Having recently seen Lucy Ward at Headon cum Upton village hall I thought it a good time to list my top twenty favourite folk tracks. Also it will not be long until The Gate to Southwell Folk Festival. So here they are in reverse order..........

20. The Full English - Man in the Moon

19. Jess Morgan - Freckles in the sun

18. Christy Moore - Morecambe Bay

17. Lucy Ward & Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band - Lion

16. Richard & Linda Thompson - Wall of death

15. Anne Briggs - Blackwaterside

14. Oysterband - Bright morning star

13. Jackie Leven - Some ancient misty morning

12. Trees - Lady Margaret

11. Eric Bogle - No man's land

10. Richard Thompson - Vincent Black Lightning

09. Martin Simpson - Sir Patrick Spens

08. Loudon Wainwright III - Human cannonball

07. Donovan - Goldwatch Blues

06. Oysterband - The shouting end of life

05. Martin Simpson - Never any good

04. Little Johnny England - Welcome to the Sparrow Club

03. Lucy Ward - Alice in the bacon box

02. Fairport Convention - Matty Groves

01. Eric Bogle - The band played Waltzing Matilda 


So there it is, though maybe tomorrow it will be different as I listen to more tracks and hear new ones for the first time. I could easily have chosen many more songs by Eric Bogle, Martin Simpson or indeed anyone on the list. Maybe another time.