Bridget St. John - Biography
Bridget St. John is a folk singer and guitarist from the United Kingdom whose most recognized work occurred between 1969-1974. St. John learned guitar from a college mate, John Martyn, and she found a sub-culture audience in the UK with her gentle, airy voice and interesting collaborations. In 1974, at the apex of her popularity, St. John was voted the fifth most popular female singer in the Melody Maker reader’s poll.
Renowned DJ John Peel first recognized St. John and championed her earliest sessions for the BBC and for his own show. Peel produced her first album for his label in 1969, Dandelion, entitled Ask Me No Questions. The all acoustic album is full of spry reflection and melancholy, and it did well for St. John in getting her started on the college and festival circuit. Questions featured her mentor John Martyn on guitar, and St. John often used strange and unusual imagery in her lyrics, with provocative song titles such as “Lizard-Long-Tongue Boy” and “Curious Crystals of Unusual Purity.”
Her next album was Songs for the Gentle Man (1971 Dandelion), a more ambitious album instrumentally than her debut, but equally hermetic. Gentle Man was produced by Pink Floyd collaborator Ron Geesin—who also played guitar and organ on the album—and it contained lush arrangements with strings and woodwinds. Once again John Martyn makes an appearance, and St. John’s voice drew comparisons to Nico—particularly on the last track, “It Seems Very Strange.”
By St. John’s third album, Thank You For . . . (1972 Dandelion), the British folkie had a developed a cult following, and an inspired version of a the traditional folk song “Lazarus” became a minor hit. She also did covers of Bob Dylan’s “Love Minus Zero, No Limit” and Buddy Holly’s “Every Day” on the album. This is the first time that St. John sat in the producer’s chair alongside well-known engineer, Jerry Boys. Aside from Geesin, UK folk luminaries Andy Roberts, Rick Kemp and Dave Mattacks of electric folk outfit Fairport Convention contributed to the album as well.
Jumblequeen (1974 Chrysalis) was St. John’s fourth album, a low-key affair that would end up being the folkie’s last original release. Members of Jethro Tull and King Crimson appear on Jumblequeen, as well as famed guitarist and country bluesman, Stefan Grossman. John Martyn’s wife, Beverely, sings back-up on the vocals, although John himself—for the first time in St. John’s discography—does not make an appearance. The album featured a folk-rock sound, and it sometimes draws comparisons to Phoebe Snow.
Shortly after Jumblequeen was released, St. John all but retired from music. She moved to New York City and worked briefly at the door of CBGB’s, and for the next few years she recorded intermittent rock songs with NY session band Stuff. These recordings would later be released as Take the 5ifth (1996, Road Goes On Forever) and did not make much more than a ripple when it came out. Many of St. John’s devoted fans were disappointed by the updated, electric sound—though compositionally the songs were very similar to earlier songs she had written. She even strayed into what many thought was pop territory with the song “You Make it All Right.”
Aside from her own recordings, St. John has appeared on tracks by Kevin Ayers and Mike Oldfield. In 2007, she recorded a duet with Robin Frederick called “Baby Come Home.”
St. John has been making a bit of an underground resurgence among folk revivalists, right alongside ’70s icons such as Bert Jansch, Vashti Bunyan, Michael Hurley and Gary Higgins.