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The Liberty Tree
28 Jun 2010, PM Press
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This double-CD album, “a celebration of the life and
writings of Thomas Paine” is a collaboration between Leon and Robb Johnson.
Both performers contribute their own songs, which are interwoven with readings
of Tom Paine’s own writings, which serve to provide a narrative thread.
The CD has its genesis in a live show which Leon devised back in the 1980s. It seems to have originated in 1987, on request of the Tom Paine Society, whose president was ex-Labour Party leader Michael Foot (who appeared in early productions, in the role of Paine). Soon afterwards, Tony Benn, a personal friend of Roy Bailey, became involved as Foot dropped out, and the show travelled the country. It was still being performed in 2009, and one version staged in Lewes in Sussex became the blueprint for this CD.
So far as Leon’s musical contributions are concerned, he provides eight songs, all taken from his back catalogue. The album’s recurring theme tune, “The Roots of the Liberty Tree”, originally appeared as sheet music in Bringing The News From Nowhere (1992), but this is its first known audio recording (albeit in sections, distributed across the discs). The album was recorded at Transmission Studios in Hove in October 2009.
In the track list below, I omit the spoken sections and just provide the song titles on the album. (Apologies to all concerned for overlookng the rest of this accomplished, detailed piece of work - but this is a website specifically about songs!)
See also No Gods No Masters which contains a live performance of the show, released on DVD.
The CD has its genesis in a live show which Leon devised back in the 1980s. It seems to have originated in 1987, on request of the Tom Paine Society, whose president was ex-Labour Party leader Michael Foot (who appeared in early productions, in the role of Paine). Soon afterwards, Tony Benn, a personal friend of Roy Bailey, became involved as Foot dropped out, and the show travelled the country. It was still being performed in 2009, and one version staged in Lewes in Sussex became the blueprint for this CD.
So far as Leon’s musical contributions are concerned, he provides eight songs, all taken from his back catalogue. The album’s recurring theme tune, “The Roots of the Liberty Tree”, originally appeared as sheet music in Bringing The News From Nowhere (1992), but this is its first known audio recording (albeit in sections, distributed across the discs). The album was recorded at Transmission Studios in Hove in October 2009.
In the track list below, I omit the spoken sections and just provide the song titles on the album. (Apologies to all concerned for overlookng the rest of this accomplished, detailed piece of work - but this is a website specifically about songs!)
See also No Gods No Masters which contains a live performance of the show, released on DVD.
"I did shows during the 70s and 80s with Leon Rosselson and one of the shows was about Tom Paine. Leon and I were asked to do a concert by the Tom Paine society in Norwich. Tom Paine was born in Thetford. Leon wrote a show about Paine called the Liberty Tree. It was a scripted programme of words and music. We both suggested songs and I had this idea of asking Tony [Benn] to be the character of Tom Paine. Whenever there was a quote from a Tom Paine speech, Tony would read that and we would read the other parts around it - newspaper cuttings, relevant poems or whatever, to do with the theme 'The Liberty Tree'. We subsequently performed it at the Purcell Rooms in London and elsewhere. It was very successful and cemented our relationship further." - Roy Bailey (interview)
“‘The Liberty Tree’ tells the story of Tom Paine’s extraordinary life, interweaving Paine’s own words, from his letters and pamphlets that made him one of the most influential and dangerous writers of his age... the songs of Robb Johnson and Leon Rosselson add another dimension to the story, reflecting Paine’s radical ideas and evaluating them in the context of the 21st century.” - CD sleevenotes
“‘The Liberty Tree’ tells the story of Tom Paine’s extraordinary life, interweaving Paine’s own words, from his letters and pamphlets that made him one of the most influential and dangerous writers of his age... the songs of Robb Johnson and Leon Rosselson add another dimension to the story, reflecting Paine’s radical ideas and evaluating them in the context of the 21st century.” - CD sleevenotes
Song list
1. Watering The Roots of the Liberty
Tree (as "The Roots of...")
This is a brief snippet. The song recurs in sections throughout the CDs.
2. Rosa's Lovely Daughters (Robb Johnson)
3. Don't Get Married, Girls Second version
4. The Wall That Stands Between Second version
5. 3 Minutes' Silence (Robb Johnson)
6. Remembrance Day Third version
7. We All Said Stop the War (Robb Johnson)
8. On Her Silver Jubilee Second version
9. Picking Up the Pieces (Robb Johnson)
10. Oliver Twist (Robb Johnson)
11. Palaces of Gold Fifth version
12. Changing the Guard (Robb Johnson)
13. Stand Up for Judas Second version
14. Red & Green (Robb Johnson)
15. The World Turned Upside Down Third version
This is a brief snippet. The song recurs in sections throughout the CDs.
2. Rosa's Lovely Daughters (Robb Johnson)
3. Don't Get Married, Girls Second version
4. The Wall That Stands Between Second version
5. 3 Minutes' Silence (Robb Johnson)
6. Remembrance Day Third version
7. We All Said Stop the War (Robb Johnson)
8. On Her Silver Jubilee Second version
9. Picking Up the Pieces (Robb Johnson)
10. Oliver Twist (Robb Johnson)
11. Palaces of Gold Fifth version
12. Changing the Guard (Robb Johnson)
13. Stand Up for Judas Second version
14. Red & Green (Robb Johnson)
15. The World Turned Upside Down Third version