The Silkie
Encyclopedia
The Silkie were an English folk music
group
. Their name derived from an Orcadian song The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry
, which they sometimes performed. They were briefly considered to be the English equivalent of Peter, Paul and Mary
, with their common repertoire of Bob Dylan
songs, and the original Australian folk group, The Seekers
.
compositions. Following graduation that year, they spent the summer working at the Devon Coast Country Club in Paignton
, Devon
, where they also performed most evenings on stage in the ballroom. Coincidentally, another musician also working there at that time was Liverpudlian Rod Pont (1942 - 2000), whose last band (Steve Day and the Drifters) had already played at The Cavern alongside The Beatles
and had just split up following a stint at the Top Ten Club
in Hamburg
during the previous autumn.
In early 1965, after appearing at the Cavern Club in Liverpool
and performing alongside the The Spinners
, they were signed up by Brian Epstein
who subsequently appointed Alistair Taylor
as their manager. Their first single
in June 1965, "Blood Red River", reached # 14 on the Wonderful Radio London
Fab 40, but failed to make any impression on the national chart
. However, with help from The Beatles
, they followed this up with a Lennon/McCartney
composition which became their one and only chart hit.
, Paul McCartney
and George Harrison
to record
their cover version
of "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
" on 9 August 1965 at the IBC Studios
at around the same time as The Beatles
' own version was being released on their album Help!
The song charted in the UK at # 28 and also reached # 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
in the same year. Lennon produced while McCartney played the guitar and Harrison kept time by tapping his guitar and also playing the tambourine
. When the recording was completed, Lennon was so pleased with it that he rang Brian Epstein, played it over the phone to him, and told him that they had just recorded a Number 1 hit.
The Silkie had been scheduled to tour the United States in December 1965 and had even been booked to appear on both the Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand
, but were unable to obtain the necessary visas and work permits so the tour was subsequently cancelled. After two further singles released in 1966 failed to make either the UK or US charts, the original Silkie line up finally split up.
, Devon
. Ramsden also guested as a vocalist on the album Western Flier, alongside the 20 year old keyboard player Mike Batt
, recorded in 1969 by the proto-psychedelic folk band Hapshash And The Coloured Coat. Ramsden received a kidney transplant in 1993, but prematurely died in January 2004 at the age of 60, after a long battle with kidney disease.
A retrospective sixteen track album entitled You've Got To Hide Your Love Away was reissued on CD
30 years after the original group had disbanded in 1966. A track listing, together with brief audio samples, can be found here Midomi.com (click on the individual track song titles).
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
group
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
. Their name derived from an Orcadian song The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry
The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry
The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry or The Grey Selkie of Suleskerry is a traditional folk song from Orkney. The song was collected by the American scholar, Francis James Child in the late nineteenth century and is listed as Child ballad number 113...
, which they sometimes performed. They were briefly considered to be the English equivalent of Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary were an American folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers...
, with their common repertoire of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
songs, and the original Australian folk group, The Seekers
The Seekers
The Seekers are an Australian folk-influenced pop music group which were originally formed in 1962. They were the first Australian popular music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States...
.
Early days
The original quartet were Hull University students and consisted of Sylvia Tatler (vocals), Mike Ramsden (guitar and vocals), Ivor Aylesbury (guitar and vocals) and Kevin Cunningham (double bass). Their first recording was a flexi disc produced in 1964 for Rag Week at Hull University. This consisted of 3 tracks — one side featured "John Henry" and "All My Sorrows" with "Blood Red River" on the other side. They were most at home performing folk-style cover versions of songs, especially Bob DylanBob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
compositions. Following graduation that year, they spent the summer working at the Devon Coast Country Club in Paignton
Paignton
Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251. It has...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, where they also performed most evenings on stage in the ballroom. Coincidentally, another musician also working there at that time was Liverpudlian Rod Pont (1942 - 2000), whose last band (Steve Day and the Drifters) had already played at The Cavern alongside The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and had just split up following a stint at the Top Ten Club
Top Ten Club
The Top Ten Club was a music club in Hamburg, Germany owned by Peter Eckhorn. The address in Hamburg area St. Pauli was 136 Reeperbahn.-Musicians who have played here:...
in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
during the previous autumn.
In early 1965, after appearing at the Cavern Club in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and performing alongside the The Spinners
The Spinners (UK band)
The Spinners were a 1960s folk group from Liverpool, England formed in September 1958. They consisted of:* Hughie Jones...
, they were signed up by Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
who subsequently appointed Alistair Taylor
Alistair Taylor
James Alistair Taylor was the English personal assistant of Brian Epstein who accompanied him to the Cavern Club when he first saw The Beatles play on 9 November 1961...
as their manager. Their first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in June 1965, "Blood Red River", reached # 14 on the Wonderful Radio London
Wonderful Radio London
Radio London, also known as Big L and Wonderful Radio London, was a top 40 offshore commercial station that operated from 16 December 1964 to 14 August 1967, from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England...
Fab 40, but failed to make any impression on the national chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. However, with help from The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, they followed this up with a Lennon/McCartney
Lennon/McCartney
The Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history...
composition which became their one and only chart hit.
Chart success
The group were directly helped and supported by John LennonJohn Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
to record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
their cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" is a song by The Beatles. It was written and sung by John Lennon and released on the album Help! in August 1965.-Composition and recording:...
" on 9 August 1965 at the IBC Studios
IBC Studios
The IBC Recording Studios were recording studios in 35 Portland Place, London, England. After the Second World War it was the address of the leading independent studio in London and the British Isles...
at around the same time as The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' own version was being released on their album Help!
Help! (album)
Help! is the title of the fifth British and ninth American album by The Beatles, and the soundtrack from their film of the same name. Produced by George Martin for EMI's Parlophone Records, it contains fourteen songs in its original British form, of which seven appeared in the film...
The song charted in the UK at # 28 and also reached # 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in the same year. Lennon produced while McCartney played the guitar and Harrison kept time by tapping his guitar and also playing the tambourine
Tambourine
The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
. When the recording was completed, Lennon was so pleased with it that he rang Brian Epstein, played it over the phone to him, and told him that they had just recorded a Number 1 hit.
The Silkie had been scheduled to tour the United States in December 1965 and had even been booked to appear on both the Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
, but were unable to obtain the necessary visas and work permits so the tour was subsequently cancelled. After two further singles released in 1966 failed to make either the UK or US charts, the original Silkie line up finally split up.
Valediction
Mike Ramsden and Sylvie Tatler had already married in January 1966 and they subsequently continued to perform as a duo version of The Silkie for over 35 years (sometimes with their children) and often appeared at their local pub, The Cott Inn at DartingtonDartington
Dartington is a village in Devon, England. Its population is 1,917. It is located west of the River Dart, south of Dartington Hall and about two miles from Totnes...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. Ramsden also guested as a vocalist on the album Western Flier, alongside the 20 year old keyboard player Mike Batt
Mike Batt
Michael Philip "Mike" Batt is a British songwriter, musician, producer and Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry...
, recorded in 1969 by the proto-psychedelic folk band Hapshash And The Coloured Coat. Ramsden received a kidney transplant in 1993, but prematurely died in January 2004 at the age of 60, after a long battle with kidney disease.
A retrospective sixteen track album entitled You've Got To Hide Your Love Away was reissued on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
30 years after the original group had disbanded in 1966. A track listing, together with brief audio samples, can be found here Midomi.com (click on the individual track song titles).
Singles
- "Blood Red River" - June 1965
- "You've Got to Hide Your Love AwayYou've Got to Hide Your Love Away"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" is a song by The Beatles. It was written and sung by John Lennon and released on the album Help! in August 1965.-Composition and recording:...
" - October 1965 - UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
# 28, Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
# 10 - "Keys to My Soul" - February 1966
- "Born to Be with You" - June 1966