Strawbs -

The Strawbs were an English folk-rock band from Strawberry Hill, London, that released eight studio albums and a live disc on A&M between 1969 and 1975, followed by a pair of albums on Oyster/Polydor in 1976/77 and a final release on Arista in 1978. The band was founded in 1967 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Cousins and initially featured future Fairport/Fotheringay singer Sandy Denny, briefly replaced by eventual Curved Air frontwoman Sonja Kristina.

The former Velvet Opera rhythm section of bassist John Ford and drummer Richard Hudson joined the Strawbs for 1970’s Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios and stayed for the following three studio albums; they subsequently recorded as the pop-duo Hudson–Ford. Other members of note who passed through recorded Strawbs lineups include keyboardists Rick Wakeman (Yes) and John Hawken (Renaissance, Illusion). Ex-Fire guitarist Dave Lambert joined the band after appearing on Cousins’ 1972 solo album Two Weeks Last Summer. In 1977, Cousins participated in the Passport Records all-star project Intergalactic Touring Band, delivering full-throated vocals on the ballad “Heartbreaker.”

Members: Dave Cousins (vocals, guitar, banjo, 1967-80), Tony Hooper (guitar, vocals, 1967-72), Ron Chesterman [Nobby] (bass, double bass, 1967-70), Sandy Denny (vocals, guitar, 1967-68), Sonja Kristina (vocals, 1968), Clare Deniz (cello, 1969), Lindsay Cooper (cello, double bass, 1970), Rick Wakeman (keyboards, 1970-71), John Ford (bass, vocals, 1970-73), Richard Hudson (percussion, drums, vocals, 1970-73), Blue Weaver (keyboards, 1971-73), Dave Lambert (vocals, guitar, 1972-78), Chas Cronk (bass, guitar, vocals, 1973-80), Rod Coombes (drums, vocals, 1973-77), John Hawken (keyboards, 1973-75), Tony Fernandez (drums, 1977-80), Andy Richards (keyboards, 1977-80)

Background

The Strawbs stemmed from bluegrass trio the Strawberry Hill Boys, formed in 1964 by guitarist/singer Tony Hooper and singer/guitarist Dave Cousins, who also played banjo and dulcimer. Later that year, Ron Chesterman joined on double bass. They shortened their name to the Strawbs just prior to a June 1967 concert where they wanted to display their name on the stage.

The Strawbs became a four-piece with aspiring folk singer Sandy Denny, who recently appeared on the multi-vocalist project Alex Campbell and His Friends and the split-record Sandy and Johnny, both released in 1967 on Saga Eros. Setting fort in Denmark, the Strawbs recorded their debut album in Copenhagen that July. However, the band were unable to secure a record deal and the album remained vaulted until 1973 when it was issued on Hallmark/Pickwick as All Our Own Work, credited to Sandy Denny and the Strawbs.

The 12-song album features all originals, including eight by Cousins, two by Hooper, and one (“Wild Strawberries”) co-credited between the two. Denny contributed “Who Knows Where the Time Goes,” which she later recut with Fairport Convention (Unhalfbricking, 1969). However, the song was first released by American folk singer Judy Collins, who heard the original demo and recorded it as the title-track to her 1968 album Who Knows Where the Time Goes. It has since been covered by Nana Mouskouri, Barbara Dickson, 10,000 Maniacs, and numerous other artists.

Denny left the Strawbs in early 1968 to join Fairport Convention. Another aspiring folk singer, Sonja Kristina, briefly took her place but the Strawbs were back down to a trio when they signed to Herb Alpert’s A&M Records that year, becoming the first UK act on the label. (Kristina surfaced in 1970 as the frontwoman of Curved Air.)

On June 21, 1968, the Strawbs released “Oh, How She Changed,” their debut single.

Strawbs

The Strawbs released their debut album, Strawbs, in May 1969 on A&M.

The album introduced the London trio’s early progressive folk sound, built on acoustic interplay and choral harmonies with ornate orchestration and chamber-style arrangements. The sessions mark the group’s transition from their bluegrass origins to a self-contained folk-rock unit centered on the writing partnership of guitarist–vocalist Dave Cousins and guitarist–vocalist Tony Hooper, supported by double bassist Ron Chesterman. Guests include Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones and Rolling Stones keyboardist Nicky Hopkins.

Cousins wrote six of the eleven songs and co-wrote four with Hooper. They reworked earlier material from the unissued 1967 Sandy Denny collaboration and added new compositions that reflected Cousins’s growing narrative and conceptual focus. The album contains one song banned by the BBC (“The Man Who Called Himself Jesus”) and includes early examples of Mellotron and orchestral integration in a folk setting.

The opening track, “The Man Who Called Himself Jesus,” recounts an encounter with a modern-day Christ figure, its lyrics inspired by a real incident in Copenhagen. “Pieces of 79 and 15” features uncredited Mellotron passages and dual vocal harmonies, while “Tell Me What You See in Me” employs modal drones and an Arab string section arranged by Tony Visconti. “Where Is This Dream of Your Youth” hints at the band’s coming progressive direction with Hopkins’s piano and Jones’s hypnotic bass. The closer, “The Battle,” unfolds as an 11-verse medieval allegory with organ and martial percussion, signaling the epic form Cousins would refine on later works.

