Topic Records was founded in 1939 in the UK as an offshoot of the Communist led Worker's Music Association. They began by selling Soviet and left-wing political music by mailorder. The label a period of dormancy during WWII and when they resumed issueing more traditional mucsic and began to issue American folk and blues music in the 1950s. In the late 1950s the label began to release a series of wonderful recordings from the burgeoning folk scene in Britain.

On this week’s show, we’ll celebrate Topic Records’ 81st Birthday with a variety of great music from the label. We’ll hear selections Anne Briggs, Martin Carthy, A.L.Lloyd, Tarras and many more. Happy birthday to Topic Records … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine.

Episode #20-27: Happy Birthday, Topic Records!

Host: Tom Druckenmiller

Artist/”Song”/CD/Label

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways

Simpson-Cutting-Kerr / “Richmond Cotillion” / Murmurs / Topic

Olivia Chaney / “Polly Vaughn” / Vision & Revision / Topic

A. L. Lloyd / “The Bonny Ship the Diamond” / Blow the Man Down / Topic

Pete Seeger / “Jam on Jerry's Rocks” / Vigilante Man Gems from the Topic Vaults / One Day

Cooper & Bulwer / “Four Hand Reel-Soldier's Joy” / English Country Music / Topic

Anne Briggs / “Blackwater Side” / Anne Briggs / Topic

Martin Carthy / “Scarborough Fair” / Martin Carthy / Fontana-Topic

Tarras / “Parsons Green” / Rising / Topic

Simpson-Cutting-Kerr / “Gather the Owls-Train on the Island” / Murmurs / Topic

Phoebe Smith / “The Yellow Handkerchief” / My Father's the King of the Gypsy / Topic

Dave Rogerson / “Untitled Hornpipe-The Swallow's Tail Reel” / Ranting and Reeling / Topic

Willie Scott / “The Shepherd's Song” / There is a Man Upon the Farm / Topic

Jinky Wells / “The Flowers of Edinburgh-Morris Dance Tune-Bobbing Around” / Rig-a-Jig-Jig / Topic

Rachael McShane & the Cartographers / “Ploughman's Lads” / When All is Still / Topic

Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band / “Sunny Afternoon” / Big Machine / Topic

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways