B̤a̤r̤c̤l̤a̤y̤ ̤J̤a̤m̤e̤s̤ ̤H̤a̤r̤v̤e̤s̤t̤ ̤-̤ ̤G̤o̤n̤e̤ ̤t̤o̤ ̤e̤a̤r̤t̤h̤ Full Album

 Barclay James Harvest are an English progressive rock band. They were founded in Oldham, in September 1966 by bassist/vocalist Les Holroyd (b. 1948), guitarist/vocalist John Lees (b. 1947), drummer/percussionist Mel Pritchard (1948–2004), and keyboardist/vocalist Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme (1947–2010).^[1]

History[edit]

After signing with EMI's Parlophone label in the UK for one single in early 1968, they moved to the more progressively inclined Harvest label. The name for the band, according to The International Barclay James Harvest Fan Club, signifies nothing specifically. Having exhausted other possibilities, each of the band members wrote single words on pieces of paper which were drawn out of a hat one by one. All were rejected until only three were left: James, a man who used to sing with the band, Harvest because they were living in a farmhouse, and Barclay after Barclays bank, because they aspired to make money. These were then rearranged to get the best-sounding name - "Barclay James Harvest".^[2]

"Poor Man's Moody Blues" was written after a journalist angered the band by referring to Barclay James Harvest as a "poor man's Moody Blues".^[2] In response, guitarist John Lees wrote a song which sounded like the Moody Blues song "Nights in White Satin", but in fact was cleverly not the same - the words would not fit. Justin Hayward was not pleased; meeting him years later, bassist Les Holroyd apologised for it.

Other songs on the album deal with subjects like ended relationships ("Friend of Mine"), alienation ("Leper's Song") the exploitation of animals for their fur ("Spirit on the Water") and the space race ("Sea of Tranquility").

The album's title, Gone to Earth, refers to the fox hunter's cry used to indicate that the quarry has returned to its lair.

The original LP version of the album, designed by Maldwyn Tootill, featured die-cut outer cover and full-color inner album sleeve. On one side of the inner sleeve was an owl (as shown in the picture); on the other side was a picture of a sunset. The inner sleeve could be reversed so that either side would be displayed through the die cut.

Hymn (John Lees) - 00:00 Love is Like a Violin (Lees) - 05:12 Friend of Mine (Les Holroyd) - 09:18 Poor Man's Moody Blues (Lees) - 12:56 Hard Hearted Woman (Holroyd) - 19:55 Sea of Tranquility (Stuart Wolstenholme) - 24:24 Spirit on the Water (Holroyd) - 28:29 Leper's Song (Lees) - 33:20 Taking Me Higher (Holroyd) - 36:57 "Lied" (previously unissued) 40:21 "Our Kid's Kid" (B-side of Polydor 2058 904 "Hymn/Our Kid's Kid") 45:29 Hymn" (single edit - previously unissued) 49:31 "Friend of Mine" (single version - A/B side of Polydor 2059 002 "Friend Of Mine/Suicide? (live)") 54:00 "Medicine Man" (originally released as A/B side of "BJH Live" EP) 57:03