Announced at the start of 2016, along with a statement that this would be Leon's last set of recordings, this album did a fine job of rounding up the clutch of songs which had been unveiled in various obscure places during the period since his last studio album (A Proper State, 2008). Accordingly, we now have CD versions of songs such as "Sixty Quid a Week" and "The Ballad of Rivka and Mohammed", alongside a slew of brand new recordings.
Leon elected here to round up all three of the songs he'd originally donated to the fund-raising album, Celebrating Subversion (tracks 3, 4 and 6 below) but rather than present those recordings again, all three have been re-made. There are three original recordings from the vinyl days present (tracks 1, 7 and 9), the rest being newly made at studios in Nottingham, Middlesex and Brighton.
Also included is a recording of the spoken piece, "Marital Diaries", previously known only via an entry in the songbook, For The Good Of The Nation (p.48). This material comes from the stage show, Love, Loneliness and Laundry, which Leon had written and performed in the 1980s. We also have Leon's first version of "Fair's Fair", one of his lesser known tracks, previously available only on a 1976 Roy Bailey album.
Leon elected here to round up all three of the songs he'd originally donated to the fund-raising album, Celebrating Subversion (tracks 3, 4 and 6 below) but rather than present those recordings again, all three have been re-made. There are three original recordings from the vinyl days present (tracks 1, 7 and 9), the rest being newly made at studios in Nottingham, Middlesex and Brighton.
Also included is a recording of the spoken piece, "Marital Diaries", previously known only via an entry in the songbook, For The Good Of The Nation (p.48). This material comes from the stage show, Love, Loneliness and Laundry, which Leon had written and performed in the 1980s. We also have Leon's first version of "Fair's Fair", one of his lesser known tracks, previously available only on a 1976 Roy Bailey album.
Song list
1. Full Marks for Charlie 1986
2. Where are the Barricades? Fourth version
3. Looters Second version
4. Benefits Third version
5. Sixty Quid a Week Second version
6. I’m Going Where the Suits Will Shine My Shoes Second version
7. Let’s Give Thanks 1981
8. Marital Diaries
9. Rejoice 1983
10. Fair’s Fair
11. Active Ageing
12. Paris in the Rain
13. The Ballad of Rivka and Mohammed Second version
14. Four Degrees Celsius
15. At Dawn
2. Where are the Barricades? Fourth version
3. Looters Second version
4. Benefits Third version
5. Sixty Quid a Week Second version
6. I’m Going Where the Suits Will Shine My Shoes Second version
7. Let’s Give Thanks 1981
8. Marital Diaries
9. Rejoice 1983
10. Fair’s Fair
11. Active Ageing
12. Paris in the Rain
13. The Ballad of Rivka and Mohammed Second version
14. Four Degrees Celsius
15. At Dawn