here we are in 2023 and the Silly sisters brought me here. Loved Mady Prior. Yet this is lovely by one silly sister. From across the pond, Canada.

It doesn’t matter what June sings I always feel like crying. There’s so much emotion in that voice she brings every song to life and then hands it over to the listener to absorb. The arrangement and playing is so complimentary

One of my favourite songs,and a class performance from a true musician

Such emotion and soul........love

Tearfully beautiful😢

So very lovely a voice, so very melancholy a song. I love the Maddy Prior duet version, but this is a treat.

Every now and then one finds a gem of a song performed in a faultless, yet totally different manner. This is just such a performance. All seashanty singers know this song well. It's been covered by many folk since Cyril wrote it back in the year dot. I'll add this to my favourites so that when I want to listen to something REALLY special it will be at hand. Thank you for uploading this.

Silly Sisters brought me here. Amazing.

Absolutely beautiful!! Thanks for sharing this. The instruments and voice complement each other perfectly. June Tabor is a gem!

I crossed the Atlantic twice on a troop transport the Simone Bolivar and the U.S.Buckner.The wild unbridled, churning beauty of the sea and every wave that washed over the ships pitching deck was like a love note from a jealous lover, that warned your heart now belongs to me and no other, take warning, young man, take warning.Take care ADonovan43

Great artist and beautiful song, performed so evocatively. Love it!

I`m X Army but had 6 great weeks on HMS Fearless in 1984 as resident band 1st Kings Own scottish borderers

I used to do this song with Cris DeLoach at Earth By April & other folk clubs in Cleveland OH in late 70's I have a recordng I may release of it, beautiful song

i so LOVE june Tabor!!

@ADonovan43 MY father inlaw was in the RAMC and served on troop ships in the Atlantic theatre and the Pacific and the Med too......can't see him feeling like that... Personally I'm very glad that Cyril turned his back on the sea ...if he hadn't he wouldn't have got me listenign to so much great music.... I miss him.

great song great voice

@tubemagpie it was the liberty ship Simone Bolivar April of !963.I returned to the states on the Liberty ship General Buckner in July of 1965.This was the last trip for the liberty ships.In August of 1965 the Army started transporting their troops by air.The Buckner took a three day detour to Rotta Spain on my return trip to pick up a Battalion of Navy sea bees.As I remember there were four or five sea bees had to be carried aboard on stretchers ,they had one hell of a going away party .

Another lovely one...Keep them coming!

Fantastic.. wish i had seen her sing earlier.

Quercus are appearing at Edinburgh Queen's Hall on 24th Oct 2014: June Tabor, Huw Warren and Iain Ballamy

Incredible

Came here after hearing Windborne Singers beautiful cover

Was my sons' favorite lullaby... glad to know the history of it 30 years later! Looking still for On The Banks Of The Green Willow, if anyone knows... ")

@tubemagpie Greetings,.The crossing of the Atlantic on the Simone Bolivar was a rough one.it was late April and we encountered severe weather on the second day at sea..All soldiers were confined below deck.many solders were sea sick.I was able to sneak out onto the deck and I found refuge in a rope locker on the fantail of the ship.As the stern of the ship would lift high out of the water and then slam down as the waves crashed over the deck I felt like a child on his first roller coaster ride

@ADonovan43 Great words, my friend. I'm pleased it struck a personal note. Long live decent, expressive song!

I'll make it to the sea one day.

Beautiful! Do you know when this was recorded?

Out of interest, there was a British shipping Line called Blue Funnel Line.

is this available on dvd ?

mark emerson

@ADonovan43 Simon Bolivar? Liberty ship? Not the one mined off East Coast of England?

Do i love June .... Yes!!..........But who is this mysterious keyboard player. He was, I believe, the same player on her Angel Tiger album....

It's very different isn't it from the album version. I like it but not as much as the "original".

My mate Frank hates dreary folk songs yet rates this recording. I prefer the Maddy Prior/ June Tabor version -see azeyfert comment below- because of the fab harmonies they create. If you want to pick up the alto line theres a fun recording by Onomatopoeia; they are a large group of American girls (Canadians?) and the base line stands out well. It's strange that this seafaring song appeals so strongly to women.

@TheJimbosvideos Dreary? Touching yes...dreary... hardly. As for he jazz...well that saxophone adds an element that takes the song beyond the (too often)parochial world of "Folk"..the fiddle too... Great that the song can inspire others from other genres.

Martin Simpson looks a lot like Hugh Lawrie in this vid.

Eer cool?

The Poxy Boggards version of this is much more beautiful and heartfelt.

I agree this is a dreary version not in the spirit of cyril too much jazz go back to folk

A piano playing a sea song, based on the story of a man far from home living on a naval warship. Think about it. It doesn't make sense. This was written from the point of view of a sailor, alone with his thoughts, missing his loved ones back home. This version by June (much as I love her) is hugely over produced and doesn't capture the essence of the song. Sorry. June has a magnificent voice but this rendition just doesn't hit the spot for me.

I love to listen to the Seekers because of the lead singer, the Raspberries because of the lead singer,4non blondes because of the lead singer........many many more, however, I had never heard of them until I read that article about Robert Plant choices for his favorite singers.......WOW, How did I miss this ⁉️😁🎹🎵🎤🎙️