Oddly Shaped Balls

My command of the Welsh language is pretty much non-existent, as my many Welsh friends will attest to. But I do love Wales: I lived there for several years, have holidayed there extensively and we recently thought about moving there permanently. I would be happily living in the South Wales valleys right now had we found a house within our budget and with enough space and a decent garden for the dog.

 

I have a tremendous respect for the country and its culture, but even if that were not the case I would not normally attempt to extract the Michael from a language I do not understand. However, I am going to make an exception here, for the pompous spoken work passage in the title track to this obscure EP makes it, I reckon, a suitable candidate for inclusion in the World’s Worst Records.

 

Issued in 1971 by Welsh-language label Wren Records of Llandybie, Carmarthenshire, Barry John a Cherddi Eraill gyda Parti Menlli, to give this release its full title, translates as Barry John And Other Poems With Party Menlli, Parti Menlli being the name of the choir involved and Barry John being the title of their reworking of the Welsh classic Sospan Fach (Little Saucepan).

 

The EP consists of five songs, all Welsh classics with new lyrics (or poems, as the title suggests), with the choral group accompanied by renowned harpist Morfudd Maesaleg. The rugby-playing legend, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 79, does not actually appear on the record himself.

 

Parti Menlli were led by conductor Aled Lloyd Davies, a leading exponent of the traditional art of Cerdd Dant, the singing of poetry to harp accompaniment, where the harp plays one melody and the words are sung to a counter melody. Known also as Meibion Menlli (the Sons of Menlli), Parti Menlli came from Ruthin, and had previously won first prize at the National Eisteddfod in Llanelli in 1962 for male vocal groups with between eight and twelve singers. They issued five Eps between 1966 and 1971, with the five track Barry John a Cherddi Eraill being their final release.

 

If you like Welsh folk music, you’ll love this. If – like me – you enjoy sonorous spoken work recitals – you’ll love this too. Here are all five tracks from Barry John a Cherddi Eraill gyda Parti Menlli: I hope you enjoy them.

 

Download Barry John HERE  

Download Agor Grwn HERE  

Download Rheingerdd HERE  

Download Ronsyfal HERE  

Download Amen HERE