English Rebel Songs 1381–1984
| English Rebel Songs 1381–1984 | ||||
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| Studio album by Chumbawamba | ||||
| Released | 1988/1994/2003 | |||
| Recorded | 1988/2003 | |||
| Genre | Folk, a cappella | |||
| Length | 36:28 | |||
| Label | Agit-Prop Records/MUTT | |||
| Chumbawamba chronology | ||||
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English Rebel Songs 1381–1984 is the third studio album by English band Chumbawamba. It was originally released in 1988 with a slightly different track list under the title English Rebel Songs 1381–1914, then re-recorded in 2003. Composed mostly of traditional English protest songs, the recording was a stark contrast to the group's previous punk recordings, pointing towards their future integration of choral and a cappella music, as well as a greater focus on harmony in their musical sound. The 2003 recording added some light instrumentation on some tracks.
Some of the songs come from Stand Together by Hackney and Islington music group, 100 Songs Of Toil by Karl Dallas, A Touch On The Times, and A Ballad History of England by Roy Palmer. Many of the songs are still performed by modern English folk bands such as The Houghton Weavers and Coope, Boys & Simpson.
The original LP recording (1988) was released on CD in 1994 by One Little Indian Records. Chumbawamba re-recorded the album (and modified the title) in 2003, adding two extra tracks, releasing it under their newly formed MUTT Records label.
Allmusic called the album "eloquent", with "utterly relevant" songs, emphasizing that the singing in the 1988 version had been "was far better than anyone expected", and commending the improved technical quality of the 2003 recording, while The Independent praised the album as having "rousing" songs, with "excellent" vocal performances, but expressed concern that there were no songs from later than 1984.
From the 2003 re-release: "Now, fifteen years later, we felt we'd learned enough about our voices to try again, updating and rearranging the songs against a backdrop of US/British warmongering. The songs were discovered in songbooks and in folk clubs and on cassette tapes, chopped and changed and bludgeoned into shape with utmost respect for the original tunes."
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