Watt Nicoll
Nice To Be Nice
1971 - Transatlantic XTRA 1122 LP
Side One
Song of the Car
Love's Over
Willow Twig Artist (Nicoll/Campbell)
El Condor Pasa (trad)
Ach, Ah Dinna Ken
Border Lands
Side Two
Today Is the First Day
Ca the Ewes (Burns)
Dodi's Boys (Instrumental Selection) (trad)
a) Lodging In the Cold Ground
b) Kate Dalrymple
c) Reel O' Stumpie O
Home Town
The Hour Glass Song
Credits
Watt Nicoll: vocal, whistle recorder
Doreen Swan: six string acoustic guitar, spoons, backing vocal
Eddie McEwan: banjo, mandolin, backing vocal
John Ballard: twelve string and six string acoustic guitars, backing vocal
Ronnie Rae: double bass
Stanley Thomson: trombone, piano, fluegel horn, accordin, backing vocal
All songs written by Watt Nicoll, unless otherwise noted.
Recorded at Craighall Studio, Edinburgh
Engineer: Robert Sibbald
Mixed at Maximum Sound Studios, London SE1
Engineer: Dave Hadfield
Producer: Keith Bleasby
Sleeve design: Michael F Hill
Front/back photographs: Robert A Collins
Sleeve Notes
Watt Nicoll is the Living Bard, of that there can be no doubt, his written word depicts the moods and changes of every working man. Like Scotland's immortal bard he is often criticised for his blunt attack in verse but, akin to the great man he does not jealously guard his manly reputation and bottle his finer emotions for fear of being branded 'nice'.
In this album Watt has his friends and relations around him, they have a knowledge of his work and are tuned to his thinking, the mood is reflective and the sentiments are rich, the music is exciting and like all Watt Nicoll performances, the material is original but one difference is that, for once, the bard has agreed it can be 'Nice to be Nice'.
Come fill yir jar an sit ye doon, ye'll no be askit twice
An if fir nae ither reason ye agree — it's nice tae be nice!
W.N.