The Black Bull of Norroway

***The Black Bull of Norroway***, often referred to as just ***Bull**,* is the second studio album by American rock band Flyford Favell, released 12 November 1970 by SK Records. The album features significant songwriting contributions from all band members, as well as two joint efforts. It marks a departure from Flyford Favell's folk rock efforts on their previous album, with a more psychedelic and progressive sound.

## Background and release

Following the end of their US/UK tour towards the end of 1969, Flyford Favell entered a period of great enthusiasm. Each member began writing with renewed effort. Although not all compositions made their way onto *Bull*, a couple would later appear on *Sordid Realities* and many would eventually appear in the members' solo careers. Sylvia Thunder, friend of the band who would later co-found the Mansa Musas with Wallis, stated:

> "I'd never seen anything like it. Each of them was probably writing a song a day, and it went on for about six months. Cleo won't mind me saying, though - a lot of it just...wasn't very good. They used to come up with, like, three notes and read the obits over them. Not exactly *Billboard* stuff."
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During this time, all the members began experimenting more with recreational drugs. This was most noticeable in Flynn’s writing, branching out from his acoustic-heavy early work into a far more eclectic sound. Like the others, he also became increasingly prolific, although many more of his songs made it to the studio. More than twenty demos that did not make the album were recorded in the sessions. After a few months of working on the album, tensions flared with Hickey and Sara as time pushed on. Wallis would later state that it was over the course of this album that her songwriting ability became more tenable thanks to her partnership with Flynn. Rising tensions and increasing tardiness led to the album’s completion coming three months late.

At the end of September, before the album was formally finished "Waken And Turn To Me" was released as a single, with "Tomorrow" as a B-side. The album would be released 12 November 1970. Critics called it a marked improvement on their first album, noting the intensity of the compositions, something which Sara had pushed for. Sara and Flynn had worked more extensively together during the production of the album. The release pushed Favell to new heights and chart success, the psychedelic sound striking a new chord with the audience.

Their second single from the album was "Setting Sun*"*, the only original single release by the band that was not written by Flynn, and the most mellow. It was co-writted by Hickey and Sara, during what Wallis would describe as their "honeymoon period" in February 1970. In 2005, in a retrospective profile of the band for Rolling Stone, Ian McGuinn would write:

> “It is a wonder that [Flyford Favell]’s only true love song - and arguably the most poignant of their catalogue - was penned not by Lawrence Flynn, but by none other than Al Hickey and Charlie Sara, two men who have been divorced more times than Liz Taylor and who - rumour has it - hate each other so much that Sara refuses to be in the same state as Hickey.”
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Flyford Favell subsequently played several dates in both New York and Los Angeles, including a riotous concert at the Hollywood Bowl. They returned to the UK shortly after, playing dates at the Roundhouse, in what would become their last international concert. Tensions eased with travel, although the peace would be short-lived going into the production of *Sordid Realities.* Wallis stated in her autobiography that this tour was her favourite they played, even with the band’s increasing unpredictability. Recordings of the 1970 Roundhouse concert were included on later release Flyford Favell: Live (1980).

## Cover art

Although straying away from the folk rock genre, the album was named after Scottish fairy tale, the Black Bull of Norroway. The band were influenced by a number of psychedelic and experimental rock groups in drawing inspiration from folklore and classic literature in their design and themes. The artwork was heavily based on artwork by British painter Morris Meredith Williams in *The Scottish Fairy Book* (1910). It was altered and extended by SK Records designer, Mari Kasuga.

## Track listing

**Side one**

1. Waken And Turn To Me (Flynn)
2. Tomorrow (Flynn & Wallis)
3. Don’t Look Up (Flynn)
4. Stone Circle (Sara)
5. Blue Hill Bay (Hickey)
6. Waltz of the Toreador (Flynn)

**Side two**

1. The Ballad of Clara Lin (Flynn)
2. Reality (Sara)
3. Troublesome Youth (Flynn & Wallis)
4. 300 Years (Hickey)
5. Early Morning, Springtime (Flynn)

**Side three**

1. The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Flynn)
2. Beggar (Sara)
3. More Than That (Wallis)
4. Venus and Adonis (Flynn, Hickey, Sara, Wallis)
5. Cry for the Sun (Flynn & Sara)

**Side four**

1. Sine Qua Non (Wallis)
2. Coldwater Canyon (Flynn)
3. Mnemonic Doggerel (Sara)
4. For Every Good Reason (Flynn)
5. Emmanuel (Flynn)
6. Setting Sun (Hickey & Sara)

## Personnel

* Al Hickey - lead vocals, bass guitar
* Lawrence Flynn - electric and acoustic guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Emmanuel"
* Cleo Wallis - drums, percussion, backing vocals
* Charlie Sara - keyboards, piano, acoustic guitar on "For Every Good Reason", double bass on "Setting Sun", backing vocals, lead vocals on "Stone Circle"