Halcyon Days (Strawbs album)


The Very Best of the Strawbs: Halcyon Days is a compilation album by English band Strawbs. Although credited to Strawbs it does contain three Hudson Ford tracks and a Dave Cousins solo track. The album was released as a 2-CD set in the UK and US. The US release has a slightly different title and a different track listing.

Cover

The cover image is of a common kingfisher, a reference to the mythical kingsfisher of Halcyon days.

Track listing – UK release

CD one

  1. "Ghosts" – 8:30
  2. :"Sweet Dreams"
  3. :"Night Light"
  4. :"Guardian Angel"
  5. :"Night Light"
  6. "On Growing Older" – 1:56
  7. "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus" – 3:50
  8. "Stormy Down" – 2:44
  9. "I Turned My Face into the Wind" – 2:35
  10. "Queen of Dreams" – 5:31
  11. "Witchwood" – 3:22
  12. "Keep the Devil Outside" – 3:01
  13. "The Hangman and the Papist" – 4:11
  14. "Benedictus" – 3:38
  15. "Golden Salamander" – 4:54
  16. "Tokyo Rosie" – 2:49
  17. "Hero and Heroine" – 3:22
  18. "Pick up the Pieces" – 2:35 Hudson Ford track
  19. "Lay Down" – 4:32
  20. "Backside" – 3:50
  21. "Out in the Cold" – 3:19
  22. "Round and Round" – 4:44
  23. "Oh How She Changed" – 2:52
In the liner notes, track 16 is referred to as "Ciggy Barlust "

CD two

  1. "The Battle" – 6:25
  2. "Grace Darling" – 3:54
  3. "Blue Angel" – 9:46 Dave Cousins solo track
  4. :"Divided"
  5. :"Half Worlds Apart"
  6. :"At Rest"
  7. "Here It Comes" – 2:42
  8. "The Shepherd's Song" – 4:33
  9. "We'll Meet Again Sometime" – 3:12
  10. "Martin Luther King's Dream" – 2:53
  11. "Burn Baby Burn" – 3:02 Hudson Ford track
  12. "Shine on Silver Sun" – 2:46
  13. "Why and Wherefore" – 5:31
  14. "Floating in the Wind" – 4:13 Hudson Ford track
  15. "Absent Friend" – 4:35
  16. "Part of the Union" – 2:56
  17. "Will Ye Go" – 3:54
  18. "The River" – 2:23
  19. "Down by the Sea" – 6:19
  20. "Tell Me What You See in Me" – 6:11

    Track listing – US release

CD one

  1. "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus" – 3:50
  2. "Where Is This Dream of Your Youth"
  3. "The Battle" – 6:25
  4. "The Weary Song" – 3:50
  5. "I Turned My Face into the Wind" – 2:35
  6. "Forever" – 3:32
  7. "Song of a Sad Little Girl" – 5:28
  8. "A Glimpse of Heaven" – 3:50
  9. "Witchwood" – 3:22
  10. "Sheep" – 4:14
  11. "The Shepherd's Song" – 4:33
  12. "The Hangman and the Papist" – 4:11
  13. "Benedictus" – 3:38
  14. "Queen of Dreams" – 5:31
  15. "Heavy Disguise" – 2:53
  16. "New World" – 4:11
  17. "Two Weeks Last Summer" – 3:07 Dave Cousins solo track
  18. "Blue Angel" – 9:46 Dave Cousins solo track
  19. :"Divided"
  20. :"Half Worlds Apart"
  21. :"At Rest"

    CD two

  22. "Here It Comes" – 2:42
  23. "Part of the Union" – 2:56
  24. "Tears and Pavan" – 6:35
  25. :"Tears"
  26. :"Pavan"
  27. "The River" – 2:23
  28. "Down by the Sea" – 6:19
  29. "Lay Down" – 4:32
  30. "Autumn" – 8:27
  31. :"Heroine's Theme"
  32. :"Deep Summer Sleep"
  33. :"The Winter Long"
  34. "Hero and Heroine" – 3:22
  35. "Midnight Sun" – 3:06
  36. "Out in the Cold" – 3:19
  37. "Round and Round" – 4:44
  38. "Ghosts" – 8:30
  39. :"Sweet Dreams"
  40. :"Night Light"
  41. :"Guardian Angel"
  42. :"Night Light"
  43. "Grace Darling" – 3:54
  44. "Lemon Pie" – 4:03
  45. "To Be Free" – 4:17
  46. "Hanging in the Gallery" – 4:32
  47. "The Promised Land" – 4:07

    Personnel

The songs were performed by several incarnations of Strawbs, plus the Hudson Ford and Dave Cousins session musicians. The following musicians featured: –
RegionDateLabelFormatCatalog
United KingdomA&M Records2-CD set540,662-2
United StatesA&M Records2-CD set31454 0951-2