Mary Black – By The Time It Gets Dark – UK Lp Vinyl Record

Mary Black’s By the Time It Gets Dark is a luminous entry in Irish contemporary folk, released in 1987 on Dara Records. The album blends traditional textures with modern acoustic arrangements, offering songs that feel both timeless and deeply personal. Her voice—clear, unadorned, and emotionally resonant—guides each track with quiet authority.

🌅 By the Time It Gets Dark – Mary Black

Label: Dara Records
Format: LP Vinyl (Standard & Audiophile Editions)
Release Date: 1987
Packaging: Soft matte sleeve with lyric insert
Mastering: Analog warmth with vocal-forward mixing

Some albums reflect the land. This one breathes it. Mary Black’s voice is clear and unadorned, yet rich with emotional nuance. The album blends traditional Irish textures with modern folk arrangements, offering songs that feel both timeless and deeply personal.

🎶 Tracklist
1 By the Time It Gets Dark
2 Schooldays Over
3 Once in a Very Blue Moon
4 Farewell Farewell
5 Sparks Might Fly
6 Katie
7 Loving Time
8 Leaboy’s Lassie
9 The Shadow
10 Men of Worth
11 One Way Donkey Ride
12 Trying to Get the Balance Right

The title track, a cover of Sandy Denny’s reflective ballad, sets the tone for an album that explores memory, longing, and the subtle shifts of everyday life. From the wistful Schooldays Over to the tender Katie, each song is chosen with care and delivered with grace.

The cover art mirrors the music’s mood: Mary stands against a pastel sky, one foot lifted mid-step, as if caught between dusk and motion. It’s a visual metaphor for the album’s emotional palette—gentle transitions, soft revelations, and the beauty of restraint.

Trivia: Before launching her solo career, Mary Black was a member of the legendary Irish folk group De Dannan, where she honed her interpretive style and deepened her connection to traditional music. Her time with the band helped shape the emotional clarity that defines this album.

This vinyl belongs in any collection that values lyrical intimacy and Celtic grace. It’s not just a record—it’s a quiet conversation with the Irish soul.

Visually, the cover is poetic: Mary standing against a pastel sky, one foot lifted, as if caught mid-thought. It’s not just serene—it’s editorial metaphor. Transition as grace. Darkness as invitation.