HORSLIPS – DANCEHALL SWEETHEARTS LP – Nr MINT A1/B1 UK

Horslips – Dancehall Sweethearts
(RCA Records  1974  APL10709)
Matrix No’s: A1/B1 – UK Pressing

Vinyl in Nr MINT condition
(there are some surface marks visible on the vinyl when held up to the light but they don’t affect the sound quality)

Sleeve in Nr MINT condition
– small crease on back cover near opening edge

Horslips are an Irish Celtic rock band that compose, arrange and perform songs based on traditional Irish jigs and reels. The group are regarded as ‘founding fathers of Celtic rock’ for their fusion of traditional Irish music with rock music and went on to inspire many local and international acts. They formed in 1970 and ‘retired’ in 1980 for an extended period. The name originated from a spoonerism on The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse which became “The Four Poxmen of The Horslypse”.

Horslips were one of Ireland’s leading rock groups of their era. Although they had limited commercial success in their own lifetime, there was a revival of interest in their music in the late 1990s and they came to be regarded as one of the defining bands of the Celtic rock genre. There have since been small scale reunions including appearances on The Late Late Show and RTÉ‘s Other Voices. The band reformed for two Irish shows in the Odyssey Arena in Belfast and the O2 Arena in Dublin at the end of 2009, and have continued to play shows since then.

Dancehall Sweethearts is the name of the third studio album by Irish rock band Horslips. Recorded during the 1974 World Cup Finals, the songs were loosely based on the travels of the famed 18th century blind harper, Turlough O’ Carolan. The title and cover were chosen by the band in reaction to the record company’s worry that an album about a deceased blind Irish harper would not sell in great quantities.

For this album, the addition of brass sections added a new element to Horslips’ sound, as songs like Nighttown Boy and Sunburst displayed elements of blues which were new to Horslips’ Celtic Rock sound. Once again, traditional jigs and reels were incorporated into Horslips’ songs. A video was recorded for Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTÉ, of Horslips performing King of the Fairies, a set dance, Beatles-style on the roof of Bank of Ireland’s headquarters in 1975.

Track listing

Side One

1. “Nighttown Boy” – 5:08
2. “The Blind Can’t Lead the Blind” – 5:20
3. “Stars” – 5:03
4. “We Bring the Summer with Us” (instrumental) – 2:32
5. “Sunburst” – 3:31

Side Two

1. “Mad Pat” – 6:17
2. “Blindman” – 3:33
3. “King of the Fairies” (instrumental) – 4:40
4. “Lonely Hearts” – 5:34
5. “The Best Years of My Life” – 1:49

Personnel

• Barry Devlin – bass, vocals
• Johnny Fean – guitar, banjo, vocals
• Jim Lockhart – keyboards, flute, tin whistle, vocals
• Eamon Carr – drums, bodhrán, percussions
• Charles O’Connor – fiddle, mandolin, concertina, vocals

• Fritz Fryer – Producer, Engineer
• George Sloan – Engineer
• Paul Watkins – Assistant Engineer
• Ray Russell – Brass Arrangements
• Ian Finlay – Photography