A1. “The Man Who Called Himself Jesus” (3:53) — Narrative of a self-proclaimed messiah rejected by modern society; banned from BBC broadcast.
A2. “That Which Once Was Mine” (2:49)
A3. “All the Little Ladies” (2:18)
A4. “Pieces of 79 and 15” (3:00) — Contains early Mellotron use in their catalog.
A5. “Tell Me What You See in Me” (5:01) — Adapted from the 1967 Sandy and the Strawbs sessions with newly recorded instrumentation and Middle Eastern strings by Norati and his Arab Friends.
A6. “Oh How She Changed” (2:54) — Debut A-side from 1968.

B1. “Or Am I Dreaming?” (2:25) — Orchestral arrangement with a bright, Simon & Garfunkel-like tone.
B2. “Where Is This Dream of Your Youth” (3:06)
B3. “Poor Jimmy Wilson” (2:37)
B4. “Where Am I? / I’ll Show You Where to Sleep” (3:27)
B5. “The Battle” (6:34) — Medieval narrative scored with organ, timpani, and layered vocals.

Sessions occurred at London’s Sound Techniques Studio with producer and engineer Gus Dudgeon. Tony Visconti handled string and woodwind arrangements.

A&M issued two singles in advance: “Oh How She Changed” (b/w “Or Am I Dreaming?”) and “The Man Who Called Himself Jesus” (b/w “Poor Jimmy Wilson”).

Strawbs established the group’s distinct fusion of British folk traditions with emerging symphonic and narrative ambitions, foreshadowing their progressive-era breakthrough on Dragonfly and Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios.

Dragonfly

The Strawbs released their second album, Dragonfly, in February 1970 on A&M.

The album continues Strawbs’ transition from acoustic folk into progressive territory, introducing cellist Claire Deniz and featuring an early guest spot by pianist Rick Wakeman. The material retains a pastoral, English-folk setting enriched by cello, recorder, and dulcimer textures, while its closing suite foreshadows the band’s move toward elaborate, narrative songcraft.

Guitarist–vocalist Dave Cousins wrote seven of the nine tracks and co-wrote one with guitarist–vocalist Tony Hooper, who also contributed a solo composition. Wakeman plays piano on the epic “The Vision of the Lady of the Lake,” his first collaboration with the band before joining full-time. Producer Tony Visconti contributes recorder parts and light percussion, shaping the album’s chamber-folk atmosphere.

Much of Dragonfly centers on acoustic interplay, vocal layering, and story-based lyrics. “The Weary Song” opens with cello undertones and a resigned tone; the title track merges dulcimer and recorder around modal phrasing; “I Turned My Face Into the Wind” paints a windswept English landscape in piano and cello; and “Josephine for Better or for Worse” evokes a tragic domestic scene. “Another Day” and “’Til the Sun Comes Shining Through” lighten the mood with brighter cadences and two-part vocal blends, while “Young Again” reflects nostalgic innocence through recorder and toy piano. The eleven-minute “The Vision of the Lady of the Lake” recounts an Arthurian struggle between a boatman and mystical forces, building from a soft acoustic prelude to a climactic, drum-backed sequence with layered guitar and piano.

A1. “The Weary Song” (3:50) — Downcast acoustic opener framed by cello undertones.
A2. “Dragonfly” (5:34) — Dulcimer and recorder weave around a modal folk melody.
A3. “I Turned My Face Into the Wind” (2:42) — Piano and cello-based piece inspired by a Yorkshire landscape.
A4. “Josephine for Better or for Worse” (3:17) — Intimate acoustic reflection on marriage and endurance.
A5. “Another Day” (3:16) — Upbeat folk cadence with dual harmonies and light hand percussion.

B1. “’Til the Sun Comes Shining Through” (3:34) — Two guitars interlace under soft vocal harmony.
B2. “Young Again” (2:51) — Hooper composition featuring recorder and toy piano.
B3. “The Vision of the Lady of the Lake” (10:44) — Arthurian narrative with Wakeman piano, Paul Brett’s electric guitar, and Bjarne Rostvold on drums.
B4. “Close Your Eyes” (0:56) — Solo acoustic coda by Cousins.

Sessions occurred at Ivar Rosenberg Lydteknik in Copenhagen with additional work at Morgan Studios, London. Tony Visconti produced and mixed the album with engineer Roger Quested at Trident Studios.

A&M promoted Dragonfly with the stand-alone single “Forever” (b/w “Another Day”), recorded at Trident in mid-1969.

The album cover features artwork by illustrator Roger Saunders, whose dragonfly motif reflects the album’s rustic and mythic imagery.

Dragonfly marks the last Strawbs recording with founding bassist Ron Chesterman and the first appearance of future member Rick Wakeman, bridging their acoustic folk era with the expanded lineup and symphonic approach of Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios.

“Forever”

In July 1970, the Strawbs released the standalone single “Forever.” “Forever”

“Forever” exemplifies the band’s progressive folk period, combining acoustic textures with organ and cello flourishes. Lead vocals and acoustic guitar come from Dave Cousins, supported by Tony Hooper on backing vocals, acoustic guitar, and percussion. Double bassist Ron Chesterman, organist Rick Wakeman, cellist Claire Deniz, and drummer Bjarne Rostvold complete the ensemble.

Dave Cousins and Tony Hooper co-wrote “Forever,” while the B-side “Another Day” originates from the Dragonfly album.

