Sophisticated Beggar


Sophisticated Beggar is English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper's debut album. It was released in 1966.

History

The album consists of Harper's poetry backed by acoustic guitar and recorded with a Revox tape machine by Pierre Tubbs. Tubbs was also the producer of the album, under the pseudonym Peter Richards.
When initially released the album was poorly distributed; only a few thousand were ever made, so in order to promote the album, Harper designed flyers and personally handed them out to shoppers in Oxford Street, London. The album's liner notes imply that both John Renbourn and Ritchie Blackmore contributed.
On the original vinyl release, after the record needle pans across the run-out groove to the lock groove, there is a recording of Harper saying "Hup hup" over and over again. Some subsequent CD releases have included this recording as a separate track, "Hup Hup Spiral".
The album has subsequently been re-released on a number of different labels, given numerous titles, and had the original track listing altered. Though still available today, Harper only receives royalties for the official Science Friction release.

Album cover

The album cover was drawn by Lon Goddard who, at the time, was the barman at Les Cousins. Goddard also lived with Harper and his family in Kilburn, London, played 2nd guitar on "October Twelfth" and "Goldfish" and later designed the gatefold cover for Harper's 1970 Harvest release, Flat Baroque and Berserk.

Track listing

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatCatalogTitle
United Kingdom1966StrikeVinylJHL 105Sophisticated Beggar
United Kingdom1966Strike--
United Kingdom1970YoungbloodVinylSSYB 7The Return Of The Sophisticated Beggar
United Kingdom1972BirthVinylRAB 3The Return Of The Sophisticated Beggar
United Kingdom1977Big BenVinylBBX 502The Sophisticated Beggar
United Kingdom1985Avon MusicCassetteASK 791Sophisticated Beggar
United Kingdom1989SundownVinylSDLP051/CDSM 051Sophisticated Beggar
Germany1989MagnumVinylCDSM 051Sophisticated Beggar
United Kingdom1992TringCDJHD 064Legend
United Kingdom1994Science FrictionCDHUCD007Sophisticated Beggar
United Kingdom1997MooncrestCDCRESTCD 027Return Of The Sophisticated Beggar
Japan2006AirmailCD1249Sophisticated Beggar
United Kingdom2007Beat Goes OnCDBGO 771.2The Return Of The Sophisticated Beggar
Belgium2007One MediaCD250183Sophisticated Beggar
United Kingdom2009Vanilla OMPCDChina Girl

Personnel