Bert Jansch - Nicola

Bert made his first album on a Revox. After the success of 'Bert Jansch' the next album was made in the studio but this was a 'fraught situation' and he reverted to he Revox again. The next time Bert went into a studio it was to record Nicola with an orchestra. The orchestra wasn't dubbed on later - Bert was actually sitting in the studio playing with the orchestra.

Apparently the blame for the orchestrations on this record lies with one David G. Palmer. A graduate of the Royal Academy, Nicola was his first big break and he threw just about everything in. Melody Maker said that they were 'Over-busy and elaborate, they seem to smother the delicate lyrics of Bert's songs until they nearly suffocate under the weight'. Apparently David Palmer went on to join Jethro Tull.

The orchestration wasn't the only low point in the album. Bert had an electric guitar made for him by John Bailey - it sounded terrible and looked like a frying pan.

Transatlantic released Life Depends On Love/A Little Sweet Sunshine as a single which failed to sell.

This was the first time that Bert had recorded with an electric guitar, the first time he had recorded with a twelve-string, the first time he'd double tracked vocals, the first time he'd recorded with a drummer and the first time he'd recorded a traditional blues.

Released by Transatlantic in 1967 

  1. Go Your Way My Love (Anne Briggs, Bert Jansch) - Bert taught Anne Briggs to play the guitar in DADGAD tuning, 'Go Your Way My Love' was the first song that resulted.
  2. Woe Is Love, My Dear (Bert Jansch)
  3. Nicola (Bert Jansch)
  4. Come Back Baby (Traditional arr. Bert Jansch)
  5. A Little Sweet Sunshine (Bert Jansch)
  6. Love Is Teasing (Traditional arr. Bert Jansch)
  7. Rabbit Run (Bert Jansch)
  8. Life Depends On Love (Bert Jansch)
  9. Weeping Willow Blues (Traditional arr. Bert Jansch)
  10. Box Of Love (Bert Jansch)
  11. Wish My Baby Was Here (Bert Jansch)
  12. If The World Isn't There (Bert Jansch)