Bold Sportsmen All

Full performer name: Ewan MacColl/A.L. Lloyd/Roy Harris.
Originally released as BOLD SPORTSMEN ALL on Topic Records in 1958 and
GAMBLERS ET SPORTING BLADES (EP) on Topic Records in 1962.
Personnel: Ewan MacColl, A.L. Lloyd, Roy Harris (vocals); Steve Benbow, Peggy Seeger, Martin Carthy (guitar); Dave Swarbrick, Bobby Campbell (fiddle); John Cole (harmonica); Alf Edwards (concertina).
Personnel: Martin Carthy, Peggy Seeger, Steve Benbow (guitar); Dave Swarbrick, Bob Campbell (fiddle); John Cole (harmonica); Alf Edwards (concertina).
An album compiled from three different sources (a 10" LP, an EP, and three songs about highwaymen), with the selections split fairly evenly between MacColl and Lloyd, with one entry from Roy Harris ("The Saucy Bold Robber," following the version set down by Lloyd). The songs touch on gambling, horse racing, soccer (with old favorite "Football Crazy" here in a variant, "Gaelic Football"), highway robbery, boxing, and pool -- though the last is celebrated in "The Govan Pool-Hall Song," which is as much about the rampant thuggery once practiced in the Govan district of Glasgow. A fairly entertaining collection, though more minor in interest than many Topic releases -- there is still enough of interest to make it worth picking up. ~ Steven McDonald