Whenever Topic trawls its archive for new Voice Of The People compilations, the aural artifacts they dredge seem ever more distant, ever more valuable. Taped in the ‘50s and ‘60s, these unaccompanied gypsy singers, their distinctive sound the musical manifestation of a lifestyle that today appears unsustainable, are moving, vivid and often quietly disconcerting.
Seven year old Sheila Smith, singing Dear Father, Pray Build Me A Boat at a roadside encampment of barrel top wagons in Sussex in 1952, is the hallucinatory highlight of the folk singer Shirley Collins’ two disc selection.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Brighton Argus
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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World Without End, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Bosco239, youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Hiewy, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
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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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Joe, Independent.co.uk