In 1950, the BBC began to record systematically the traditional music of the British Isles for their sound archives. One of the many gifted singers they tracked down in that period was Mrs. Cecilia Costello. In the course of two visits, in 1951 and 1954, Marie Slocombe, then head of the BBC Recorded Programmes Library, recorded 13 songs from her, and an LP was compiled from those recordings, together with extracts from interviews with Mrs Costello recorded by Charles Parker in 1967, and issued on the Leader label in 1975.

Recorded on 30 November 1951 in Birmingham by Maria Slocombe and Patrick Shuldham-Shaw for the BBC
except tracks [1, 7] recorded on 16 January 1954 in Birmingham by Maria Slocombe for the BBC;
Disc transfers by Willie Bonwick for the BBC;
Notes by Roy Palmer;
Cover photography by Bob Etheridge;
Album designed by Janet Kerr

Musicians

Cecilia Costello: vocals

Tracks

Side 1

1. The Cruel Mother (Roud 9; Child 20; G/D 2:193; TYG 73)
2. I Wish, I Wish (Roud 495)
3. There Was a Squire in Edinboro’ Lived (Roud 93; Child 221; G/D 5:1024)
4. The Wexford Murder (Roud 263; Laws P35; G/D 2:200)
5. The Handsome Cabin Boy (Roud 239; Laws N13; G/D 1:181)
6. My Johnny (Roud 1422; Henry H7)

Side 2

7. The Frog and the Mouse (Roud 16; G/D 8:1669)
8. Betsy of Ballantown Brae (Roud 1423)
9. The Jew’s Garden (Roud 73; Child 155)
10. I Am a Maid That’s Deep in Love (Roud 231; Laws N12)
11. Wedding Song (Roud 381; G/D 5:980)
12. Shule Agra (Roud 911)
13. The Lover’s Ghost (Roud 179; Child 248)

Booklet Notes by Rod Stradling

Musicians

Cecilia Costello: vocals

Tracks

CD 1

1. Talk (0.28)
2. The Cruel Mother (Roud 9; Child 20; G/D 2:193; TYG 73) and talk (5.49)
3. I Wish, I Wish (Roud 495) (1.56)
4. The Green Wedding (Roud 93; Child 221; G/D 5:1024) (4.17)
5. The Wexford Murder (Roud 263; Laws P35; G/D 2:200) (5.06)
6. The Handsome Cabin Boy (Roud 239; Laws N13; G/D 1:181) (0.56)
7. Bring Back My Johnny (Roud 1422; Henry H7) (3.19)
8. The Frog and the Mouse (Roud 16; G/D 8:1669) (1.06)
9. Betsy of Ballantown Brae (Roud 1423) (7.52)
10. The Jew’s Garden (Roud 73; Child 155) (1.23)
11. I Am a Maid That’s Deep in Love (Roud 231; Laws N12) (2.30)
12. Write Me Down (Roud 381; G/D 5:980) (1.29)
13. Shule Agra (Súil a Grá) (Roud 911) (1.49)
14. The Grey Cock (Roud 179; Child 248) (5.13)
15. The Cruel Mother (Roud 9; Child 20; G/D 2:193; TYG 73) (Father’s) (5.05)
16. Bring Back My Johnny (Roud 1422; Henry H7) (2.47)
17. Fare Ye Well Cold Winter (Roud 803; Henry H504) (1.10)
18. Love It Is a Killing Thing (Roud 308; G/D 5:946; Henry H711) (0.50)
19. Betsy of Ballantown Brae (Roud 1423) (6.10)
20. I Am a Maid That’s Deep in Love (Roud 231; Laws N12) (1.58)
21. Shule Agra (Súil a Grá) (Roud 911) (0.33)
22. The Handsome Cabin Boy (Roud 239; Laws N13; G/D 1:181) (0.33)
23. Green Bushes (Roud 1040; Laws P2; Henry H143) (2.20)
24. The Cruel Mother (Roud 9; Child 20; G/D 2:193; TYG 73) (4.30)
25. Talk (4.55)

