Songs From The Wood | 10 Songs about the English Countryside | RANKED

I'm afraid this is not in 4K...I am rubbish...still suffering with the covid here...
My Songs From The Wood Playlist:
• Andy's Songs from the ...
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[@simonhodgetts6530]

Love On A Farmboy’s Wages - XTC

[@frankpentangeli7945]

Absolutely! Also I Remember the Sun from The Big Express, Ballet for a Rainy Day and Season Cycle from Skylarking, Humble Daisy and Rook from Nonsuch, and Greenman from Apple Venus Volume 1.

[@superflyguy9911]

@@frankpentangeli7945 Agree. XTC were probably the most English of English bands, they couldn't have come from anywhere else. English Settlement and Mummer for me captured Englishness. Really hard to pigeonhole XTC as they did great pop songs as well as social comment and wonderful pastoral songs. Andy Partridge is a genius and woefully underapreciated.

[@paulcollins5586]

Heavy horses, Jethro tull. Lark ascending , Vaughn williams.

[@tim4123-y4g]

Heavy horses (the album may not qualify. Whilst it is countryside heavy a lot of the lyrics relate specifically to Skye. As an aside at my wedding Acres wild was a reading because we were off to Skye for our honeymoon. To the curious....yes we did

[@stevebeaney9684]

Another XTC, Summer's Cauldron & Grass. Evoking hot, humid summers.

[@user-km1uq9dt3v]

Summers cauldron is my song of the summer

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I did mention them....

[@ganazby]

“Can you hear footsteps?” Andy’s ‘Blair Witch’ moment. Enjoyed this one.

[@user-vd9fj9kc6u]

I love Andy going out in the woods wearing a formal jacket. Must be a British thing.

[@StratsRUs]

All of Pink Moon by Nick Drake. It encapsulates everything , closed eyed and immersed.Silent breathing.I can hear non-existent orchestral backing. I also love the 'hymn' When A Knight Won His Spurs. Nostalgia ain't wot it used to be !

[@giork2828]

6:30 “(what) we’re in contact with, if we are”. That’s what I love about Andy. Even with such a huge knowledge about music and art, and a strong philosophical basis, he seems to know that he’s only as accurate as a honest person can be, and that the significance and appeal of all he says will be different for different people. A true humble chap, keeping the grandness of what he knows in check. The kind of expert I’d like to have more of among us. ❤

[@jasonhatfield3084]

Jethro Tull's Songs From the Wood is a masterpiece of atmospherics.

[@ArjayELevin]

Songs From the Wood: one of my favorite albums. Songs From the Wood: one of my favorite Andy Edwards videos!

[@glamrick649]

Traffic: Coloured Rain

[@callmejeffbob]

I'm glad you included "Lark Ascending". Here's a link to a great version of the piece as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra with the incomparable Hilary Hahn on violin. Before she recorded the studio version of this piece, some members of the orchestra took her to an open field to actually watch larks ascending on a warm day, as they fly higher and higher aided by the thermal updrafts. To whomever has never heard this piece, enjoy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4C6f2ichtOtfc0

[@richard127gm]

Philosophy and music. Your videos always make my day a little better. Sometimes a lot better.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Wow, thank you

[@gostrum1]

‘I know where Syd Barrett lives’ by Television Personalities

[@jay.watchman9986]

Donovan's whole "A Gift From a Flower to a Garden" album is a perfect fit. Also King Crimson's song "Lady of the Dancing Water".

[@frankpentangeli7945]

Totally agree about Donovan, particularly the songs Sun, Song of the Naturalist's Wife, Isle of Islay, The Lullaby of Spring and The Magpie. Brilliant suggestion!

[@Kuesel68]

Agree with both. Also Kinks' Village Green and Chris de Burgh's At the End of a Perfect Day (yes, he's Irish but was living in London for a while back then in the mid 70s so it could be England as well). Lionheart by Kate Bush?

[@FloatingAnarchy61]

Some good picks. Good to hear a mention for John Martyn, Small Hours is the definition of ethereal. I think Nick Drake was quintessentially English, his songs could be so light and airy, contrary to his struggles with mental health. You can't get more English than At the chime of a city clock and Hazey Jane. Some I would have found room for- Traffic, Jonn Barleycorn must die, Roy Harper, One of those days in England, and the beautiful New Grass from Talk Talk. Bowie's Blackstar had many poignant moments on it as he knew he didn't have long. The line in Dollar Days 'If I never see the English evergreens I'm running to' gets me everytime, very poignant.

[@jdmresearch]

Andy, you nailed with Absent Friends. Absolutely agree. The story about two old ladies sitting on a bench; how uncool is that. And these guys were 20/21 at that time. I couldn't possibly imagine someone releasing a song like that today -- it wouldn't pass the managerial filter or even the KZbin algorithm system.

[@DrOz-007]

On Horseback. Mike Oldfield.

[@paulcollins5586]

Classic song.

[@jdmresearch]

@@paulcollins5586 I mean, Hergest Ridge is as pastoral as it guests IMHO.

[@juliancoates1113]

nice to hear robert wyatt and john martyn mentioned on the channel.

[@tinderproductions]

Yes indeed, two of my favourites. Small Hours - The song was recorded in an outdoor studio set-up at producer Chris Blackwell’s farm in Berkshire, England, at 3am (very fitting). The grounds were surrounded by water, and if you listen closely to the track, you can hear an actual flock of wayward geese flying overhead, as well as the low rumble of a passing train in the distance. English folk legend Ralph McTell once said of the song, “If that doesn’t move you, there’s something wrong with you; it’s absolutely exquisite. It’s a hymn to the night. Reflective, dark, experimental, absolutely beautiful.”

[@dumcasta9327]

Well done !Beautiful walk. Starship Troopers was a bit left field- Close To The Edge? BTW Siddhartha was Nick Drake’s river man inspiration just as it was Jon Anderson’s. Hesse was in vogue at the time.

[@jdmresearch]

Hergest Ridge by Mike Oldfield; Blackwaterside by Bert Jansch. But, yes, I can't argue with anything you put in there. I appreciate Wyatt's Maryan inclusion; an underappreciated masterpiece.

[@psychicdriver4229]

Man, you are awesome... lots of love from America.

[@cbr9914]

songs from the wood-easily in my top 3 albums of all time. it's so dense.

[@billybeck]

Pulp - David's last summer. It's the first song I think of when I think about youth, nature, Englishness, exploration, love..... Its stunning. The cutting violins and echoing voices... Ending the summer with the coldness of autumn. Breathtaking song that ends a breathtaking album.

[@DanielMcGrath1969]

You did it! You took that walk! "Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt". -John Muir.

[@saintgeorge6706]

(Roamin' Thro' the Gloamin' With) 40.000 Headman by Traffic always makes me think of the mythical haunted green fields of Olde England.

[@briandillon8041]

I was wondering when you finally get around to Nick Drake on this channel. I grew up in Houston 10 years older than you. Not a very English place but I must’ve had an English soul somehow. Maybe from my older cousin, teaching me to sing all the Beatles songs when I was nine.🤷‍♀️ All of “five leaves left “ is good. The river man is hauntingly beautiful. It made me cry too. Remember dropping the needle on those grooves till I wore it out. What a loss he was and a travesty he didn’t achieve fame in his lifetime. Betty said she prayed today For the sky to blow away Or maybe stay She wasn’t sure

[@JukKluk1]

Have you considered doing a playlist for British holiday destinations? To start you off; Up the 'Pool by Jethro Tull, Brighton Rock by Queen, Bognor Regis by Frank Zappa, Southend Soul by Elena Walter and Postcards of Scarborough by Michael Chapman.

[@timwestcott361]

Camber Sands - Pulling Muscles From a Shell

[@thekeywitness]

You’re right about Starship Troopers - when I was 11-12, I had that song running through my head whenever I went out into the woods behind my house on some “epic adventure” of my own imagining.

[@jdmresearch]

Great choices, creative video. Your best yet! One that's fitting here is "Granchester Meadows" by the Pink Floyd. Especially a live version in San Francisco, video performance available in YT.

