Artist: Nic Jones - Album: Penguin Eggs

If you love British Isles traditionalistic folk or bands like Pentangle, Steeleye Span or Fairport Convention, then you probably know about Nic Jones. If you like those artists and haven’t heard Nic Jones, then his brilliant album Penguin Eggs will be a revelation. Who knows where his career would’ve taken him had he not been in a horrible car accident in 1982 that forced him to retire.

The first time I heard this album, I was taken with his unique guitar style that had a percussive physicality and his honest from the heart singing. I believe every word he sings and each note he plays. It touches me so deeply that I’ve been moved to tears at times just taking in the pure soul of this music. Every song on this album has that magic, but the opener “Canadee-I-O” and closer “Farewell To The Gold” should give you a good indication of what is so special about Nic Jones and his masterful album Penguin Eggs.

“Canadee-I-O” by Nic Jones, from his album Penguin Eggs.

“Canada-I-O” is about a woman who falls in love with a ship captian and dresses as a sailor in order to be close. When the crew discovers she is not a male sailor, they threaten to throw her overboard. The Captain realizing who she is, saves her and marries her.

“Farewell To The Gold” · Nic Jones Penguin Eggs ℗ Shanachie Released on: 2005-06-20 Auto-generated by ... Provided to YouTube by Entertainment One Distribution US

“Farewell To The Gold” is sung from the point of view of a prospector who survived a horrible flood in New Zealand, during the gold rush there in 1863.