CD 2

1. A Little Drop Left in the Bottle (Roud 24183) (0.17)
2. Rosemary Lane (Roud 269; Laws K43; G/D 7:1429; TYG 10) (2.15)
3. My Bonny Irish Boy (Roud 565; Laws P26; G/D 6:1080; Henry H168) (3.08)
4. Kitty Wells (Roud 2748) (4.29)
5. I Once Loved a Young Man (Roud 954) (2.08)
6. Liza’s Wedding (Roud 24184) (3.36)
7. My Bloke’s a Peaky (Roud 24185) (1.46)
8. She’s Not No Airy Fairy High-Born Lady (Roud 24186) (2.26)
9. No Irish Need Apply (Roud 1137) (2.19)
10. I Have Roamed Many Lands (Erin Is My Home) (Roud 10364) (1.57)
11. May I Come Home Again (Roud 21988) (2.25)
12. Over Hills and Lofty Mountains (Roud 24207) (2.02)
13. Aye for Saturday Night (Roud 5701) (1.37)
14. Bunch of Shamrock (Roud 3769) recitation (1.55)
15. No Green in Her Eye (Roud 24196) / Out of the Frying Pan (Roud 24197) / Mona and Jonah (Roud 24198) / Dance a Jiggety Jig (Roud 24199) (2.12)
16. I Once Had a Sweetheart (Roud 24231) (1.24)
17. If I Do I Do (Roud 24200) (1.14)
18. Only a Year Ago (Roud 24218) (1.42)
19. The Policeman (Roud 24201) (1.30)
20. You’ll Want Me Back Some Day (Roud 5352) (1.29)
21. The Royal Divorce (Roud 24187) (1.30)
22. Are We to Part Like This, Bill? (Roud 17700) (1.15)
23. When You Get Up in the Morning (Roud 1133) (0.55)
24. You’ve Quite Forgot Your Mother (Roud 13679) (1.02)
25. Farewell to My Country (Roud 24182) (1.04)
26. Wedding Bells (Roud 7435) (1.06)
27. Green Grow the Rushes (Roud 24180) (0.58)
28. Paddy You’re a Villain (Roud 22768) (0.54)
29. Come Along with Me, My Lady Lou (Roud 24188) (0.50)
30. The Lady in the White Silk Dress (Roud 24189) / Coronation Day (Roud 24192) (0.51)
31. Only a Window Cleaner (Roud 24203) / Bill Poster (Roud 24191) (0.54)
32. I Dare Not Go Home (Roud 24204) (0.46)
33. Sailing in My Balloon (Roud 24205) (0.46)
34. Faithless Little Doner (Roud 24206) (0.46)
35. I Come From Sweet Tyrone (Roud 24183) (0.43)
36. Barbara Allen (Roud 54; Child 84; G/D 6:1193; Henry H236) (0.41)
37. The Only Bit of English (Roud 24195) (0.41)
38. Dear Old Mother (Roud 24221) (0.41)
39. Puss (Roud 24222) (0.41)
40. Sail Away (Roud 24223) (0.39)
41. I Don’t Like Work (Roud 24224) (0.41)
42. Ain’t it Nice to Have a Father? (Roud 24225) (0.39)
43. Is Your Mother in, Molly Malone? (Roud 24226) (0.40)
44. The Table Was Laid for Three (Roud 24209) (0.39)
45. Send Me a Simple Daisy (Roud 24208) (0.38)
46. Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty (Roud 10699) (0.38)
47. When London’s Fast Asleep (Roud 13677) (0.38)
48. Black-Eyed Susan (Roud 24230) (0.34)
49. Won’t You Tell Me, Daddy? (Roud 24227) (0.32)
50. Stop the Cab! (Roud 24210) (0.28)
51. Some They Call Me Ikey (Roud 24211) (0.27)
52. Saturday Night I Lost My Life (Roud 20273) (0.27)
53. Chuck Him Up (Roud 24217) (0.26)
54. Mother Had an Apple (Roud 24212) (0.26)
55. You’re Not Dead Yet (Roud 24213) (0.25)
56. Johnny, When You Come Over (Roud 24214) (0.25)
57. He Was Only a Chimney Sweeper (Roud 1127) (0.24)
58. Mary Was a Milkmaid (Roud 24215) (0.24)
59. Cuckoo’s Nest (Roud 1506) (0.22)
60. I Lost My Love and I Care Not (Roud 2075) (0.16)
61. I’ll Stick to the Ship, Lads (Roud 17075) / Queen Elizabeth (A Ship That Belongs to a Lady) (Roud 24228) / No One to Welcome You Home (Roud 24299) (2.19)
62. Kathleen (Roud 24216) (1.07)
63. No Irish Need Apply (Roud 1137) folk club (2.37)

Tracks 1-2 to 1-7, 1-9 to 1-15, 1-26 recorded on 30 November 1951 in Birmingham by Maria Slocombe and Patrick Shuldham-Shaw for the BBC;
Track 1-8 recorded on 16 January 1954 in Birmingham by Maria Slocombe for the BBC;
Tracks 1-16 to 1-25 recorded by Peter Kennedy, 11 August 1951;
Tracks 2-1 to 2-5, 2-6 to 2-17, 2-19, 2-22 to 2-25, 2-27 to 2-32, 2-34 to 2-43, 2-45 to 2-24, 2-48, 2-50 to 2-53, 2-55, 2-57 to 2-58, 2-60 to 2-62 recorded by Charles Parker and Pam Bishop, 1967;
Track 2-63 recorded by Charles Parker and Pam Bishop at the Grey Cock Folk Club, held in the White Lion, Birmingham, 1967 or 1968;
Tracks 2-6, 2-20 to 2-21, 2-26, 2-33, 2-44, 2-47, 2-49 recorded by Jon Raven, 1967;
Last verse of track 2-13, tracks 2-18, 2-54, 2-56, 2-59 recorded by Roy Palmer, 1971