Musically, “Forever” layers gentle acoustic strumming with punctuated organ lines and cello, emphasizing contemplative lyricism. “Another Day” provides a complementary soft folk texture, featuring Cousins’ vocals and subtle instrumental backing.

A. “Forever” (3:32)

Sessions occurred under producer Tony Visconti at A&M Studios with engineer Roger Quested.

The Italian release paired “Forever” with “Fingertips” from Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios.

Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios

The Strawbs released their third album, Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios, on July 11, 1970, on A&M.

The album documents Strawbs’ concert that night at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, and marks the group’s first recording with bassist John Ford, drummer Richard Hudson, and keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who became a full-time member after guesting on Dragonfly. Their arrival transformed Strawbs from an acoustic folk outfit into a fully arranged art-folk ensemble with growing progressive ambitions.

Singer–guitarist Dave Cousins wrote six of the album’s seven selections. Keyboardist Rick Wakeman contributes the solo piece “Temperament of Mind,” a showcase for his classical and jazz technique. The closing number, “Where Is This Dream of Your Youth,” first appeared on Strawbs’ self-titled debut but reemerges here in an extended, electric arrangement.

The concert opens with “Martin Luther King’s Dream,” a reflective folk hymn inspired by King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. “The Antique Suite” spans four connected songs (“The Reaper,” “We Must Cross the River,” “Antiques and Curios,” and “Hey, It’s Been a Long Time”) that blend dulcimer, mandolin, and harpsichord in a medieval setting. Wakeman’s “Temperament of Mind” closes the first side with a five-minute piano improvisation quoting Bach and ragtime idioms. The second side moves between quiet and intense moods: “Fingertips” builds from acoustic reflection to a sitar-driven coda; “Song of a Sad Little Girl” pairs acoustic guitar and piano in a bittersweet ballad; and “Where Is This Dream of Your Youth” ends the set with a rapid Hammond organ solo that drew critical attention to Wakeman’s skill.

A1. “Martin Luther King’s Dream” (2:53) — Inspired by King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” address; later performed at a memorial rally requested by Coretta King.
A2. “The Antique Suite” (12:12) — Four linked songs joined as a continuous medley blending dulcimer, mandolin, and harpsichord textures.
A3. “Temperament of Mind” (4:50) — Solo piano improvisation by Rick Wakeman that merges baroque, jazz, and ragtime phrasing.

B1. “Fingertips” (6:14) — Eastern-tinged piece with sitar by Richard Hudson and extended instrumental close.
B2. “Song of a Sad Little Girl” (5:28) — Gentle ballad with interplay between acoustic guitar and piano.
B3. “Where Is This Dream of Your Youth” (9:07) — Electric remake of their 1969 debut track featuring a long Hammond organ solo.

Sessions occurred live at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, on July 11, 1970, with producer Tony Visconti and recording engineer Bob Auger. Visconti mixed the tapes at Trident Studios.

A&M later issued a remastered CD that adds the live “The Vision of the Lady of the Lake,” “We’ll Meet Again Sometime,” and the studio single “Forever.”

Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios reached No. 27 on the UK Albums Chart and became Strawbs’ first international release, introducing the band’s developing fusion of British folk and progressive rock. The performance established Wakeman as one of Britain’s most promising keyboardists, a reputation that soon led to his recruitment by Yes.

From the Witchwood

The Strawbs released their fourth album, From the Witchwood, in July 1971 on A&M.

The album bridges Strawbs’ transition from their acoustic folk roots to a denser, more orchestrated sound that foreshadowed their 1972 breakthrough Grave New World. It marks keyboardist Rick Wakeman’s final appearance as a full-time member, his organ, Mellotron, and Moog adding vivid color to the group’s pastoral framework.

Frontman Dave Cousins wrote six of the album’s ten songs, while bassist John Ford contributed “Thirty Days” and drummer Richard Hudson supplied two “Flight” and “Canon Dale.” Cousins’ songs explore themes of faith, nature, and conscience, notably on “The Hangman and the Papist,” which dramatizes the moral conflict of a man ordered to execute his own brother.

From the Witchwood alternates between sacred imagery and rustic introspection. “A Glimpse of Heaven” opens with church-like organ and choral vocals, setting a hymnal tone. “Witchwood” evokes rural mysticism through dulcimer and banjo. Ford’s “Thirty Days” and Hudson’s “Flight” reveal a lighter, Beatlesque influence, with sitar and layered harmonies. The narrative tension peaks on “The Hangman and the Papist,” where Wakeman’s surging organ drives Cousins’ anguished vocal. Side two expands the soundscape: “Sheep” introduces a darker, rock-oriented pulse, “Canon Dale” returns to Indian textures, and “The Shepherd’s Song” blends Moog accents with pastoral folk strains. “In Amongst the Roses” offers a serene acoustic interlude, while the closing “I’ll Carry On Beside You” resolves the sequence with a communal, hymn-like cadence.

A1. “A Glimpse of Heaven” (3:50)
A2. “Witchwood” (3:23)
A3. “Thirty Days” (2:52)
A4. “Flight” (4:24)
A5. “The Hangman and the Papist” (4:11)

B1. “Sheep” (4:14)
B2. “Canon Dale” (3:46)
B3. “The Shepherd’s Song” (4:34)
B4. “In Amongst the Roses” (3:48)
B5. “I’ll Carry On Beside You” (3:09)

Sessions took place between February and March 1971 at AIR Studios in London with producer Tony Visconti and engineer Bill Price.

