Golden Apples of the Sun

Released in 1962, Golden Apples of the Sun is the second studio album by American folk singer Judy Collins. Coming early in her career, the record is a vital document of the Greenwich Village folk revival, yet it stands apart from its contemporaries due to Collins's classical vocal training and elegant delivery. The album's title track is a notable musical adaptation of W.B. Yeats's poem 'The Song of Wandering Aengus', showcasing her early inclination toward literary and poetic material. The track listing is a diverse mix of international traditional songs, including Irish laments ('Shule Aroon'), Scottish ballads ('Great Selchie of Shule Skerry'), and topical protest material ('Crow on the Cradle'). Recorded with minimal accompaniment, the album relies on her crystalline soprano voice and delicate acoustic guitar work to carry the narrative weight of these ancient songs, bridging the gap between traditional folk purity and chamber-like sophistication.