Spiral Staircase by Ralph McTell

Spiral Staircase, Ralph McTell's second album, came out in Britain on Transatlantic in 1969, and it opens with the song that would follow him for the rest of his career: "Streets of London", which became his signature tune and has since been recorded by upwards of two hundred other artists. Gus Dudgeon produced, and he keeps things intimate, letting McTell's nimble guitar, modelled on the American country blues players who gave him his stage name, carry the weight.

It's gentle, observant folk with a wry side, too: one track, "Rizraklaru", is an anagram of "Rural Karzi". The sleeve was designed by Peter Thaine, a friend of McTell's from Croydon Art College. McTell would return to "Streets of London" in 1974, and the new recording became his biggest hit.

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