From the Witchwood features cover art adapted from The Vision of St. Jerome, a tapestry from the Spanish royal collection.

A&M issued “Witchwood” as a maxi-single with two exclusive b-sides: “Keep the Devil Outside” a Ford-penned sessions outtake and “We’ll Meet Again Sometime,” a 1969 Cousins recording. “Keep the Devil Outside” later appeared as a Japanese a-side. Cousins re-recorded “We’ll Meet Again Sometime” for his 1972 solo album.

From the Witchwood reached No. 39 on the UK Albums Chart. Wakeman departed soon afterward to join Yes, while Strawbs carried the progressive momentum of From the Witchwood into their next phase.

Grave New World

The Strawbs released their fifth album, Grave New World, in February 1972 on A&M.

The album marked the Strawbs’ full move from folk roots into symphonic progressive rock. Its twelve songs form a conceptual sequence tracing the stages of a man’s life from birth to death. Weaver’s keyboards — organ, piano, mellotron, harmonium, and clavioline — expanded the group’s sound into grander dimensions, blending with Dave Cousins’ 12-string guitar and the vocal interplay of Tony Hooper, John Ford, and Richard Hudson.

Cousins wrote eight of the twelve tracks, including the opening “Benedictus,” derived from a passage in the I Ching that he consulted following Wakeman’s departure. Ford contributed “Heavy Disguise,” sung by himself, and Hudson supplied “Is It Today, Lord?” Hooper wrote the brief interlude “Ah Me, Ah My,” while the full band shares credit on “Tomorrow.”

“Benedictus” opens with devotional harmonies over fuzz-treated dulcimer and organ; its lyric invokes blessing amid adversity. “Queen of Dreams” employs reversed tape effects and sitar inflections for a psychedelic atmosphere. Ford’s “Heavy Disguise” layers brass arrangement by Robert Kirby under a brisk folk rhythm. “New World” rises on mellotron and 12-string guitar, expressing anguish over conflict in Northern Ireland. The alternating “Hey Little Man” fragments frame acoustic counsel from father to son, while “The Flower and the Young Man” reflects on aging and seasonal change. “Tomorrow,” driven by organ and aggressive rhythm, channels Cousins’ anger over Wakeman’s exit. “On Growing Older” and “Ah Me, Ah My” revisit the band’s lighter folk side, while Hudson’s “Is It Today, Lord?” introduces Indian elements with sitar and tablas before “The Journey’s End” closes the cycle in subdued piano tones.

A1. “Benedictus” (4:24)
A2. “Hey Little Man … Thursday’s Child” (1:06)
A3. “Queen of Dreams” (5:32)
A4. “Heavy Disguise” (2:53)
A5. “New World” (4:11)
A6. “Hey Little Man … Wednesday’s Child” (1:06)

B1. “The Flower and the Young Man” (4:17)
B2. “Tomorrow” (4:49)
B3. “On Growing Older” (1:56)
B4. “Ah Me, Ah My” (1:24)
B5. “Is It Today, Lord?” (3:07)
B6. “The Journey’s End” (1:46)

Sessions occurred in November 1971 at Morgan Studios, London, with additional work at Island and Lansdowne Studios. Production was handled collectively by the Strawbs, with Tony Visconti producing “Benedictus” and Gus Dudgeon producing “Ah Me, Ah My.” Tom Allom engineered at Morgan with assistance from Martin Levan.

Grave New World features cover art adapted from William Blake’s Glad Day, enclosed in a fold-out sleeve and lyric booklet illustrated with song imagery.

A&M issued “Benedictus” as the lead single (b/w “Keep the Devil Outside”), which reached No. 11 on the UK Albums Chart and remains one of the group’s most recognized songs.

“Here It Comes”

In April 1972, Strawbs released “Here It Comes,” a standalone Cousins original backed with the Grave New World track “Tomorrow.”

“Here It Comes” blends progressive folk and rock elements with pop-oriented phrasing, highlighted by a driving Bo Diddley–style rhythm, organ textures, and layered guitars. Lead vocals and acoustic guitar come from Dave Cousins, supported by Tony Hooper on backing vocals, acoustic guitar, and percussion, John Ford on backing vocals and bass, Richard Hudson on backing vocals, drums, and percussion, and Blue Weaver on keyboards.

Musically, “Here It Comes” combines rhythmic propulsion with warm organ swells and angular guitar lines, producing a dynamic, tight-paced track. “Tomorrow” offers reflective passages, balancing acoustic textures with progressive keyboard flourishes.

A. “Here It Comes” (2:42) — emphasizes rhythmic drive and organ interplay with lyrics anticipating change.
B. “Tomorrow” (from Grave New World) — Cousins’ response to Rick Wakeman’s departure, featuring layered band arrangements.

Sessions occurred at Morgan Studios in Willesden, London, with Strawbs producing.

Arista promoted “Here It Comes” (b/w “Tomorrow”) as a single. The track later appeared on the compilations Strawbs by Choice (1974) and Halcyon Days (1997).

Dave Cousins — Two Weeks Last Summer

In October 1972, Dave Cousins made his solo debut with Two Weeks Last Summer, released on A&M.

Two Weeks Last Summer explores folk-rock and singer-songwriter textures, blending acoustic storytelling with electric accents and occasional septet arrangements. Cousins leads on vocals, guitars, and piano, with backing from guitarist Dave Lambert (guitars, backing vocals), lead/slide guitarist Miller Anderson, drummer Jon Hiseman, bassist Roger Glover, keyboardists Tom Allom (organ, backing vocals) and Rick Wakeman (organ, piano), and The Robert Kirby Wind Septet.

Cousins wrote all songs, crafting the album around ten original compositions. The track “Going Home” features contributions from an early Strawbs lineup, with Cousins substituting his vocals over previously recorded material by Dave Lambert.

The album moves between reflective, narrative ballads and expansive, multi-instrument arrangements. “Blue Angel” stretches into extended instrumental sections, while “Two Weeks Last Summer” and “October to May” present concise, lyrical explorations. Tracks like “The Actor” and “Ways and Means” layer piano and guitar over precise rhythmic structures, and “We’ll Meet Again Sometime” concludes with contemplative phrasing.

A1. “Two Weeks Last Summer” (3:07)
A2. “October to May” (2:27)
A3. “Blue Angel” (9:48)
— a. “Divided”
— b. “Half Worlds Apart”
— c. “At Rest”
A4. “That’s the Way It Ends” (3:00) — includes “The World” (1:45)

B1. “The Actor” (4:28)
B2. “When You Were a Child” (3:02)
B3. “Ways and Means” (4:22)
B4. “We’ll Meet Again Sometime” (4:48) first recorded in 1969 and released as a 1971 Strawbs b-side.
B5. “Going Home” (3:24) — recorded with Lampoon (Cousins replacing Lambert’s vocals), likely featuring Blue Weaver, John Ford, and Richard Hudson

Sessions occurred at The Manor, Kidlington, Oxford, in June 1972 with producers Dave Cousins and Tom Allom, and engineering by Allom.

A&M promoted Two Weeks Last Summer with the single “Going Home” (b/w “Ways and Means”).

Bursting at the Seams

The Strawbs released their sixth album, Bursting at the Seams, in January 1973 on A&M.

The album marked a major turning point for Strawbs, introducing guitarist Dave Lambert in place of Tony Hooper and yielding the band’s biggest UK hits. The material ranges from ornate folk-rock and baroque balladry to concise rockers that broadened their audience while maintaining the introspective tone of leader Dave Cousins’ writing.

Cousins wrote five songs, including “Flying,” “Stormy Down,” and the two-part “Tears and Pavan.” Bassist John Ford and drummer Richard Hudson co-wrote three numbers, including the chart-topping “Part of the Union,” while keyboardist Blue Weaver co-wrote “Thank You.” Lambert contributed his own piece, “The Winter and the Summer.”

“Flying” opens with acoustic and banjo figures over Mellotron washes, expressing renewal after hardship. “Lady Fuschia,” one of two Hudson–Ford songs, presents a soft pastoral tone with sitar and close harmonies. “Stormy Down” takes a brisk country pace, while “Down by the Sea” builds from quiet reflection to orchestral intensity, closing side one as one of the band’s most ambitious productions. Side two alternates between the populist “Part of the Union,” the multipart “Tears and Pavan” (combining lament and medieval dance motifs), Lambert’s reflective “The Winter and the Summer,” Cousins’ psalm-based “Lay Down,” and Weaver’s closing “Thank You,” sung with a children’s chorus.

A1. “Flying” (4:49)
A2. “Lady Fuschia” (3:59)
A3. “Stormy Down” (2:45)
A4. “Down by the Sea” (6:17)
A5. “The River” (2:21)

B1. “Part of the Union” (2:54)
B2. “Tears and Pavan” (6:35)
“Tears” (Cousins) / “Pavan” (Cousins, Hudson, Ford)
B3. “The Winter and the Summer” (4:07)
B4. “Lay Down” (4:31)
B5. “Thank You” (2:11)

Sessions took place between October and December 1972 at Sound Techniques, The Manor, and Morgan Studios with Strawbs producing and Tom Allom engineering.

A&M issued Bursting at the Seams with sleeve art depicting a Union Jack cloth ripping apart.

The album was preceded by “Lay Down” (b/w “Backside”), which reached No. 12 in the UK in late 1972. “Part of the Union” followed in early 1973 (b/w “Will You Go”) and rose to No. 2 in the UK and No. 10 in Ireland. The album itself peaked at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 65 in Canada.

“Lay Down” later featured in the BBC series Life on Mars (2007).

Hero and Heroine

The Strawbs released their seventh album, Hero and Heroine, in March 1974 on A&M.

The album marks a stylistic pivot toward symphonic progressive rock, characterized by sweeping Mellotron textures, dynamic contrasts, and a conceptual cohesion absent from its predecessor Bursting at the Seams. It introduces a newly stabilized lineup with frontman Dave Cousins and guitarist Dave Lambert joined by keyboardist John Hawken (formerly of Renaissance), bassist Chas Cronk, and drummer Rod Coombes (ex–Juicy Lucy, Stealers Wheel).

Cousins wrote six of the ten songs, including the title track and all three movements of the opening suite “Autumn.” Hawken composed the instrumental “Heroine’s Theme” and co-wrote “Autumn” with Cousins. Coombes wrote “Sad Young Man,” Lambert contributed “Just Love” and the closing “Hero’s Theme,” and Cousins co-wrote “Midnight Sun” with Cronk.