[@EugeneSax1]

Grantchester came immediately to my mind too, but I think Fat Old Sun is at least equally bucolic.

[@danaaronmusic]

I love For Absent Friends. But I have always envisioned an old woman who has lost her husband and an old man who has lost his wife, rather than two old women.

[@delorangeade]

Lionheart by Kate Bush is the song which immediately comes into my mind. Your talk of Vaughan Williams and the green man reminds me of Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock. Stourport and the Malvern Hills are places I spent many happy times as a kid, quintessentially English.

[@paulcollins5586]

Fantastic book. Lionheart is my fave KB album too.

[@geographyinaction7814]

Listening to the birds chatting with you and then hearing them silenced by your own pauses captures what you were attempting to achieve. Just my thoughts.

[@JimBagby74]

Grantchester Meadows, Fat Old Sun, Love on a Farmboy’s Wages, Fantasy on Greensleeves, John Barleycorn Must Die, Jerusalem

[@lejunctionopenmicnight5060]

I agree Grantchester meadows is up there somewhere.. it is a true celebration of both the English countryside and Englishness..n

[@theshrubberer]

good additions ...John Barleycorn especially

[@SuperNevile]

When I have walked in the English countryside with "Hole In My Shoe" by Traffic and then "Rainbow River" by Vashti Bunyan (whose ancestor evoked the English countryside in his famous book), on my headphones, I feel strangely at one with my surroundings.

[@craigryan3069]

I would just take all eight tracks from Songs From The Wood, and then add a couple from Heavy Horses

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

It’s nice to see you oot n aboot. Thanks for the list of really great songs. I was hoping you would build a crude shelter out of branches and leaves, build a fire and cook bacon in the rain. I almost expected a Bigfoot encounter. Elgar would be proud. Thanks Andy take care.

[@jasonhatfield3084]

Thank you for this little trek through your woods. The American Midwest is similar, and where I'm from. The family farm in Indiana abuts a remnant of virgin forest, sadly most of the original is gone. But you can really feel the presence of the Green Man there. You will inevitably get a poison ivy rash. Now I live in the noisiest, angriest city in Colorado and I miss the quiet.

[@CBCDs]

Thanks again Andy

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Thanks for the playlist !

[@avrilconacher]

Excellent list.

[@garyfontanini9646]

Lovely video Andy, my favourite song to evoke the English countryside must be The Poacher by Ronnie Lane, so simple, so beautiful. Also just to say River Man always brings tears to my eyes, so it's not just you. All the best.

[@jeanmarieboucherit7376]

Forest has a common root with foreign, foreigner, and forain in French which in a way is gypsy, and it is also related to door. The forest is that which is beyond the door.Love.

[@pmoran7971]

Hopefully it will be a long time before the Ferryman is paid to take you on that last crossing

[@kevinmoore2630]

I must say Andy I really enjoy your videos 😁😁

[@rustynail886]

Thanks for doing the playlist. I am listening to it in my garden this balmy summer’s evening!

[@TimothyJBerry]

Great video Andy. Thank you for introducing me to Songs from the Wood. A beautiful album.

[@rsqyoung]

The Strawbs, Autumn for starters. Jethro Tull Heavy horses lyrics makes me cry uncontrollably.

[@curtdilger6235]

Love it Andy, thanks. Great as usual. Love that you included Nick. Regards from US

[@arzabael]

This was cool, and you could start going to places based on the video theme more often. Nature is the best place though in a lot of ways

[@ronfeenstra3659]

A special video, Andy. Thanks! It's good to be out.

[@markspooner1224]

This was a great idea well devised and presented.

[@ChrisUK5150]

Great video Andy good to see you out of the garage for a change. Here are two of mine that sprung to mind that couldn't be more different.... Ronald Binge - Elizabethan Serenade reminds me of Radio 4 when I was a nipper and walks on the canal in Alrewas with my grandad...and because its totally mad and rocks like a bar steward... The Darkness - English Country Garden.

