Sir John Alot of Merrie Englandes Musyk Thyng & ye Grene Knyghte

The Arthurian album, with William Byrd and Booker T. Jones side by side, recorded in a real studio for the first time.
John Renbourn, 1968

Released
June 1968
Recorded
1968
Studio
Sound Techniques, Chelsea, London
Label
Transatlantic
Producer
Nathan Joseph

Recorded at Sound Techniques with the engineer John Wood, it mixes a William Byrd piece and his own pieces such as Morgana with Charles Lloyd's Transfusion and Booker T. Jones's Sweet Potato. Renbourn called it half-and-half, following the tentative direction of Another Monday. It was Melody Maker's folk LP of the month, Warner Brothers picked it up, and Windham Hill later reissued it, which he joked conferred full new-age status.

He said it caused ripples among early new-agers and Celtic revivalists, and repeated a story he had heard that it was Willem de Kooning's favorite record. Slipcue called it an intriguing transitional album. Ian Anderson of fRoots preferred Seven Up, Transfusion and Sweet Potato to the mock-Tudor tracks.

Track listing

  1. The Earle of Salisbury1:19
  2. The Trees They Do Grow High3:26
  3. Lady Goes to Church2:50
  4. Morgana7:22
  5. Transfusion1:58
  6. Forty-Eight2:51
  7. My Dear Boy1:15
  8. White Fishes3:46
  9. Sweet Potato3:17
  10. Seven Up3:45

Personnel

More from John Renbourn

Another Monday (1966), The Lady and the Unicorn (1970)

Sources

  1. Sir John Alot of Merrie Englandes Musyk Thyng & ye Grene Knyghte, Discogs
  2. Sir Johnalot, johnrenbourn.co.uk
  3. John Renbourn records, Mainly Norfolk
  4. John Renbourn, Record Collector (2019)