Sweet England, the long unavailable 1958 debut by the grande dame of English folk Shirley Collins, conjures a simpler world, where children learned Cecil Sharp’s Folk Songs For Schools in assembly.
Yes, there’s a whiff of Kenneth Williams’ folk singer character Sid Rumpo in the hey nonny vocaleese, and Shirley herself writes “as I matured, the lighter banal songs disappeared from my repertoire”, but she is unnecessarily critical of her “youthful and naïve singing”.
The austere and emotionally direct simplicity of her version of The Cherry Tree Carol cuts to the mystic essence of faith and myth, immolating all rational thought.
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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A D Ward, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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World Without End, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Idrie, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Brighton Argus
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube