Below the Salt
- This article is about the album. For the novel by Thomas B. Costain, see Below the Salt (novel)
| Below The Salt | |||||
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| Studio album by Steeleye Span | |||||
| Released | 1972 | ||||
| Recorded | 1972 | ||||
| Genre | Electric folk | ||||
| Length | mm:ss | ||||
| Label | Chrysalis | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Steeleye Span chronology | |||||
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Below the Salt is a 1972 album by Steeleye Span, and considered by many fans to be one of their best. The album has a slightly medieval theme, most notably in the artwork and title. The album cover shows the band in period costume at a feast, while the title refers to practice in the Middle Ages of having salt (something of a rarity) placed in the center of the table separating the family from the servants, who were situated "below the salt". Some of the music on the album has a medieval motif, but only a few of the songs arguably date back quite so far. The ballad "King Henry" (Child Ballad 32), and the a cappella "Gaudete" are certainly very old, and the lyrics to "Royal Forester" date from 1293. However, while "Gaudete" is performed in an authentic style, electric guitars abound in the performance of "King Henry".
Gaudete became the band's first hit, reaching number 14 on the UK charts. Although the song was very popular, and took the band to Top of the Pops, the engineer who recorded it had a strongly negative reaction to it, and gave the song a very long fade in and out.
By this point, Ashley Hutchings had left the band, leaving Maddy Prior and Tim Hart as the only remaining founding members. The album reached number 43 in the UK album charts.
Track listing
- "Spotted Cow"
- "Rosebud in June"
- "Jigs: The Bride's Favourite/Tansey's Fancy"
- "Sheep-crook and Black Dog"
- "Royal Forester"
- "King Henry"
- "Gaudete"
- "John Barleycorn"
- "Saucy Sailor"
All songs on the album are traditional, adapted by Steeleye Span. The lineup of the band (which changed greatly throughout their career) for this album was:
- Maddy Prior - vocals
- Tim Hart - vocals, dulcimer, guitar
- Peter Knight - violin, viola, mandolin, banjo, piano, vocals
- Rick Kemp - bass, drum, vocals
- Bob Johnson - guitar, vocals
| Steeleye Span |
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| Most productive lineup: Maddy Prior | Peter Knight | Rick Kemp | Tim Hart | Bob Johnson | Nigel Pegrum |
| Current lineup: Maddy Prior | Peter Knight | Rick Kemp | Liam Genockey | Ken Nicol |
| Other: Ashley Hutchings | Martin Carthy | Tim Harries | Terry Woods | Gay Woods | John Kirkpatrick | Chris Staines | Terl Bryant | Michael Gregory (musician) | Mark Williamson (musician) |
| Discography |
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Studio: Hark! The Village Wait (1970) | Please to See the King (1971) | Ten Man Mop, or Mr. Reservoir Butler Rides Again (1972) | Below the Salt (1972) | Parcel of Rogues (1973) | Now We Are Six (1974) | Commoner's Crown (1975) | All Around My Hat (album) (1975) | Rocket Cottage (1976) | Storm Force Ten (1977) | Sails of Silver (1980) | Back in Line (1986) | Tempted and Tried (1989) | Time (1996) | Horkstow Grange (1998) | Bedlam Born (2000) | Present--The Very Best of Steeleye Span (2002) | They Called Her Babylon (2004) | Winter (2004) | Bloody Men (2006) Live Albums: Live at Last (1978) | Tonight's the Night...Live (1992) | (1994) | The Journey (1999) | Folk Rock Pioneers in Concert (2006) Singles: Rave On/ Reels/ Female Drummer (1971) | Jigs and Reels (1972) | John Barleycorn / Bride's Favourite/Tansey's Fancy (1972) | Gaudete / The Holly and The Ivy (1972) | The Mooncoin Jig (1974) | New York Girls/ Two Magicians (1975) | All Around My Hat/ Black Jack Davy (1975) | Rave On/ False Knight On The Road (1976) | Hard Times of England/ Cadgwith Anthem (1976) | London/ Sligo Maid (1976) | Fighting For Strangers/ The Mooncoin Jig (1976) | The Boar's Head Carol/ Gaudete / Some Rival (1977) | Rag Doll/ Saucy Sailor (1978) | Sails of Silver/ Senior Service (1980) | Gone To America/ Let Her Go Down (1981) | Somewhere In London/ Lanercost (1985) | Padstow / First House in Connaught/ Sailor's Bonnet (1989) | Following Me/ Two Butchers (1989) | The Fox/ Jack Hall (1990) DVDs: Classic Rock Legends (2002) | A Twentieth Anniversary Celebration (2003) | The 35th Anniversary World Tour 2004 (2005) | |
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