The Well Below the Valley

"The Well Below the Valley" is the second album by the Irish folk group Planxty. It was released in 1973 on the Polydor label and takes its title from the sixth song on the album, "The Well Below the Valley" the record's centerpiece, the eerie title track, a taut, mid-tempo dirge that's loosely based on the story of Jesus at the Well. Though traditional, the tune's incestuous overtones and dark imagery have limited its appeal to older generations of singers -- most refuse to sing it -- and defined it as the forbidden fruit of Celtic music. The album was released on cd in 1988 on the Shanachie label.