Dark Fields

Dark Fields is the third studio album by English acoustic roots duo Show of Hands, released in 1997. It was their first album to come in a gatefold/digipack. It was the band's first album to have a single ("Crazy Boy").

Recording

Track 12, "High Germany/Molly Oxford", was recorded live at Norwich in spring 1997.

"The Train"

This album marks the first two appearances of the song "The Train" on a Show of Hands studio album. Track 6 is "The Train". It is featured again in the form of a 10 minute reprise as a hidden track following "High Germany" / "Molly Oxford", track 12 of the album.

The band's following album, Folk Music features a new combination of the song with "Blackwaterside".

The band's 2002 live album, Cold Cuts features another new combination of the song with "Sit You Down".

The band's 2005 live album, As You Were features a new medley which features "The Train" followed by "Santiago" and "The Soldier's Joy".

Track listing

Tracks written by Steve Knightley, except where noted.

1. "Cousin Jack" – 5:09
2. "Longdog" – 2:45
3. "The Shout" – 4:00
4. "Wessex Medley": "Carrick Roads" (Phil Beer) / "Plum Pudding" (Trad arr. Knightley/Beer) / "The Rocky Road to Chudleigh" (Beer) – 3:40
5. "Dark Fields" – 3:50
6. "The Train" – 3:30
7. "Flora" (Trad arr. Knightley/Beer) – 4:22
8. "Crazy Boy" – 5:40
9. "The Warlike Lads of Russia" (Trad arr. Nic Jones) – 2:21
10. "Farewell Angelina" (Bob Dylan) – 5:02
11. "The Bristol Slaver" – 3:55
12. "High Germany" (trad arr Knightley) / "Molly Oxford" (Trad arr. Chris Wood/Andy Cutting) (Live recording) – 6:24

"The Train (reprise)" - 9:27 (hidden track, follows "High Germany" / "Molly Oxford")

Credits

• Steve Knightley - vocals, guitar, cuatro, mandocello, concertina, acoustic bass guitar, mandolin
• Phil Beer - vocals, guitars, mandolin, fiddle, cuatro, viola, mandocello
• Matt Clifford - keyboards (tracks 1, 3, 5 and 7)
• Chris While - vocals (track 5)
• Simon Care - melodeon (track 4)
• Joe (he's around somewhere) Partridge - percussion (track 7)
• Lucy Watkins, Richard Hammond, and Paul Banham - vocals (tracks 3 and 7)
• Kate Rusby - vocals (track 12)
• Chris Wood - fiddle (track 12)
• Andy Cutting - melodeon (track 12)