[@oliviermuller8214]

"I talk to the wind" by King Crimson and "Weathercock" by Jethro Tull would certainly be on my list, but I'm no englishman, so how should I know, and your list seems to make perfectly sense. Thank you for this open-minded and mind-opening (though short of breath) piece of scenery in your wood, btw a lot of stuff seems to go on there, maybe you should go back there with a microphone. And you're so right about Robert Wyatt and Nick Drake.

[@floydshambles]

great video, andy. as one of your first subscribers, congratulations on 30,000.

[@iwaddi1037]

Great video. Love the outdoor setting. Beautiful scenery and excellent choices.

[@arvidsson56]

Nice video. When I read the headline Ralph Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending" was the first tune I came to think about, so I am glad you included that on your list.

[@GrahamCowpland]

Hi Andy I've just listened to the playlist sitting in the garden while I'm recovering from an operation: perfect soundtrack for a summer afternoon. Cheers👍😎

[@PhilBaird1]

Well done Andy, really nice that. Great idea to get into the woods and parkland of England for this one. So much lovely countryside around your area. Some great picks too for your music choices. I'd perhaps add some Traffic, early Wishbone Ash, Ronnie Lane, Caravan and Kevin Ayers. You should bring a picnic next time and cavort with sylvan nymphs in diaphanous gossamer. They may even take you to that sunken Messerschmidt.

[@goodlife6145]

I like the music that plays during the countdown!

[@dameonwalker8994]

A great selection, I can think of others which could easily earn a place on this list but I certainly don't disagree with any of your choices. Just for once the youtube algorithm has actually suggested a new channel to me which is truly in-tune with my tastes. Colour me subscribed.

[@user-rh1mk8fw5v]

Lovely Video, Andy! "Exiles" by King Crimson is a beautiful piece that expresses longing for the English pastoral scene.

[@keitholiver1299]

Nice to see you out and about Andy. Interesting subject. I think Sandy Denny's opus, All our Days has to be up there, 4 seasons condensed into 9mins of English Pastoral with a nod to Vaughan Williams. Always brings a tear to my eye, mind you Sandy Aaways does😢

[@vincentgibbs9707]

I was unshore at the begining on this video, but the longer it went on the more I enjoyed it. I love this. Also great choices. Thanks

[@patrickselden5747]

Lovely video, Andy - and I feel exactly like same way as you do about Nick Drake's work, especially "River Man", which, maudlin old git that I am, is one of the choons I want played at my funeral. What fascinates me about this notion of the English Aesthetic (which, as I've written somewhere else on the t'interwebs and promptly forgotten where, is that your articulation of it is what caused me to stick with your channel, having been hooked in by the algorithms chucking Why Do Modern Jazz Muscians All Sound The Same at me) is that, given England was the first country in the world to industrialise, its vision of itself is so intensely rural. I wonder if the latter's a reaction to the former... Thanks, anyway, for your continued musings on the subject and the belting playlist accompanying this particular set of ruminations Peace... ☝️😎

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I'm having ideas for videos that go more deeply in the mystic hinterlands of this aesthetic....

[@patrickselden5747]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer Good. I look forward to them... 🙂

[@WubWIFF]

Wonderful video Andy, really enjoyed the trip out. Difficult to argue with your choices and lovely to hear Clifford T. Ward get a name check.

[@jerrypotente872]

Lovely video , ANDY,, ,,,,as a child and teenager -I lived encircled by A large ‘swaths of woods-[ in suburban N.J.] that me and my. Childhood buddies spent inordinate amounts of time in , in our childhood escapades!! This film evokes a touch of these memories to 7me.also as an ardent fan of TULL, [REALLYespeciallly their earliest 8or9 greatest 1970s albums -I often take out My copy of ‘Songs from the Wood’ to alleviate stress,, Aand giving me 40 minutes of much needed ‘natural world’ respite and zen, thanx Brother,,, [from a’ yank’….lol ]

[@theshrubberer]

love Lark Ascending and River Man, Velvet Green.. Thanks for the playlist.

