Ringing Down the Years
Encyclopedia
Ringing Down the Years is a studio album
by English
band Strawbs. The album was only released initially in Canada
. Because of the requirement to have a Canadian song on the album, the track "Might as Well Be on Mars" by the Pukka Orchestra
was included. (Not to be confused with the Alice Cooper
song of the same name.)
The title track was written by leader Dave Cousins about his hearing of the death of former member Sandy Denny.
, England, spring 1990
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
band Strawbs. The album was only released initially in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Because of the requirement to have a Canadian song on the album, the track "Might as Well Be on Mars" by the Pukka Orchestra
Pukka Orchestra
The Pukka Orchestra was a Canadian New Wave band in the 1980s. The core of the band consisted of vocalist Graeme Williamson and guitarists Neil Chapman and Tony Duggan-Smith, although the band made frequent use of guest musicians....
was included. (Not to be confused with the Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
song of the same name.)
The title track was written by leader Dave Cousins about his hearing of the death of former member Sandy Denny.
Track listing
- "Might as Well Be on Mars" (Graeme Williamson, Neil Chapman) – 4:11
- "The King" (Dave CousinsDave CousinsDave Cousins has been the leader, singer and most active songwriter of Strawbs since 1967.-Career:...
) – 3:01 - "Forever Ocean Blue" (Cousins) – 3:58
- "Grace DarlingGrace Darling (song)"Grace Darling" is a song by English band Strawbs, featured on their album Ghosts . The track was recorded at in the chapel of the Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey, which the members of the band Genesis had attended in the 1960s, and which Strawbs' producer at the time, Tom Allom, had also...
" (Cousins) – 6:32 - "Afraid to Let You Go" (Rod Demick, Richard HudsonRichard Hudson (musician)Richard Hudson is an English singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:Richard Hudson was a member of Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera, in which he played drums and sitar and sang. In 1970, he and band-mate John Ford joined Strawbs...
, Brian WilloughbyBrian WilloughbyBrian Willoughby is a British guitarist. He has worked with many musicians , as well as releasing solo work.-With other artists:...
) – 3:55 - "Tell Me What You See in Me" (Cousins) – 6:27
- "Ringing Down the Years" (Cousins) – 6:57
- "Stone Cold is the Woman's Heart" (Cousins) – 4:21
- "Taking a Chance" (Demick, Hudson, Willoughby) – 3:57
Personnel
- Dave CousinsDave CousinsDave Cousins has been the leader, singer and most active songwriter of Strawbs since 1967.-Career:...
– lead vocals, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound... - Tony HooperTony HooperTony Hooper is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as a founder-member of Strawbs together with Dave Cousins. He left Strawbs in 1972 after their album Grave New World, when it became obvious that the band was moving further away from its folk roots towards rock and...
– backing vocals, acoustic guitar - Richard HudsonRichard Hudson (musician)Richard Hudson is an English singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:Richard Hudson was a member of Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera, in which he played drums and sitar and sang. In 1970, he and band-mate John Ford joined Strawbs...
– lead vocals (track 9), backing vocals, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, acoustic guitar - Brian WilloughbyBrian WilloughbyBrian Willoughby is a British guitarist. He has worked with many musicians , as well as releasing solo work.-With other artists:...
– electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Chris Parren – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Rod Demick – lead vocals (track 5), backing vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Recording
Recorded at Parkwood Studios, Chalfont St. GilesChalfont St Giles
Chalfont St Giles is a village and civil parish within Chiltern district in south east Buckinghamshire, England, on the edge of the Chilterns, 25 miles from London, and near Seer Green, Jordans, Chalfont St Peter, Little Chalfont and Amersham....
, England, spring 1990
- Stuart Kerrison, Strawbs – producers
- Stuart Kerrison – engineer
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Virgin Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
CDV 3031 | ||
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
Road Goes on Forever | 2 CD set | RGF/WC DCD039 | released together with Don't Say Goodbye Don't Say Goodbye (album) Don't Say Goodbye is a studio album by English band Strawbs.-Side one:#"A Boy and his Dog" – 5:06#"Let it Rain" – 4:55#"We Can Make it Together" – 3:33... |