Halcyon Days (Strawbs album)

The Very Best of the Strawbs: Halcyon Days is a compilation album by English band Strawbs. Although credited to Strawbs it does contain three Hudson Ford tracks and a Dave Cousins solo track (taken from his album Two Weeks Last Summer). The album was released as a 2-CD set in the UK and US. The US release has a slightly different title (The Very Best of Strawbs: Halcyon Days – The A & M Years) and a different track listing.

Halcyon Days
Compilation album by
Released1997 (1997)
Recorded1968 (1968) – 1991 (1991)
GenreProgressive rock
Length148:37
LabelA&M
Strawbs chronology
Strawbs in Concert
(1995)
Halcyon Days
(1997)
Concert Classics
(1999)
Alternative Album Cover
US release cover

Cover

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The cover image is of a common kingfisher, a reference to the mythical kingsfisher of Halcyon days.

Track listing – UK release

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CD one

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  1. "Ghosts" (Dave Cousins) – 8:30
    "Sweet Dreams"
    "Night Light"
    "Guardian Angel"
    "Night Light"
  2. "On Growing Older" (Cousins) – 1:56
  3. "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus" (Cousins) – 3:50
  4. "Stormy Down" (Cousins) – 2:44
  5. "I Turned My Face into the Wind" (Cousins) – 2:35
  6. "Queen of Dreams" (Cousins) – 5:31
  7. "Witchwood" (Cousins) – 3:22
  8. "Keep the Devil Outside" (John Ford) – 3:01
  9. "The Hangman and the Papist" (Cousins) – 4:11
  10. "Benedictus" (Cousins) – 3:38
  11. "Golden Salamander" (Cousins) – 4:54
  12. "Tokyo Rosie" (Cousins) – 2:49
  13. "Hero and Heroine" (Cousins) – 3:22
  14. "Pick up the Pieces" (Richard Hudson, Ford) – 2:35 Hudson Ford track
  15. "Lay Down" (Cousins) – 4:32
  16. "Backside" (Cousins) – 3:50
  17. "Out in the Cold" (Cousins) – 3:19
  18. "Round and Round" (Cousins) – 4:44
  19. "Oh How She Changed" (Cousins, Tony Hooper) – 2:52

In the liner notes, track 16 is referred to as "Ciggy Barlust (Backside)"

CD two

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  1. "The Battle" (Cousins) – 6:25
  2. "Grace Darling" (Cousins) – 3:54
  3. "Blue Angel" (Cousins) – 9:46 Dave Cousins solo track
    "Divided"
    "Half Worlds Apart"
    "At Rest"
  4. "Here It Comes" (Cousins) – 2:42
  5. "The Shepherd's Song" (Cousins) – 4:33
  6. "We'll Meet Again Sometime" (Cousins) – 3:12
  7. "Martin Luther King's Dream" [Live] (Cousins) – 2:53
  8. "Burn Baby Burn" (Hudson, Ford) – 3:02 Hudson Ford track
  9. "Shine on Silver Sun" (Cousins) – 2:46
  10. "Why and Wherefore" (Cousins, Dave Lambert, Chas Cronk, John Hawken, Rod Coombes) – 5:31
  11. "Floating in the Wind" (Hudson, Ford) – 4:13 Hudson Ford track
  12. "Absent Friend" (Cousins) – 4:35
  13. "Part of the Union" (Hudson, Ford) – 2:56
  14. "Will Ye Go" (Francis McPeake) – 3:54
  15. "The River" (Cousins) – 2:23
  16. "Down by the Sea" (Cousins) – 6:19
  17. "Tell Me What You See in Me" (Cousins) – 6:11

Track listing – US release

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CD one

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  1. "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus" (Cousins) – 3:50
  2. "Where Is This Dream of Your Youth" (Cousins)
  3. "The Battle" (Cousins) – 6:25
  4. "The Weary Song" (Cousins) – 3:50
  5. "I Turned My Face into the Wind" (Cousins) – 2:35
  6. "Forever" (Cousins, Hooper) – 3:32
  7. "Song of a Sad Little Girl" (Cousins) – 5:28
  8. "A Glimpse of Heaven" (Cousins) – 3:50
  9. "Witchwood" (Cousins) – 3:22
  10. "Sheep" (Cousins) – 4:14
  11. "The Shepherd's Song" (Cousins) – 4:33
  12. "The Hangman and the Papist" (Cousins) – 4:11
  13. "Benedictus" (Cousins) – 3:38
  14. "Queen of Dreams" (Cousins) – 5:31
  15. "Heavy Disguise" (Ford) – 2:53
  16. "New World" (Cousins) – 4:11
  17. "Two Weeks Last Summer" (Cousins) – 3:07 Dave Cousins solo track
  18. "Blue Angel" (Cousins) – 9:46 Dave Cousins solo track
    "Divided"
    "Half Worlds Apart"
    "At Rest"

CD two

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  1. "Here It Comes" (Cousins) – 2:42
  2. "Part of the Union" (Hudson, Ford) – 2:56
  3. "Tears and Pavan" – 6:35
    "Tears" (Cousins)
    "Pavan" (Cousins, Hudson, Ford)
  4. "The River" (Cousins) – 2:23
  5. "Down by the Sea" (Cousins) – 6:19
  6. "Lay Down" (Cousins) – 4:32
  7. "Autumn" – 8:27
    "Heroine's Theme" (Hawken)
    "Deep Summer Sleep" (Cousins)
    "The Winter Long" (Cousins)
  8. "Hero and Heroine" (Cousins) – 3:22
  9. "Midnight Sun" (Cronk, Cousins) – 3:06
  10. "Out in the Cold" (Cousins) – 3:19
  11. "Round and Round" (Cousins) – 4:44
  12. "Ghosts" (Cousins) – 8:30
    "Sweet Dreams"
    "Night Light"
    "Guardian Angel"
    "Night Light"
  13. "Grace Darling" (Cousins) – 3:54
  14. "Lemon Pie" (Cousins) – 4:03
  15. "To Be Free" (Cousins) – 4:17
  16. "Hanging in the Gallery" (Cousins) – 4:32
  17. "The Promised Land" (Cronk) – 4:07

Personnel

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The songs were performed by several incarnations of Strawbs, plus the Hudson Ford and Dave Cousins session musicians. The following musicians featured: –

Release history

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Region Date Label Format Catalog
United Kingdom 1997 (1997) A&M Records 2-CD set 540,662-2
United States 1998 (1998) A&M Records 2-CD set 31454 0951-2

References

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