[@DanielMcGrath1969]

Your best video yet! Andy you have that certain something. I think they call it charisma. It oozes out of your pores. You're a natural aren't you! You are now easily my favorite channel of all. BTW-"Observations from a hill"-Family-off of Family Entertainment. Today driving home from the country, I listened to "fearless "'71 & "Bandstand"72-by the group Family. Absolute perfect production. Incredible songcraft and musicianship. This is PROG! Two masterpiece companion Albums! Go on! Have a listen! These outdoor shows rule! Off you go!

[@relayer27]

Lots of early Barclay James Harvest, Brother Thrush, Little Lapwing to name but two

[@scottbookman]

Hiking in a suitcoat----HERO. What do you call a man from Wolverhampton’s artificial leg? The English Prosthetic. I would never have been able to write that joke if i wasn’t an Andy Edwards fan .

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

No...just English

[@pmoran7971]

Andy, this must rank among your best videos, what a great idea to evoke what is in us all, please do a part two, lots to choose from, I thought you may have selected 'Grantchester Meadows' by the Floyd, a wonderful track and totally underrated, no one plays this, I personally rise at 3 am every morning the best time of the day, especially in Summer, but do not tell anyone, keep it a secret, a time when you are glad to be alive and so thankful, I thought 'Songs from the Wood' might have crept in to your top ten along with' Minstrel in the Gallery' you mentioned 'Starship Trooper' but my favourite tracks from that album are 'And You and I' but listen to the Orchestral version and 'Yous is no disgrace' great that you mentioned Nick Drake, can you also mention Morris Dancing, because very few people talk about this wonderful slice of England

[@andrewmacardle9872]

The beautiful soul Clifford T Ward. Nightingale, so beautiful. I love to hear you sing. You possess such perfect pitch it really is astounding. Great classical choices. However, a walk in the woods with Ommadawn or Hergest Ridge plus Morgenspaziergang for the German pilot would be a good addition.

[@rolfjamne8922]

Grantchester Meadows. Ummagumma (Pink Floyd)🦤🐦🐠

[@kenshankman3863]

nice Pastoral walk for a Sunday - glad to hear your Brit acoustic favs - also love Pentangle ( Basket of Light ) - Nick Drake - Larks Ascending - also love Richard Thompson - glad you seem to be feeling better - Cheers Mate

[@billrice3002]

Great topic, Andy. John Martyn is always a welcome addition. I agree that Nick Drake's Riverman is an incredible piece of music (Brad Mehldau improvising for 10 minutes over those chords is also something to hear). One album I might add is Beth Orton's Weather Alive. And even though he was Scottish, Bert Jansch's Rosemary Lane sounds pretty English to me.

[@sashaames9952]

Andy you seem so at peace walking in the woods, definitely set more vids there! Starship Trooper seemed very unexpected choice but I'd agree whole heartedly. Some Zep would definitely fit, how about Tangerine, thats the way, and stairway...? Lastly, I would have expected some SCUBA divers would descend into the lake to search for the downed plane, has no one attempted that?

[@jeffreytaylor6257]

Your Director of Photography gets kudos. Deserves a raise in pay. 😎 JT

[@lupcokotevski2907]

The very popular Australian folk singer Tina Lawton recorded 3 albums of English folk tunes before her death in a plane crash in Kenya in 1968 aged just 24. Her second album Singing Bird, has songs about orchards, Nightingales, springtime. Her voice is beautiful. I have a Clifford T Ward album.Lark Ascending is bass legend Leland Sklar's favourite piece of music. Lovely video, Andy.

[@lejunctionopenmicnight5060]

Thanks for that Andy. Thanks for giving the Delius, Vaughn Williams and Elgar a shout.. they thoroughly deserve it.. As A die hard Tully I love any of the songs from SFTW or even Heavy Horses( maybe that's more agricultural than Rural)....Great choices Big thumbs up

[@ernieernst2296]

If you’d worn your swim trunks you could have recorded from in AND around the lake… Intriguingly esoteric list, my man. Look forward to tracking these tracks down.

[@VWellings]

Good to see Andy out and about. Good list too. Don't know about the suit jacket though - add a string vest and a head band and he could be Kidderminster's answer to Rab C.

