The original Watersons were Mike and his sisters Norma and Lal, with their second cousin John Harrison. That is the lineup heard on Early Days and most of Frost and Fire, classic recordings from the 1960s. After a period off the scene, the group re-emerged in 1973 with Harrison's place filled by Martin Carthy; these are the Watersons of For Pence & Spicy Ale and Green Fields. In their power and rich texture the Watersons' harmonies are unmatched in English folksinging.

THE WATERSONS MIGHTY RIVER OF SONG TSFCD4002

MIGHTY RIVER OF SONG is a comprehensive overview of The Watersons and their place in the English Folk Revival. Researched and compiled by David Suff, the box set contains
• 4 music CDs
• DVD of the acclaimed Watersons documentary film “Travelling for a Living"
• 52 page full colour booklet – profusely illustrated with extensive notes and a full discography.

THE WATERSONS FROST & FIRE TSCD136

The original Frost & Fire album, a calendar of English ritual and ceremonial song, has been expanded with seven sacred songs by the later Watersons (from the 1977 album Sound, Sound Your Instruments of Joy), to make this remarkable collection of songs rooted in folk beliefs and rural practices.

1 Here We Come A-Wassailing
2 The Derby Ram
3 Jolly Old Hawk
4 Pace-Egging Song
5 Seven Virgins (The Leaves of Life)
6 The Holly Bear a Berry
7 Hal-An-Tow
8 Earlsdon Sword Dance Song
9 John Barleycorn
10 Harvest Song: We Gets Up in the Morn
11 Souling Song
12 Christmas is Now Drawing Near at Hand
13 Herod & the Cock
14 Wassail Song
15 God Bless the Master
16 The Bitter Withy
17 Emmanuel
18 Idumea
19 Sound, Sound Your Instruments of Joy
20 Come All Ye Faithful Christians
21 Green Fields

THE WATERSONS FOR PENCE & SPICY ALE TSCD462

The original For Pence & Spicy Ale introduced, on record, the 'new' Watersons of the 1970s; two music papers judged it Folk Album of the Year. To the superb original collection have been added several solo tracks by Mike and duets by Lal and Norma, from their own albums of the same period. Between the jubilant opening song Country Life and the closing hymn The Good Old Way are some of the most stirring performances ever committed to record.

1 Country Life
2 Swarthfell Rocks
3 Barney
4 Swansea Town
5 Swinton May Song
6 Beggar Man
7 Bellman
8 Adieu Adieu
9 Welcome Sailor
10 Apple Tree Wassail
11 Seven Yellow Gypsies
12 Sheepshearing
13 Three Day Millionaire
14 King Pharim
15 The Bonny Lighthorseman
16 Tam Lyn
17 T Stands for Thomas
18 Malpas Wassail
19 Chickens in the Garden
20 Grace Darling
21 The Good Old Way

THE WATERSONS EARLY DAYS TSCD472

Introducing these recordings on their first appearance in the mid-'60s A.L. Lloyd wrote of this new singing group's 'hand-crafted harmonies, an immediately recognisable and uniquely distinctive group sound which is uninhibited, spontaneous seeming and rich in texture.' What became of The Watersons after that is history, and can be followed step by step in Topic's other Watersons CDs. Early Days recaptures the youthful sound of the original quartet in 27 performances from long-deleted albums.

1 Boston Harbour
2 The Greenland Whale Fishery
3 Three Score & Ten
4 The Broom of Cowdenknowes
5 King Arthur's Servants
6 Rap Her to Bank
7 Dido Bendigo
8 The North Country Maid
9 Brave Wolfe
10 The Jolly Waggoners
11 I Am a Rover
12 Fathom the Bowl
13 The Thirty-Foot Trailer
14 The Holmfirth Anthem
15 Twanky-Dillo
16 The White Hare of Howden
17 All for Me Grog
18 The Poacher's Fate
19 The Tour of the Dales
20 Willy Went to Westerdale
21 I'Anson's Racehorse
22 The Ploughboy
23 The White Cockade
24 Ye Noble Spectators
25 Stow Brow
26 The Wanton Life of Castlegate
27 The Whitby Lad

THE WATERSONS GREEN FIELDS TSCD500

Another masterful performance by the latterday Watersons. Again, an original album by the full group has been supplemented with solo tracks by Mike and solo and duet tracks by Norma and Lal. In keeping with its title, the album focuses on songs of country life like While Gamekeepers Lie Sleeping, We'll All Go a-Hunting Today and The Brave Ploughboy.

1 Stormy Winds
2 Sedgefield Fair
3 Fare Thee Well, Cold Winter
4 The Wensleydale Lad
5 Young Banker
6 While Gamekeepers Lie Sleeping
7 The Prickle-Holly Bush
8 We'll All Go A-Hunting Today
9 The Unfortunate Lass
10 The Brisk Lad
11 Hares in the Old Plantation
12 Rosebuds in June
13 The Furze Field
14 I Went to Market
15 Three Pretty Maidens
16 The Lincolnshire Shepherd
17 The Brave Ploughboy