Copper Family Box Set. A Song For Every Season. 4 LPs.

	£		65
	$		86

This is a highly collectable and rare 4 LP Box Set.

A Song For Every Season, The Singing Tradition of the Copper Family of Rottingdean, Sussex. Leader Records LEAB 404 1971 release, including booklet with lyrics, pictures notations etc.

The Copper Family have a tradition of the unaccompanied singing of traditional local songs that has been passed down through several generations. In 1898, they came to the attention of Kate Lee (d.1904), one of the founders of the Folk Song Society (later the English Folk Dance and Song Society). In his notes accompanying their archive CD Come Write Me Down, Vic Gammon notes that both the collecting of songs and their unaccompanied singing were less common than is often imagined at this time and that Lee, a singer herself, knew she had found something special when she encountered the Coppers.

James 'Brasser' Copper (1845-1924) and his brother Thomas (c.1847-c.1936) were made honorary members of the society, and 'Brasser' was prevailed upon to write down the songs that he knew. 'Brasser' had two sons, John (c.1879-1952) and Jim (1882-1954). In 1936, Jim wrote a further volume of songs. Jim had two children - Joyce (1910-?) and Bob (1915-2004).

In 1950, Jim and Bob were invited to sing on an episode of the BBC Radio programme Country Magazine and, over the next few years, the BBC would record them further, even producing a feature The Life Of James Copper, broadcast in September 1951

John's son was Walter Ronald, known as Ron (c.1913-1979). Together, Jim, John, Ron and Bob sang at the Royal Albert Hall and wider public attention followed the broadcast of a six-part television series Song Hunter, presented by Alan Lomax and featuring Jim, Bob and Ron. Bob wrote several books about the family and its songs, beginning with the widely acclaimed A Song For Every Season in 1971. The accompanying 4 LP set (now a collector's item) found Bob and Ron singing alongside Bob’s daughter Jill and son John, bringing a further generation into the family tradition. (Notes from Wikipedia).

Tracks:

LP 1 - Tater Beer Night (Leader LEA 4046)
Side A
Dame Durden
By the Green Grove
Spencer the Rover
Charming Molly
Sweep Chimney Sweep
Side B
Pleasant Month of May
When Spring Comes In
Spotted Cow
Wop she 'ad it-io
A Week before Easter
Brisk and Lively Lad
LP 2 - Black Ram (Leader LEA 4047)
Side A
Sheepshearing Song
Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy
Claudy Banks
Sweet Lemeney
Corduroy
Side B
Come All Bold Britons
No John No
The Shepherd's Song
Thousands or More
Shepherd of the Downs
As I Walked Out
LP 3 - Hollerin' Pot (Leader LEA 4048)
Side A
Seamen Bold
When Adam Was First Created
A Lawyer Bold
Gentlemen of High Renown
My Love Has Gone
The Battle of Alma
Side B
Warlike Seamen
Brisk and Bonny Lad
Sportsmen Arise
Admiral Benbow
Wind Across the Moor
Oh Good Ale
LP 4 - Turn o' the Year (Leader LEA 4049)
Shepherds Arise
Softly the Night
The Christmas Song
Babes in the Wood
The Dying Soldier
Side B
Brisk Young Ploughboy
Heigh Ho Sing Ivy
Two Young Brethren
The Seasons/Ploughshare
Come Write Me Down

 Condition: Sleeve / Box - EX+, virtually Mint. Discs - All Mint. Booklet - Mint.

I HAVE DESCRIBED THIS RECORD STRICTLY ACCORDING TO RECORD COLLECTOR MAGAZINE GRADING SYSTEMS SO THERE WILL BE NO NASTY SURPRISES FOR THE WINNING BIDDER.

RECORD COLLECTOR GRADING SYSTEM

MINT (M) THE RECORD ITSELF IS IN BRAND NEW CONDITION WITH NO SURFACE MARKS OR DETERIORATION IN SOUND QUALITY. THE COVER AND ANY EXTRA ITEMS SUCH AS THE LYRIC SHEET, BOOKLET OR POSTER ARE IN PERFECT CONDITION. RECORDS ADVERTISED AS SEALED OR UNPLAYED SHOULD BE MINT.

EXCELLENT (EX) THE RECORD SHOWS SOME SIGNS OF HAVING BEEN PLAYED, BUT THERE IS VERY LITTLE LESSENING IN SOUND QUALITY. THE COVER AND PACKAGING MIGHT HAVE SLIGHT WEAR AND/OR CREASING.

VERY GOOD (VG) THE RECORD HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN PLAYED MANY TIMES, BUT DISPLAYS NO MAJOR DETERIORATION IN SOUND QUALITY, DESPITE NOTICEABLE SURFACE MARKS AND THE OCCASIONAL LIGHT SCRATCH. NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON THE COVER OR EXTRA ITEMS, WITHOUT ANY MAJOR DEFECTS, IS ACCEPTABLE.

GOOD (G) THE RECORD HAS BEEN PLAYED SO MUCH THAT THE SOUND QUALITY HAS NOTICEABLY DETERIORATED, PERHAPS WITH SOME DISTORTION AND MILD SCRATCHES. THE COVER AND CONTENTS SUFFER FROM FOLDING, SCUFFING OF EDGES, SPINE SPLITS, DISCOLOURATION, ETC.

FAIR (F) THE RECORD IS STILL JUST PLAYABLE BUT HAS NOT BEEN CARED FOR PROPERLY AND DISPLAYS CONSIDERABLE SURFACE NOISE; IT MAY EVEN JUMP. THE COVER AND CONTENTS WILL BE TORN, STAINED AND / OR DEFACED.

POOR (P) THE RECORD WILL NOT PLAY PROPERLY DUE TO SCRATCHES, BAD SURFACE NOISE ETC. THE COVER AND CONTENTS WILL BE BADLY DAMAGED OR PARTLY MISSING.

THE USE OF PLUS (+) OR MINUS (-) ALLOWS FOR ITEMS THAT FALL BETWEEN THE ABOVE GRADES.