Sandy Denny & The Strawbs - All Our Own Work (Great Folk UK 1967 + Alot of Bonus)

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Source: Japan 24-Bit Remaster

Sandy Denny and the Strawbs is a compilation album of songs by Sandy Denny and Strawbs. The album is a reworking of tapes recorded by the band in Copenhagen in the July 1967. Tracks from those recordings were first released on the Pickwick budget label in 1973 under the name All Our Own Work. The track listing on this album is slightly different and some of the songs have the original string arrangements that also were recorded in 1967.

All Our Own Work is a studio album by Sandy Denny and the Strawbs. Recorded in 1967, but unreleased until 1973, it contains an early recording of one of Sandy Denny's best known songs "Who Knows Where the Time Goes". Denny later recorded this song as a member of Fairport Convention.

The master tapes have been remastered by Chris Tsangarides and sound fantastic, bringing out elements of the music we've never heard before on either the old Pickwick release in 1973 or the Hannibal release (Sandy And The Strawbs). And there are various demos and outtakes from the period, including two Dave Cousins songs "Indian Summer" and "The Falling Leaves" which have never before seen the light of day, and a version of "Pieces of 79 and 15" with a Cousins lead vocal.

All Our Own Work has always been a favourite of mine - I love the "Mamas And The Papas" style pop harmonies, particularly on "On My Way" and "All I Need Is You". And the version of Sandy's "Who Knows Wherer The Time Goes" (for me, preferably without added strings) is still the best version imaginable IMHO (Fairport fans may differ).

The first thing to say about this re-issue of this first album ever recorded by Sandy & the Strawbs is that the sound quality is superb. Despite having to work only from a two-track master (the original was only three tracks anyway!) Chris Tsangarides has done a brilliant job of remastering the recordings so that they sound totally fresh and vibrant, like you've never heard them before. Dave played me an early version when I was down in Deal in May for the Acoustics show, and I've since had the pleasure of access to an early promo copy of the released album. Parametric EQ has been applied to bring out each of the band's vocals, dealing along the way with some of the harshness of Sandy's voice on the original Pickwick release. And the instruments are much clearer and well defined. It's truly a joy to listen to, making one realise just how good those songs and performances were - what a shame they were not released at the time ....

The set brings together the recordings originally released as All Our Own Work in 1973 as well as versions of those songs with additional strings and instrumentation (Who Knows Where The Time Goes, Stay Awhile With Me, And You Need Me), some (if not all - need to check) of which were released on the Hannibal CD Sandy And The Strawbs. There's both recordings of "Nothing Else Will Do", one with Sandy taking lead vocal instead of Dave, and a take of "Tell Me What You See In Me" with sitar and tablas. And of course there's Sandy's early version of "Two Weeks Last Summer", and Dave singing on "I've Been My Own Worst Friend" and an early "Jimmy Wilson" - all outtakes from those 1967 sessions, rounded off by a frantic banjo instrumental "Strawberry Picking".

The three unreleased demos are of huge interest. Two unreleased Cousins' songs:

"Indian Summer" - a story song with an Eastern feel, relating the story of the family Duval when the daughter falls in love with an Asian guy of different status. Very much of the sixties period in which it was written, showing Cousins dealing early on with challenging themes and situations. Recorded at sessions held at Cecil SHarp House in North London, where Tony Hooper worked for a while (already plundered for the Boxed Set, for which "Not All The Flowers Grow" and "The Happiest Boy In Town" were selected)
"The Falling Leaves" - a very gentle Cousins piece, again from the Cecil Sharp House sessions.

And last but by no means least, a version of "Pieces Of 79 And 15" from those sessions with Dave taking the lead vocal, and an arrangement which also adds an Eastern tinge.

Well worth buying even for those who may have the original vinyl release (bootlegged on CD by a Spanish outfit) or the Hannibal/Joe Boyd CD - the sound quality alone makes this a compulsive purchase for any Strawbs or Sandy fan.

Personnel:
♣ Sandy Denny – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar
♣ Dave Cousins – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar, banjo
♣ Tony Hooper – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar
♣ Ron Chesterman – double bass
♣ Ken Gudmand – drums
♣ Cy Nicklin – sitar
♣ Svend Lundvig - string arrangements

01. "Nothing Else Will Do" (Dave Cousins) – 2:25
02. "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" (Sandy Denny) – 4:09
03. "How Everyone But Sam Was a Hypocrite" (Cousins) – 2:48
04. "Sail Away to the Sea" (Cousins) – 3:23
05. "And You Need Me" (Cousins) – 3:18
06. "Poor Jimmy Wilson" (Cousins) – 2:35
07. "All I Need Is You" (Cousins) – 2:23
08. "Tell Me What You See in Me" (Cousins) – 3:41
09. "I've Been My Own Worst Friend" (Cousins) – 2:42
10. "On My Way" (Cousins) – 3:07
11. "Two Weeks Last Summer" (Cousins) – 2:06
12. "Always on My Mind" (Tony Hooper) – 1:53
13. "Stay while With Me" (Cousins) – 2:24

Bonus Tracks:
14. "Two Weeks Last Summer" (Cousins) (Sandy Denny lead vocal) – 2:18
15. "Nothing Else Will Do" (Cousins) (Sandy Denny lead vocal) – 2:13
16. "Tell Me What You See in Me" (Cousins) (with sitar and percussion) – 3:36
17. "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" (Denny) (original complete recording with string section) – 4:06
18. "Stay Awhile with Me" (Cousins) (original complete recording with string section) – 2:24
19. "And You Need Me" (Cousins) – 3:15
20. "I've Been My Own Worst Friend" (Cousins) – 2:37
21. "Poor Jimmy Wilson" (Cousins) – 2:32
22. "Strawberry Picking" (Cousins, Hooper) – 1:34
23. "Pieces of 79 and 15" (Cousins, Hooper) – 2:18
24. "The Falling Leaves" (Cousins) – 2:30
25. "Indian Summer" (Cousins) – 2:18

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