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"…There Are So Many Things
That We Have Shared…"
If Nick Drake had a sister or
Nico recorded a Folk-Rock album in 1969 - then the lovely "Ask Me No
Questions" by Britain's Bridget St. John would be the result.
Signed to John Peel's
fledgling Dandelion Records label - Londoner Bridget St. John was just 22 when
she recorded this beautiful but criminally forgotten debut LP. St. John was one
of the first three acts released by the BBC's most famous DJ on his 'it's all
about the artists' record label.
1. To B Without A Hitch [Side
1]
2. Autumn Lullaby
3. Curl Your Toes
4. Like Never Before
5. The Curious Crystals Of
Unusual Purity
6. Barefeet And Hot Pavements
7. I Like To Be With You In
The Sun [Side 2]
8. Lizard-Long-Tongue Boy
9. Hello Again (Of Course)
10. Many Happy Returns
11. Broken Faith
12. Ask Me No Questions
BONUS TRACKS:
13. Suzanne
14. The Road Was Lonely
Produced by JOHN PEEL - the
album "Ask Me No Questions" was released in July 1969 on Dandelion S
63750 in a fetching gatefold sleeve (distributed by CBS at the time). Although
it received many favourable music press reviews, it sold poorly. It's now a
£70-plus listed vinyl rarity but can easily sell for three figures in tip-top
condition.
UK released November 2005 - "Ask Me No Questions" by BRIDGET ST. JOHN on Cherry
Red CDM RED 282 (Barcode 5013929128224) – this beautifully remastered CD gives
us the album's original self-penned tracks (1 to 12 above) with 2 fantastic
rarities as extras. The 20-page booklet also has informative and affectionate
liner notes by NIGEL CROSS that include an interview with the great lady in
2005 - colour pictures of her in 1969, lyrics to the songs, a trade paper
review, reminiscences on John Peel and John Martyn and much more.
Musically - her gut-string
guitar picking sounds like Nick Drake on his debut "Five Leaves Left"
and her voice is deep and dark like a more somber version of Sandy Denny. Most
of the arrangements are just St. John and her guitar - very quiet, pretty folk
songs. The mood isn't dark either, more reflective than that - the songs often
sound like the countryside although she's from a capitol city. If I were to
nitpick, I'd say the lyrics are sometimes weighed down with too many
hippy-dippy ponderings about nature and ‘buttercup sandwiches' that may sound
twee to some ears now...others, however, will feel they are very much part of
the music's charm.
Two notable contributors are
JOHN MARTYN on "Curl Your Toes" and the stunning album title track
"Ask Me No Questions" where he plays second guitar on both (no vocals
unfortunately). There's also second guitar from RIC SANDERS (of Fairport
Convention) on "Lizard-Long-Tongue Boy" and "Many Happy
Returns" (on which he also plays some wonderful Bottleneck Guitar).
Highlights include the
forgiving relationship song "Broken Faith" (lyrics are the title of
this review), the sweet "Barefeet And Hot Pavements" and Martyn's
subtle backing on "Curl Your Toes". But the best is kept until last -
the near eight-minute folk work out that is the album's title track - "Ask
Me No Questions". The song's lovely guitar refrain fades into bird song
and bells about three minutes in - only to come back again to the lilting music
to great effect. It's still moving - 40 years after the event.
The bonus tracks are
genuinely that - bonuses. "Suzanne" (a Leonard Cohen cover) appeared
as a rare non-album B-side on "Fly High", a 3-track maxi 7"
single in a picture sleeve issued in 1972 on Dandelion/Polydor 2001 280. "The
Road Was Lonely" turned as a non-album B-side to the 7" UK single
"Passin' Thru" on MCA Records MUS 1203 in 1973. She went on to make
two more albums for the Dandelion label "Songs For The Gentle Man" in
1971 and "Thank You For" in 1972 (they're available elsewhere) and
has recorded into the 1990s.
So there you have it - if you
like Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" (just him and his guitar) or Sandy
Denny's more plaintive songs - then this little folk/rock gem is for you. A
lovely thing indeed…
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