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Stray Hens Debut

by Stray Hens

supported by
Dave W
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Dave W This is a great album, bought after hearing My Man John in a Dixons store, and love it. Favorite track: My Man John.
Ian Raymond
Ian Raymond thumbnail
Ian Raymond world you gotta have a listen. Favorite track: Move Along Song.
/
  • Streaming + Download

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    A beautifully arranged album, recorded live by Emulsion Productions in East Brunswick.
    All tracks taken from the Traditional English catalogues, except the Moving on Song, by Ewan McColl. Gorgeous womens harmonies driven and supported by mellow and perfectly produced bass and drums. An incredibly traditional and honest sound, with clear accessibility and fluency with the newer performers of the UK and Australian folk scene.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Stray Hens Debut via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 9 days
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  • T-Shirt/Apparel + Digital Album

    Tshirts are limited now.

    Please add a comment to your order to select/request a colour. If we have run out of your colour we'll let you know and work something out.

    Colours range:
    Men- 1 Medium left, and 2x Smalls left. All Brown
    Ladies- Small brown x 1 - Large Red x 1, Small Green x 1
    Youth Medium, Brown x 1


    Designed by the multitalented, award-winning Rowena Wise (Folk Alliance Award 2014), and modelled by herself and our Richard Grace (Double Bass), our Tshirts are comfortable, and gorgeous, provided by the very ethical Big Tree Tshirts in Castlemaine!

    Includes unlimited streaming of Stray Hens Debut via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 11 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $25 AUD or more 

     

1.
My Man John 03:38
My Man John is tall and slim, and he had a leg for every limb. But now he's got no legs at all, He ran a race with a canon ball He ran a race with a canon ball. Were you deaf or were you blind when you left your two fine leg behind Or was it sailing on the sea, when you lost your leg right down to the knee Was it sailing on the sea? I was not deaf and I was not blind when I left my two fine legs behind Nor was it sailing on the sea when I lost my legs right down to the knee Wasn't sailing on the sea My man John was tall and slim and he had a leg for every limb But now he's got no leg at all, he ran a race with a canon ball He ran a race with a canon ball....
2.
Byker Hill 02:59
3.
Sovay 03:09
Sovay, Sovay all on a day, She dressed herself in man's array With a sword and pistol all by her side To meet her true love, to meet her true love, away did ride. As she was riding over the plain She met her true love and bid him stand: “Your gold and silver, kind Sir,” she said, “Or else this moment, or else this moment, your life I'll have.” And when she'd robbed him of his store She said, “Kind Sir, there is one thing more: A golden ring which I know you have, Deliver it, deliver it, your sweet life to save.” “Oh that golden ring a token is; My life I'll lose, the ring I'll save.” Being tender-hearted just like a dove, She rode away, she rode away, from her true love. Now next morning in the garden green Just like true lovers* they were seen; He spied his watch hanging by her clothes Which made him blush, made him blush, like any rose. “Oh what makes you blush at so silly a thing, I thought to have had your golden ring; 'Twas I that robbed you all on the plain, So here's your watch, here's your watch and your gold again.” “Oh I did intend and it was to know If that you were me true love or no. So now I have a contented mind My heart and all my heart and all my dear is thine.” *MC pronounces it loviers or lovyers.
4.
Lord Bateman 03:58
Lord Bateman was a Noble Lord, a Noble Lord of High Degree He shipped himself on oard a sailing ship, some foreign country he would go see He Sailed East and He Sailed west, Until he came to Proud Turkey where he was taken and put in prison, until his life grew quite weary Now the Turk he had one only daughter, the fairest maiden your eyes have seen She stole the keys to her fathers prison, she swore lord bateman she would set free Have you houses, have you lands, does Northmberland belong to thee what would you give to a fair young lady if out of prison she'd set you free Seven years were up and past, from her mind she had not been free She's packed up all of her gay young clothing, She swore lord bateman she would go see "Oh Is this here Lord Bateman's castle, Is Lord Bateman here within?" "Oh Yes oh Yes" cried the proud young porter, "He's just now home, he is within", Lord Bateman in a passion flew, He's broke his sword in splinter three He's sworn up all of his father's portion, if Bold Sofia has crossed the sea. Lord Bateman in a passion flew, He's broke his sword in splinter three He's sworn up all of his father's portion, if Bold Sofia has crossed the sea. Lord Bateman in a passion flew, He's broke his sword in splinter three He's sworn up all of his father's portion, if Bold Sofia has crossed the sea.
5.
Here's the tender coming, pressing all the men; Oh dear hinny, what shall we do then? Here's the tender coming, off at Shield's Bar, Here's the tender coming, full of men of war. Hide thee, canny Geordie, hide thyself away; Hide thee till the tender makes for Druridge Bay. If they take thee, Geordie, who's to win our bread? Me and little Jackie better off be dead. Here's the tender coming, stealing off my dear; Oh dear hinny, they'll ship you out of here. They will ship you foreign, that is what it means; Here's the tender coming, full of red marines. Hey, bonny lassie. let's go to the Lawe, See the tender lying, off at Shield's Bar, With her colours flying, anchor at her bow. They took my bonny laddie, best of all the crew. http://mainlynorfolk.info/frankie.armstrong/songs/heresthetendercoming.html
6.
Born in the middle of an afternoon In a horse-drawn wagon on the old A5 The big twelve wheeler shook my bed You can't stop here the policeman said You better get born someplace else So move along, get along, move along, get along, Go, move, shift Born in a wagon on a building site Where the ground was rutted by the trailer's wheels The local people said to me, You'll lower the price of property Born at the back of a blackthorn hedge When the white hoarfrost lay all around No wise men came bearing gifts Instead the order came to shift Wagon, tent, or trailer born Last week, last year, or in far off days Born here or a thousand miles away There's always men nearby who'll say
7.
Katie Cruel 03:00

about

A five piece band arranging new sounds for old UK ballads Mixed with original songs, sets are powered by dual fiddle, drum, bass, 3 Part harmony. Stray Hens are driven by their own arrangements of the ballads, mixed with original songs.

credits

released May 4, 2014

Recorded by Emulsion Productions, Live at the Henhouse.
Mixed and Mastered by Ryan Tews
Artwork by Rowena Wise
Printing by Global Media Productions / AA Duplication

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about

Stray Hens Melbourne, Australia

Three stunning frontwomen, on fiddles, vocal and guitar, backed by drums & double bass. No one in Australia is arranging folk revival songs with such passion. Complex harmonies, jazz & old-timey inspired rythms, & anceint anglo ballads create a theatrical show.
Formed in March 2013, & already booked for some of the country's Premier festivals, their debut EP has us anticipating the full album!
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