[@joeongie]

Glad for the For Absent Friends mention. A forgotten gem.

[@BenefitInKind]

Love this video Andy. How about a top ten John Martyn albums? Top ten English folk/rock/jazz albums? Pentangle, Fairport, Steeleye Jansch etc? Or more on the punk rock composer of classical music, the brilliantly English Ralph Vaughan Williams? Elgar, very Germanic to these ears, two symphonies. RVW, always very Brittanic, nine excellent symphonies ... and Lark ... and Greensleeves ... and Thomas Tallis! Hope you feel fully better soon.

[@RingosMate]

What a lovely video, Andy. And great to hear other corners of your musical interests. Thank you.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@RingosMate]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummerI always enjoy it when you talk about the English aesthetic. I guess you know Rob Young’s book, Electric Eden?

[@gjingodjango]

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams. Have to go back to it regularly

[@johnreilly9748]

Yes Robert Wyatt! Looks like a good fishing spot you must break out the flyrod and show us how to catch a prog trout!

[@AssociationAdmirer]

Very relaxing and thoughtful video, just what I was in the mood for this evening. What with the Beatles shirt, I thought for sure you were going to mention "Mother Nature's Son", but no matter. As an American who has spent very little time in the mother country, I don't have much qualification to vote on this topic, but "The Herald" by Comus always evokes a pastoral atmosphere with a particularly English tone to me. Also, surprised no one has said "North Meadow" by Giles, Giles, and Fripp yet.

[@SpookyLuvCookie]

made me feel much better

[@garytaylor2084]

Very, very nice.

[@matm4331]

Those are some great Swans, confident that only the King can eat them...

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Can you believe I sing about Swans, then they come and visit....

[@matm4331]

He works in mysterious ways!

[@Lumenbrother]

Great to hear you talk about Robert Wyatt. For me the most English pastoral song I’ve heard is “the scarecrow” by Lal and Mike Waterson, from Bright Phoebus. Next is probably Scarecrow by Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd. I like scarecrows 😅

[@roddmcleodable]

dude I love your shit.

[@sarahhhh775]

Loved this walk and talk, Andy. Thankyou. It is an engaging format but not everyone can do it. Nick Drake and John Martyn on the list: yuss!

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@ulfskjol]

Voces8's choir performance of Nimrod brings tears to my eyes every time. It's the perfect unity of a wonderful piece of music and human voices.

[@matereo]

The greatest summer day on the country side album is "Way of the sun" by Jade Warrior

[@briandillon8041]

I was wondering when you finally get around to Nick Drake on this channel. I grew up in Houston 10 years older than you. Not a very English place but I must’ve had an English saw somehow. Maybe from my older cousin, teaching me to sing all the Beatles songs when I was nine. All five leaves left is good. The river man is hauntingly beautiful. It made me cry too. Remember dropping the needle and those greens over and over till I wore it out. Betty said she prayed today For the sky to blow away Or maybe stay She wasn’t sure

[@nightwisher751]

Nice topic Andy, remember when i was younger listening to Clannad and songs like Of this land, that had me dreaming of nature. More modern i enjoyed Eye of Melian Legends of light with songs like The Bell taking me to nature and death. Lastly Nightwish and a song My Walden inspired by the book by American transcendentalist writer Henry David Thoreau. The text is a reflection upon the author's simple living in natural surroundings a voyage of spiritual discovery. Lastly Nightwish All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World a full instrumental divided into eight parts, i personally love from the Moors, 5. "Aurorae" 2:07 6. "Quiet as the Snow" 4:05 7. "Anthropocene" (includes "Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal") 3:05 8. "Ad Astra" narrated by Geraldine James, words by Carl Sagan

[@ChuckMarteau]

Jethro Tull's "Moths" is a lovely song.

[@ricardoaraujo8741]

Peace and silence. Perfect.

[@matthewcoombs3282]

Great to mention the link between English Prog and 90s dance music. Steve Hillage recording with Orb and Robert Fripp with Future Sounds of London, the links are strong.

[@stefanredin854]

Lovely countryside! 👍👊