Classic Scots Ballads

by Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger

Classic Scots Ballads cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 1959
  • Label: Tradition
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 47:48
  • Community rating: 3.83/5 from 4 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Two pillars of the folk revival movement meticulously reconstruct ancient, often violent narratives from the Scottish oral tradition. The austere, highly authentic acoustic instrumentation and uncompromising vocal deliveries preserve the grim historical weight and regional dialect of the Child Ballads. The recording serves as a vital, scholarly bridge between historical ethnomusicology and the modern folk scene.

Genres

Descriptors: Folk, ballad, folk, traditional, duet, political, vocal, storytelling

Tracklist

  1. Johnny Lad (2:30)
  2. The False Lover Won Back (4:59)
  3. Aikendrum (2:03)
  4. The Gairdener Chyld (4:41)
  5. The Maid Gaed to the Hill (1:57)
  6. The Elfin Knight (4:07)
  7. The Banks of the Nile (4:11)
  8. Hughie Grame (4:09)
  9. Mormond Braes (1:45)
  10. Glasgow Peggy (3:10)
  11. The Monymusk Lads (2:17)
  12. The Trooper and the Maid (3:54)
  13. I Loved a Lass (2:18)
  14. Lord Thomas and Fair Annie (5:40)

Credits

  • Peggy Seeger - primary artist, banjo, guitar, backing vocals
  • Robin Roberts - producer

More from Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger: full discography