1. "Late November"
2. "Blackwaterside"
3. "The Sea Captain"
4. "Down in the Flood"
5. "John The Gun"
6. "Next Time Around"
7. "The Optimist"
8. "Let's Jump The Broomstick"
9. "Wretched Wilbur"
10. "The North Star Grassman and the Ravens"
11. "Crazy Lady Blues"
12. "Next Time Around" (Demo)
13. "Walking The Floor Over You" (Duet with Richard Thompson)
14. "Lord Bateman" (previously unreleased instrumental)
15. "If You Saw Thru My Eyes" (Duet with Ian Matthews)

Disc 2

1. "The Sea Captain" (Rare demo)
2. "The Optimist" (Rare demo)
3. "Wretched Wilbur" (Rare demo)
4. "Crazy Lady Blues" (Rare demo)
5. "Lord Bateman" (Rare demo)
6. "Late November" (BBC Session - Bob Harris 24/8/71)
7. "The Lowlands of Holland" (BBC Session - Bob Harris 24/8/71)
8. "Blackwaterside" (BBC session - Sounds on Sunday 14/11/72)
9. "The North Star Grassman and the Ravens" (BBC in Concert - Paris Theatre 16/3/72)
10. "Bruton Town" (BBC in Concert - Paris Theatre 16/3/72)
11. "Next Time Around" (BBC in Concert - Paris Theatre 16/3/72)
12. "John The Gun" (BBC in Concert - Paris Theatre 16/3/72)

Personnel