Acclaimed British band the Levellers have released a live version of ‘England My Home’ recorded on tour with their much-loved acoustic Collective at London’s iconic Hackney Empire in 2023. The song is taken from their brand new live album and DVD out on March 7th via On The Fiddle Recordings. It is available to pre-order here.
‘England My Home’ is one of the very first songs from the Levellers, originally appearing on their 1989 debut EP Carry Me, and featuring on their debut album A Weapon Called The Word the following year. Fast and furious in its early recording, this acoustic live version brings more of a reflective air to the song, depicting the still difficult subjects of patriotism and disappointment in a country that is riven with division but still occupies a special place in its citizens’ hearts.
Vocalist and guitarist Mark Chadwick comments, “‘England My Home’ is an apolitical song about place and home and was an early song by the band, innocent in its intent to conjure how a nation is, and where it was and where it’s going. And it rocks to this very day and remains true.”
Jeremy Cunningham, the band’s bassist explains, “We wrote it on the dole walking around and thinking about how we loved our country, shit though it is, and how to express that in a song. So it’s about Thatcher’s broken Britain and trying to find one’s place in a country you care about but feel has left you behind.”
The tracklisting for Levellers Collective / Live is:
1. Carry Me
2. The Game
3. The Lowlands Of Holland
4. Liberty Song
5. Battle Of The Beanfield
6. Wheels
7. Drug Bust McGee
8. Together All The Way
9. Sitting In The Social
10. Man O’ War
11. Julie
12. Ghosts In The Water
13. Born That Way
14. Haven’t Made It
15. England My Home
16. The Cholera Well
17. The Boatman
18. The Road
19. Far From Home
20. Hope Street
21. Down By The River ‘O
22. Just The One