The album opens with the three-part “Autumn,” which moves from a dark synthesizer prelude (“Heroine’s Theme”) into the reflective “Deep Summer Sleep” and concludes with Lambert’s impassioned “The Winter Long.” Side one continues with Coombes’ introspective “Sad Young Man,” Lambert’s brisk rocker “Just Love,” and Cousins’ choral “Shine on Silver Sun,” issued as a comeback single after the band’s 1973 split. Side two contains the allegorical “Hero and Heroine,” followed by the contemplative “Midnight Sun,” the folk-tinged “Out in the Cold,” the anguished “Round and Round,” and the two-part finale “Lay a Little Light on Me / Hero’s Theme.”

A1. “Autumn” (8:27) — a triptych that progresses from Moog-led menace to acoustic reflection and a hymn-like finale.
— I. “Heroine’s Theme”
— II. “Deep Summer Sleep”
— III. “The Winter Long”
A2. “Sad Young Man” (4:09)
A3. “Just Love” (3:41)
A4. “Shine on Silver Sun” (2:46) — a vocal harmony piece intended as a return single after the Bursting at the Seams split.

B1. “Hero and Heroine” (3:29) — an allegory of collapse and recovery, framed by Mellotron brass and bluegrass-inspired guitar picking.
B2. “Midnight Sun” (3:06)
B3. “Out in the Cold” (3:19)
B4. “Round and Round” (4:44) — one of the group’s darkest pieces, its lyric depicting despair and self-harm.
B5. “Lay a Little Light on Me” (3:27)
B6. “Hero’s Theme” (2:28) — an instrumental coda reprising the album’s central motifs.

Sessions occurred in November 1973 at Rosenberg Studios in Copenhagen with production by Dave Cousins and Tom Allom and engineering by Allom and Freddy Hansson.

A&M promoted Hero and Heroine with “Shine on Silver Sun” (b/w “And Wherefore”), which reached No. 34 on the UK Singles Chart. “Hero and Heroine” followed with the non-album B-side “Why,” and “Hold on to Me (The Winter Long)”—excerpted from “Autumn”—appeared later in 1974.

The album reached No. 35 in the UK, No. 70 in Canada, and No. 94 on the Billboard 200. Over time it became one of the Strawbs’ most recognized works, praised for its integration of British folk motifs with full-scale symphonic rock arrangement.

Ghosts

The Strawbs released their eighth album, Ghosts, in January 1975 on A&M.

The album continues the progressive-folk direction of Hero and Heroine with symphonic structures and shifting moods that bridge acoustic introspection and gothic intensity. It was the last Strawbs release with the quintet of singer–guitarist Dave Cousins, guitarist–vocalist Dave Lambert, keyboardist John Hawken, bassist Chas Cronk, and drummer Rod Coombes.

Cousins wrote seven of the album’s tracks, including both singles, while Lambert contributed two songs and Cronk one. Keyboardist Hawken co-wrote one track and composed a brief instrumental interlude. The bonus cut “Changes Arrange Us” was written and sung by Coombes.

The album opens with the multipart suite “Ghosts,” a narrative that moves from serenity to turmoil through layered sections (“Sweet Dreams,” “Night Light,” “Guardian Angel”) before resolving in a dawn sequence. “The Life Auction” forms a darker centerpiece, its two linked movements evoking urban decay and moral corrosion through distorted narration and dense instrumental passages. “Lemon Pie,” “You and I (When We Were Young),” and “Grace Darling” balance the gloom with lyrical reflections on love and renewal. Cousins’ closing hymn “Grace Darling,” recorded with choir and pipe organ in the chapel of Charterhouse School, contrasts sacred grandeur with maritime imagery drawn from the 1838 lighthouse heroine.

A1. “Ghosts” (8:31) — multipart title suite comprising “Sweet Dreams,” “Night Light,” “Guardian Angel,” and reprise of “Night Light”
A2. “Lemon Pie” (4:03)
A3. “Starshine/Angel Wine” (5:15)
A4. “Where Do You Go (When You Need a Hole to Crawl In)” (3:02)

B1. “The Life Auction” (6:52) — divided into “Impressions of Southall from the Train” and “The Auction”
B2. “Don’t Try to Change Me” (4:28)
B3. “Remembering” (0:54)
B4. “You and I (When We Were Young)” (4:04)
B5. “Grace Darling” (3:55)
Bonus track on 2003 CD: “Changes Arrange Us” (3:55) — originally the B-side of “Grace Darling”

Sessions took place between July and September 1974 at The Manor (Kidlington), Sound Techniques (London), TPA (London), and the chapel of Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey, with producer–engineer Tom Allom and assistant Mick Glossop. “Where Do You Go” was recorded earlier at Island Studios, London, on July 30, 1973.

A&M promoted Ghosts with “Grace Darling” (b/w “Changes Arrange Us”) and “Lemon Pie” (b/w “Don’t Try to Change Me”). The album reached No. 47 on the US Billboard 200 and No. 12 in Canada.

The cover features an image of a spectral mother and child framed in red script, painted to reflect the album’s dual themes of mortality and redemption.

Nomadness

The Strawbs released their ninth album, Nomadness, in November 1975 on A&M.

The album closed Strawbs’ five-year tenure with A&M and marked their first keyboardist-free lineup since Dragonfly. Recorded soon after Ghosts, it traded multipart prog structures for compact, four-minute arrangements that reintroduced folk, pop, and country elements within a stripped-down quartet sound.

Singer–guitarist Dave Cousins wrote six of the ten songs, including both singles, while guitarist Dave Lambert, drummer Rod Coombes, and bassist Chas Cronk each contributed one. Former Strawbs keyboardist Rick Wakeman played electric harpsichord on “Tokyo Rosie,” with further contributions by pianists Tommy Eyre and John Mealing.

The album opens with “To Be Free,” a defiant rock piece anchored by Lambert’s sharp electric phrasing. “Little Sleepy” maintains that energy in heavier tones, while “The Golden Salamander” returns to the acoustic delicacy of From the Witchwood, highlighted by Cousins’ dulcimer and layered harmonies. “Absent Friend (How I Need You)” follows as a slow, blues-tinted ballad with sparse keyboard coloring, and “Back on the Farm” offers a brief country diversion. Side two alternates between the 12-string lament “So Shall Our Love Die?,” the cabaret-tinted “Tokyo Rosie,” Coombes’ reflective “A Mind of My Own,” Cousins’ introspective “Hanging in the Gallery,” and Cronk’s anthemic closer “The Promised Land,” sung in tandem by Cousins and Lambert.

A1. “To Be Free” (4:17)
A2. “Little Sleepy” (4:10)
A3. “The Golden Salamander” (4:57)
A4. “Absent Friend (How I Need You)” (4:42)
A5. “Back on the Farm” (2:42)

B1. “So Shall Our Love Die?” (3:39)
B2. “Tokyo Rosie” (2:48) — features former Strawbs keyboardist Rick Wakeman on electric harpsichord
B3. “A Mind of My Own” (4:33)
B4. “Hanging in the Gallery” (4:32)
B5. “The Promised Land” (4:07)

Sessions occurred between June and July 1975 at Sound Techniques Studios in London with producer Tom Allom and engineer Vic Gamm. Auxiliary players included John Mealing (piano, organ, electric piano), Tommy Eyre (piano, clavinet, synthesizer), and percussionist Tony Carr.

A&M promoted Nomadness with “To Be Free” (b/w “Back on the Farm”) and “Absent Friend (How I Need You)” (b/w “The Promised Land”).

The cover shows a solitary desert figure under a fractured red horizon, reflecting the album’s transitional tone and title pun.

Deep Cuts

The Strawbs released their tenth album, Deep Cuts, in October 1976 on Oyster.

The album presents a concise set of short, tightly structured songs that bridge the band’s folk-rock roots with mid-1970s pop and soft rock stylings. It continues the streamlined electric sound of Nomadness, aided by lush Mellotron passages and compact arrangements.

Singer–guitarist Dave Cousins wrote the last two tracks and co-wrote seven songs with bassist Chas Cronk. Guitarist Dave Lambert contributed the bonus track “You Won’t See the Light.” Arranger Robert Kirby co-wrote “Hard Hard Winter,” adding orchestral color and brass textures across the album.

“I Only Want My Love to Grow in You,” “Turn Me Round,” “Charmer,” and “(Wasting My Time) Thinking of You” follow an accessible, radio-aimed format with layered guitars and harmonized refrains. “The Soldier’s Tale” and “Beside the Rio Grande” return to Cousins’ narrative style with lyrical depictions of war and frontier injustice, while “Simple Visions” balances reflective imagery with an anthemic cadence. “So Close and Yet So Far Away” closes the album in subdued, piano-led fashion.

A1. “I Only Want My Love to Grow in You” (3:00)
A2. “Turn Me Round” (3:42)
A3. “Hard Hard Winter” (2:54)
A4. “My Friend Peter” (2:15)
A5. “The Soldier’s Tale” (4:15)

B1. “Simple Visions” (4:40)
B2. “Charmer” (3:13)
B3. “Wasting My Time (Thinking of You)” (2:27)
B4. “Beside the Rio Grande” (4:18) — recounts the wrongful lynching of a preacher in the American West.
B5. “So Close and Yet So Far Away” (2:59)

Sessions occurred in spring and summer 1976 at The Manor in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, with production by Rupert Holmes and engineering by Jeffrey Lesser. Holmes also contributed keyboards and clarinet, with further instrumentation by pianist John Mealing and orchestrator Robert Kirby.

Oyster promoted Deep Cuts with the single “I Only Want My Love to Grow in You” (b/w “Cut Like a Diamond”), followed by “Charmer” (b/w “Beside the Rio Grande”).

The album marked Strawbs’ transition into a more direct, pop-oriented sound while retaining flashes of their narrative and instrumental craftsmanship.

Burning for You

The Strawbs released their eleventh album, Burning for You, in June 1977 on Oyster–Polydor.

Burning for You captures the band’s late-70s shift toward streamlined rock with traces of folk and progressive textures, combining reflective acoustic passages, orchestral flourishes, and occasional harder-edged electric numbers.

The lineup features Dave Cousins (vocals, acoustic guitar), Dave Lambert (vocals, lead and acoustic guitars), Chas Cronk (bass, backing vocals, acoustic guitar), and Rod Coombes (drums), augmented by Robert Kirby (piano, electric piano, synthesizer, Mellotron, clavinet, acoustic guitar, orchestral arrangements) and John Mealing (piano, harpsichord, synthesizer, Mellotron, organ, tubular bells, orchestral arrangements).

The album opens with the brooding, string-accented “Burning for Me,” blending harpsichord, Mellotron, and lambert’s drawn-out guitar lines. “Cut Like a Diamond” and “Heartbreaker” provide sharper electric textures with aggressive vocals and guitar. “I Feel Your Loving Coming On” and “Carry Me Home” are gentler pop-rock numbers with layered backing vocals. “Barcarole” offers acoustic reflection over subtle Mellotron and piano arrangements, while “Alexander the Great” introduces glam-tinged rock energy. Closing track “Goodbye (Is Not an Easy Word to Say)” balances orchestration with a subdued guitar solo, providing a contemplative farewell.

A1. “Burning for Me” (4:01) — Cousins/Mealing; nautical imagery conveys longing and guidance.
A2. “Cut Like a Diamond” (3:44) — Cousins/Cronk; sharp-edged rocker with distorted guitar and emphatic vocals.
A3. “I Feel Your Loving Coming On” (2:56) — Lambert; pop-oriented ballad with subdued orchestration.
A4. “Barcarole (For the Death of Venice)” (3:25) — Cousins/Cronk; acoustic reflection with Mellotron and piano textures.
A5. “Alexander the Great” (3:59) — Cousins/Lambert; electric glam-tinged rock with stinging lyrical narrative.

B1. “Keep on Trying” (3:15) — Cousins/Cronk; melodic ballad with conventional pop arrangements.
B2. “Back in the Old Routine” (3:17) — Cousins/Cronk/Lambert; cabaret-influenced song with layered vocals.
B3. “Heartbreaker” (4:40) — Lambert; energetic rock track with sharp guitar motifs.
B4. “Carry Me Home” (3:28) — Cronk; reflective slow-rocker with group vocals.
B5. “Goodbye (Is Not an Easy Word to Say)” (3:44) — Cousins; orchestral-accented closing ballad.

Sessions occurred at Relight Studios, Hilvarenbeek, The Netherlands, with Jeffrey Lesser producing and engineering, assisted by Robin Freeman. The album features cover art by Patrick Woodroffe.

Oyster–Polydor promoted Burning for You with “Back in the Old Routine” (b/w unspecified) on 27 May 1977, followed by “Keep on Trying” (b/w unspecified) on 19 August 1977.

In late 1977, Cousins appeared on Intergalactic Touring Band, a sci-fi concept album recorded by an all-star cast (Arthur Brown, Annie Haslam, Ben E King, Meat Loaf) for Charisma Records. Cousins sings “Heartbreaker,” an emotionally wrenching ballad written by arranger Wil Malone (not the Lambert-penned Burning for You track).

Deadlines

The Strawbs released their twelfth album, Deadlines, in February 1978 on Arista.

Deadlines marks the band’s final studio album of the 1970s, recorded after the lineup changes following Burning for You. The album moves away from the group’s folk-prog roots toward a head-on rock sound with occasional ballads, highlighting Dave Lambert’s lead vocals on several tracks and Tony Fernandez’s understated debut on drums. Key keyboard textures are provided by Robert Kirby (piano, electric piano, Mellotron, organ, autoharp) and John Mealing (piano, Polymoog, Minimoog, harpsichord), while Cousins contributes his signature vocals and acoustic guitar.

Dave Cousins wrote five of the nine tracks, with co-writing contributions from Chas Cronk and Dave Lambert on select songs. Covers do not appear on this album.

Musically, the album balances sharper rockers and softer ballads. The opening tracks “No Return” and “Joey and Me” feature strident guitars and Lambert-led vocals, while “Sealed with a Traitor’s Kiss” showcases Cousins’ piano-driven balladry. “I Don’t Want to Talk About It” and “New Beginnings” offer melodic pop rock with vocal harmonies. The harder-edged “The Last Resort” and “Time and Life” emphasize organ and electric guitar arrangements, whereas “Deadly Nightshade” and the closing “Words of Wisdom” approach the band’s classic prog-folk drama with Mellotron and layered keyboards.

A1. “No Return” (4:57)
A2. “Joey and Me” (3:52)
A3. “Sealed With a Traitor’s Kiss” (3:21)
A4. “I Don’t Want to Talk About It” (3:56)
A5. “The Last Resort” (4:10)

B1. “Time and Life” (4:11)
B2. “New Beginnings” (3:40)
B3. “Deadly Nightshade” (3:56)
B4. “Words of Wisdom” (5:48)

Sessions occurred at Dublin Sound and Air Studios in Dublin with producer and engineer Jeffrey Lesser, assisted by Denny Bridges, Patrick Morley, Andrew Brook Jackson, Peter Wolsey, and James Guthrie. Mixing took place at Utopia Studios.

Deadlines features cover artwork by Hipgnosis, depicting imagery aligned with the album title.

Arista promoted Deadlines with three singles: “Joey and Me,” “New Beginnings,” and “I Don’t Want to Talk About It,” none of which charted.

The album stands as the Strawbs’ final 1970s release before a decade-long studio hiatus, bridging the pop-rock direction of Burning for You with traces of the band’s earlier progressive and folk elements in tracks like “Deadly Nightshade” and “Words of Wisdom.”

Discography: