Fairport Convention: Discography 1968 - 1971 + Meet On The Ledge (2CD Compilation)

 

 This Post is dedicated to our Brother-Blog "The Blog Nobody Reads" and his blogger Andy Swapp, cause I think that he loves this amazing band.

Fairport Convention are an English folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Martin Lamble after their first gig). They started out influenced by American folk rock, with a set

list dominated by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell songs and a sound that earned them the nickname "the British Jefferson Airplane". Vocalists Judy Dyble and Iain Matthews joined them before the recording of their self-titled debut in 1968; afterwards, Dyble was replaced by Sandy Denny, with Matthews later leaving during the recording of their third album.
                    

Widely accepted as being the first great English electric folk group, Fairport Convention is that and

far more. It would be safer to say they are simply one of the greatest English groups of all. They began their career with a repertoire of traditional material, some originals and a veritable jukebox of American new folk, they soon developed their own niche as interpreters of murder ballads, sly tales of yore and deeply thought out, planned and executed concept pieces.
                   

Fairport Convention were soon playing regularly at underground venues such as UFO and The Electric

Garden, which later became the Middle Earth club.After only a few months, they caught the attention of manager Joe Boyd who secured them a contract with Polydor Records. Boyd suggested they augment the line-up with another male vocalist. Singer Iain Matthews (then known as Ian MacDonald) joined the band, and their first album, Fairport Convention, was recorded in late 1967 and released in June 1968.
                  

At this early stage Fairport looked to North American folk and folk rock acts such as Joni Mitchell, Bob

Dylan, and The Byrds for material and inspiration. The name "Fairport Convention" and the use of two lead vocalists led many new listeners to believe that they were an American act, earning them the nickname 'the British Jefferson Airplane' during this period. Fairport Convention played at the first Isle of Wight Festival, in August 1968, when Jefferson Airplane headlined.
                

The best British folk-rock band of the late '60s, Fairport Convention did more than any other act to develop a truly British variation on the folk-rock prototype by drawing upon traditional material and styles indigenous to the British Isles. While the revved-up renditions of traditional

British folk tunes drew the most critical attention, the group members were also (at least at the outset) talented songwriters as well as interpreters. They were comfortable with conventional harmony-based folk-rock as well as tunes that drew upon more explicitly traditional sources, and boasted some of the best singers and instrumentalists of the day. A revolving door of personnel changes, however, saw the exit of their most distinguished talents, and basically changed the band into a living museum piece after the early '70s, albeit an enjoyable one with integrity.
              

Matthews had left the band in early 1969, and Lamble (still in his teens) died in an accident

involving the group's equipment van in mid-1969. That forced Fairport to regroup, replacing Lamble with Dave Mattacks, and adding Dave Swarbrick on fiddle. Their repertoire, too, became much more traditional in focus, and electrified traditional folk numbers would dominate their next album, Liege and Lief (1969). Here critical thought diverges; some insist that this is unequivocally their

SANDY DENNY

peak, marking a final escape from their '60s folk-rock influences into a much more original style. This school of thought severely underestimates their songwriting talents, and others feel that they were at their best when mixing original and outside material, and contemporary and traditional styles, in fact becoming more predictable and derivative when they opted to concentrate on British folk chestnuts.
                     

     
The Liege and Lief lineup didn't last long; by the end of the '60s, Ashley Hutchings had left to join Steeleye Span, replaced by Dave Pegg. More crucially, Denny was also gone, helping to form Fotheringay. Thompson was still on board for Full House (1970), but by the beginning of 1971 he too

had departed, leaving Nicol as the only original member.
Fairport have kept going, on and off (mostly on), for the last 25 years, touring and performing frequently. It may be too harsh to dismiss all of their post-Thompson records out of hand; Angel Delight (1971), the first recorded without the guitarist on board, was actually their highest-charting LP in the U.K., reaching the Top Ten.
               

The mainstream media has increasingly recognized Fairport Convention's historical importance. They

SIMON NICOL

received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the 2002 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. In the same year Free Reed Records, an independent label, released Fairport Unconventional, a four-CD boxed set of rare and unreleased recordings from the band's 35-year career. At the 2006 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards they received an award when their seminal album Liege & Lief was voted 'Most Influential Folk Album

MARTIN LAMBLE

of All Time' by Radio 2 listeners.[7] At the 2007 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Fairport Convention received an award recognising the late Sandy Denny and the band for "Favourite Folk Track of All Time" for "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?". Original vocalist Judy Dyble died on July 12, 2020 after a long illness.
                  

1. FAIRPORT CONVENTION - FAIRPORT CONVENTION 1968

                 

By far the most rock-oriented of Fairport Convention's early albums, this debut was recorded before Sandy Denny joined the band (Judy Dyble handles the female vocals). Unjustly overlooked by listeners who consider the band's pre-Denny output insignificant, this is a fine folk-rock effort that takes far more inspiration from West Coast '60s sounds than traditional British folk. Fairport's chief

strengths at this early juncture were the group's interpretations, particularly in the harmony vocals, of obscure tunes by American songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Emitt Rhodes, and Jim & Jean. Their own songs weren't quite up to that high standard, but were better than many have given them credit for, with "Decameron" and "Sun Shade" in particular hitting wonderfully fetching melancholic moods. It's true that Fairport would devise a more original style after Denny joined, but the bandmembers' first-class abilities as more American pop-folk-rock-styled musicians on this album shouldn't be undersold.
           

Fairport Convention – Fairport Convention
Label: Polydor – 068 291-2
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Country: UK & Europe
Released: 2003
Genre: Rock
Style: Folk Rock

TRACKS

                

01. Time Will Show The Wiser   3:04
Written-By – Emmitt Rhodes
02. I Don't Know Where I Stand   3:43
Written-By – Joni Mitchell
03. If (Stomp)   2:45
Written-By – MacDonald, Thompson
04. Decameron   3:42
Written-By – Horvitch, Ghosh, Thompson
05. Jack O'Diamonds   3:28
Written-By – Ben Carruthers, Bob Dylan
06. Portfolio   1:58
Written-By – Hutchings, Dyble
07. Chelsea Morning   3:03
Written-By – Joni Mitchell
08. Sun Shade   3:46
Written-By – Horvitch, Ghosh, Thompson
09. The Lobster   4:45
Written-By – Hutchings, Painter, Thompson
10. It's Alright Ma, It's Only Witchcraft   3:12
Written-By – Hutchings, Thompson
11. One Sure Thing   2:52
Written-By – Harvey Brooks, Jim Glover
12. M.1 Breakdown   1:23
Written-By – Hutchings, Nicol

BONUS TRACKS        

    
13. Suzanne   5:45
Written-By – Leonard Cohen
14. If I Had A Ribbon Bow   2:40
Written-By – Prince, Singer
15. Morning Glory   3:09
Written-By – Tim Buckley
16. Reno, Nevada   7:43
Written-By – Richard Farina

LINE - UP

         

JUDY DYBLE

Bass Guitar, Jug – Tyger Hutchings
Lead Vocals, Autoharp [Electric & Acoustic], Recorder, Piano – Judy Dyble
Lead Vocals, Jew's Harp – Ian MacDonald
Vocals, Electric Guitar [12 & 6 String], Acoustic Guitar [12 & 6 String] – Simon Nicol
Vocals, Electric Guitar [Lead], Acoustic Guitar [Lead], Mandolin – Richard Thompson

NOTES

Original Album released in 1968 as Polydor 583 035
Tracks 1 to 14 Produced for Witchseason Productions
Tracks 15 & 16 Recorded Saturday 27th April 1968

Flac Size: 273 MB

2. FAIRPORT CONVENTION - WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAYS 1969

              

Sandy Denny's haunting, ethereal vocals gave Fairport a big boost on her debut with the group. A more folk-based album than their initial effort, What We Did on Our Holidays is divided between original material and a few well-chosen covers. This contains several of their greatest moments: Denny's "Fotheringay," Richard Thompson's "Meet on the Ledge," the obscure Joni Mitchell composition "Eastern Rain," the traditional "She Moves Through the Fair," and their version of Bob Dylan's "I'll Keep It with Mine." And more than simply being a collection of good songs (with one or

two pedestrian ones), it allowed Fairport to achieve its greatest internal balance, and indeed one of the finest balances of any major folk-rock group. The strong original material, covers of little-known songs by major contemporary songwriters such as Dylan and Mitchell, and updates of traditional material were reminiscent of the blend achieved by the Byrds on their early albums, with Fairport Convention giving a British slant to the idiom. The slant would become much more British by the end of the '60s, though, both gaining and losing something in the process. Confusingly, What We Did on Our Holidays was titled Fairport Convention in its initial U.S. release, with a different cover from the U.K. edition, although Fairport's very first album from 1968 had used the title Fairport Convention as well.

Fairport Convention – What We Did On Our Holidays
Label: Island Records – IMCD 294, Island Records – 063 597-2
Series: Island Remasters – IMCD 294
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2003
Country: Europe
Released: 1969    
Genre: Rock
Style: Folk Rock, Classic Rock

TRACKS

              

01. Fotheringay   3:04
Written-By – Sandy Denny
02. Mr Lacey   2:52
Performer [& His Machine] – Prof Bruce Lacey
Written-By – Ashley Hutchings
03. Book Song   3:13
Cello – Claire Lowther
Written-By – Ian Matthews, Richard Thompson
04. The Lord Is In This Place, How Dreadful Is This Place?   1:58
Written-By – Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny
05. No Man's Land   2:29
Written-By – Richard Thompson
06. I'll Keep It With Mine   5:53
Written-By – Bob Dylan
07. Eastern Rain   3:35
Written-By – Joni Mitchell
08. Nottamun Town   3:10
Arranged By [Arr.] – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Trad.
09. Tale In Hard Time   3:26
Written-By – Richard Thompson
10. She Moves Through The Fair   4:11
Arranged By [Arr.] – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Trad.
11. Meet On The Ledge   2:49
Written-By – Richard Thompson
12. End Of A Holiday   1:07
Written-By – Simon Nicol

BONUS TRACKS            

13. Throwaway Street Puzzle   3:26
Harmonica – Pete Ross
Written-By – Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson
14. You're Gonna Need My Help   4:07
Engineer – Tony Wilson
Producer – John Walters
Slide Guitar – Richard
Written-By – McKinley Morganfield
15. Some Sweet Day   2:32
Written-By – F & B Bryant

LINE - UP

Sandy Denny (as Alexandra Elene MacLean Denny) – vocals, 6 & 12-string acoustic guitars, organ, piano, harpsichord
Iain Matthews – vocals, congas
Richard Thompson – electric, 6 & 12-string acoustic guitars, piano accordion, sitar on "Book Song" (uncredited), vocals
Ashley Hutchings – bass, backing vocals
Simon Nicol – electric & acoustic guitars, electric autoharp, electric dulcimer, backing vocals
Martin Lamble – drums, percussion, violin, tabla & footsteps

ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL

Bruce Lacey & his robots on "Mr. Lacey"
Claire Lowther – cello on "Book Song"
Kingsley Abbott – coins on "The Lord Is in This Place...," backing vocals on "Meet on the Ledge"
Paul Ghosh, Andrew Horvitch & Marc Ellington – backing vocals on "Meet on the Ledge"
Peter Ross – harmonica on "Throwaway Street Puzzle"

Flac Size: 256 MB

3. FAIRPORT CONVENTION - UNHALFBRICKING 1969

        

Unhalfbricking was, if only in retrospect, a transitional album for the young Fairport Convention, in which the group shed its closest ties to its American folk-rock influences and started to edge toward a more traditional British folk-slanted sound. That shift wouldn't be definitive until their next album, Liege & Lief. But the strongest link to the American folk-rock harmony approach left with the departure of Ian Matthews, who left shortly after the sessions for Unhalfbricking began. The mixture of obscure American folk-rock songs, original material, and traditional interpretations that had fallen into

place with What We Did on Our Holidays earlier in the year was actually still intact, if not as balanced. Sandy Denny's two compositions, her famous "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" and the far less celebrated but magnetically brooding "Autopsy," were among the record's highlights. So too were the goofball French Cajun cover of Bob Dylan's "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" (here retitled "Si Tu Dois Partir," and a British hit) and the magnificent reading of Dylan's "Percy's Song," though the bash through Dylan's "Million Dollar Bash" was less effective. Richard Thompson's pair of songs, however, were less memorable. The clear signpost to the future was their 11-minute take on the traditional song "A Sailor's Life," with guest fiddle by Dave Swarbrick, soon to join Fairport himself and make his own strong contribution toward reshaping the band's sound.

          

Fairport Convention – Unhalfbricking
Label: Island Records – IMCD 293, Island Records – 063 596 2
Series: Island Remasters – IMCD 293
Format: CD, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered 2003
Country: Europe
Released: 1969
Genre: Rock
Style: Folk Rock

TRACKS

             

01. Genesis Hall  3:35
Written-By – Richard Thompson
02. Si Tu Dois Partir    2:18
Fiddle – Dave Swarbrick
Triangle – Trevor Lucas
Written-By – Bob Dylan
03. Autopsy   4:20
Written-By – Sandy Denny
04. A Sailor's Life   11:08
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Fiddle – Dave Swarbrick
Written-By – Trad.
05. Cajun Woman   2:42
Fiddle – Dave Swarbrick
Written-By – Richard Thompson
06. Who Knows Where The Time Goes?   5:08
Written-By – Sandy Denny
07. Percy's Song   6:46
Vocals [Singing] – Iain Matthews
Written-By – Bob Dylan
08. Million Dollar Bash   2:54
Mandolin – Dave Swarbrick
Vocals [Singing] – Marc Ellington
Written-By – Bob Dylan

BONUS TRACKS        

    
09. Dear Landlord   4:06
Written-By – Bob Dylan
10. The Ballad Of Easy Rider   4:55
Drums – Dave Mattacks
Written-By – Roger McGuinn

LINE - UP

                

Sandy Denny – vocals, harpsichord
Richard Thompson – electric and acoustic guitars, electric dulcimer, piano accordion, organ, backing vocals
Ashley Hutchings – bass, backing vocals
Simon Nicol – electric and acoustic guitars, electric dulcimer, backing vocals
Martin Lamble – drums, stacked chair backs on "Si Tu Dois Partir"

ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL

Iain Matthews – backing vocals on "Percy's Song"
Dave Swarbrick – fiddle on "Si Tu Dois Partir", "A Sailor's Life", and "Cajun Woman" and mandolin on "Million Dollar Bash"
Trevor Lucas – triangle on "Si Tu Dois Partir"
Marc Ellington – vocals on "Million Dollar Bash"
Dave Mattacks – drums on "Ballad of Easy Rider"

Flac Size: 280 MB

4. FAIRPORT CONVENTION - LIEG AND LIEF 1969 (2 CD DELUXE EDITION 2007)

                 

In the decades since its original release, more than one writer has declared Fairport Convention's Liege & Lief the definitive British folk-rock album, a distinction it holds at least in part because it grants equal importance to all three parts of that formula. While Fairport had begun dipping their toes into British traditional folk with their stellar version of "A Sailor's Life" on Unhalfbricking, Liege & Lief found them diving head first into the possibilities of England's musical past, with Ashley Hutchings

digging through the archives at the Cecil Sharp House in search of musical treasure, and the musicians (in particular vocalist Sandy Denny) eagerly embracing the dark mysteries of this music. (Only two of the album's eight songs were group originals, though "Crazy Man Michael" and "Come All Ye" hardly stand out from their antique counterparts.) Liege & Lief was also recorded after a tour bus crash claimed the lives of original Fairport drummer Martin Lamble and Richard Thompson's girlfriend, Jeannie Franklyn.  Liege & Lief introduced a large new audience to the beauty of British folk, but Fairport Convention's interpretations spoke of the present as much as the past, and the result was timeless music in the best sense of the term.
             

Fairport Convention – Liege & Lief
Label: Island Records – 530 111-1, Island Remasters – 530 111-1
Series: Deluxe Edition
Format: 2 x CD, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered 2007
Country: UK
Released: 1969
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk Rock

CD1. THE ORIGINAL ALBUM        

             

  
01. Come All Ye   5:00
Written-By – Ashley Hutchings, Sandy Denny
02. Reynardine   4:30
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
03. Matty Groves   8:07
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
04. Farewell, Farewell   2:37
Written-By – Richard Thompson
05. The Deserter   4:21
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
06. Medley: The Lark In The Morning; Rakish Paddy; Foxhunter's Jig; Toss The Feathers   4:06
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
07. Tam Lin   7:11
Arranged By – Dave Swarbrick
Written-By – Traditional
08. Crazy Man Michael   4:40
Written-By – Dave Swarbrick, Richard Thompson

CD1. Flac Size: 238 MB

CD2.  STUDIO OUT - TAKES AND BBC SESSIONS        

             

  
01. Sir Patrick Spens (Sandy Denny Vocal Version)   3:59
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
02. Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood {Take 4}   5:59
Arranged By – Sandy Denny
Music By – Traditional
Words By – Richard Farina
03. The Ballad Of Easy Rider   4:53
Written-By – Roger McGuinn
04. Tam Lin   7:46
Arranged By – Dave Swarbrick
Written-By – Traditional
05. Medley: The Lark In The Morning; Rakish Paddy;   4:13 Foxhunter's Jig; Toss The Feathers
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
06. Sir Patrick Spens   3:44
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
07. Reynardine   4:19
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
08. Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood {Take 1}   7:50
Arranged By – Sandy Denny
Music By – Traditional
Words By – Richard Farina
09. The Lady Is A Tramp   2:11
Written-By – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
10. Medley: The Lady Is A Tramp; In Other Words (Fly Me To The Moon)   2:21
Written-By – Bart Howard, Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers

LINE - UP

Sandy Denny – vocals
Dave Swarbrick – fiddle, viola
Richard Thompson – electric & acoustic guitars, backing vocals
Simon Nicol – electric, 6-string & 12-string acoustic guitars, backing vocals
Ashley Hutchings – bass guitar, backing vocals
Dave Mattacks – drums, percussion

NOTES

           

Disc one: 1969 Island Records Ltd.
Disc two: Tracks 2-1, 2-2 & 2-8  2002 Universal/Island Records Ltd., Track 2-3 1976 Universal/Island Records Ltd., Tracks 2-4, 2-7 & 2-9  1969 BBC Music; Track 2-10  2007 Universal/Island Records Ltd.

CD2. Flac Size: 240 MB

5. FAIRPORT CONVENTION - FULL HOUSE 1970

            

Fairport Convention is a group that has always beaten the odds -- that's why a version of the band is working in the 21st century. By the time of this, the group's fifth album, key members Ashley Hutchings and Sandy Denny had exited the lineup, yet the group continued here without skipping a beat, for the first time without a female singer -- and it turned out not to make a major difference. Richard Thompson and Dave Swarbrick took over as singers, and Dave Pegg (more recently of Jethro Tull) joined on bass, and the resulting album was actually more viscerally exciting than its predecessor, Liege and Lief, if not quite as important as that record, since it came first. Even vocally, this version of the group needed offer no apologies. Thompson, Swarbrick, Pegg, and Simon Nicol harmonize

beautifully around strong lead vocals. Not only does the singing here retain the high standard of the earlier incarnation of the group (check out the harmony singing on "Sir Patrick Spens" and "Flowers of the Forest"), but the playing throughout has greater urgency and punch, from the rousing Thompson-Swarbrick opener "Walk Awhile" to the haunting, moody, dazzling nine-minute "Sloth," which remained part of the group's live set for years. An indispensable recording, and one that anybody who wants to truly know this band, or to take in some of the best work of Richard Thompson's career, must own (his playing on "Sloth" and "Doctor of Physick" makes it worthwhile). Swarbrick's fiddle and viola playing is also among the best of his career. Ironically, Thompson would make this his last full-time studio venture with Fairport, but what a way to go!
           

Fairport Convention – Full House
Label: Island Records – 586375-2
Series: Island Remasters – IMCD 285
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2001
Country: UK
Released: 1970    
Genre: Rock
Style: Folk Rock

TRACKS

         

01. Walk Awhile   4:01
Written-By – D. Swarbrick, R. Thompson
02. Doctor Of Physick   3:33
Written-By – D. Swarbrick, R. Thompson
03. Dirty Linen   4:14
Arranged By – Dave Swarbrick
Written-By – Traditional
04. Sloth   9:15
Written-By – D. Swarbrick, R. Thompson
05. Sir Patrick Spens   3:32
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
06. Flatback Caper   6:22
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
07. Poor Will & The Jolly Hangman   5:31
Written-By – D. Swarbrick, R. Thompson
08. The Flowers Of The Forest   4:04
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
09. Now Be Thankful (Mono)   2:24
Written-By – D. Swarbrick, R. Thompson
10. Sir B. McKenzie's Daughter's Lament   2:52
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
11. Bonny Bunch Of Roses   10:48
Arranged By – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Traditional
12. Now Be Thankful (New Stereo MIx)   2:24
Written-By – D. Swarbrick, R. Thompson

LINE - UP

Dave Swarbrick – vocals, fiddle, viola, mandolin (on 6,7)
Richard Thompson – vocals, electric guitar
Dave Pegg – vocals, bass guitar, mandolin (on 6)
Dave Mattacks – drums, percussion, harmonium (on 2), bodhran (on 3)
Simon Nicol – vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, bass guitar (on 6), electric dulcimer (on 8)

Flac Size: 363 MB

6. FAIRPORT CONVENTION - ANGEL DELIGHT 1971

              

Richard Thompson exits the Fairport lineup, leaving the band reduced to a quartet of Simon Nicol, Dave Swarbrick, Dave Pegg, and Dave Mattacks. The loss of big guns Thompson and Denny was felt, but amazingly, although it isn't nearly as well known as Liege and Lief or Full House, this record reached the highest chart position of any Fairport LP, making number eight in England.

Swarbrick led the group in even more of a traditional British folk vein. By now everybody involved was singing (with Nicol and Swarbrick usually alternating on lead), and they managed to pull it off, mostly by virtue of the honesty of their voices and instrumental work almost as vital and animated as any in their history. From the beautifully sung and exciting opener "Lord Marlborough," the album should strike a responsive chord with any folk or folk-rock enthusiast--especially enjoyable are the singing on the buoyantly humorous title track and the viola/violin duet between Swarbrick and Nicol on "Bridge Over The River Ash."
                

Fairport Convention – Angel Delight
Label: Island Records – 982 150-0, Island Remasters – IMCD 307
Series: Island Remasters
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2004
Country: UK
Released: 1971    
Genre: Rock
Style: Folk Rock

TRACKS

         

01. Lord Marlborough   3:21
Arranged By [arr:] – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Trad
02. Sir William Gower   4:54
Arranged By [arr:] – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Trad
03. Bridge Over The River Ash   2:12
Arranged By [arr:] – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Trad
04. Wizard Of The Worldly Game   4:05
Written-By – Swarbrick, Nicol
05. The Journeyman's Grace   4:31
Written-By – Swarbrick, Thompson
06. Angel Delight   3:34
Written-By – Fairport Convention
07. Banks Of The Sweet Primroses   4:12
Arranged By [arr:] – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Trad
08. Instrumental Medley: The Cuckoo's Nest / Hardiman The Fiddler / Papa Stoor   3:25
Arranged By [arr:] – Fairport Convention
Written-By – Trad
09. The Bonny Black Hare   3:04
Arranged By [arr:] – Lloyd
Written-By – Trad
10. Sickness & Diseases   3:47
Written-By – Swarbrick, Thompson

BONUS TRACK        

    
11. The Journeyman's Grace   3:53
Guitar – Richard Thompson
Written-By – Swarbrick, Thompson

LINE - UP

Simon Nicol – lead vocals (2,5), vocals (1,4-7,9,10,11), guitar (1,2,4-8,10,11), bass guitar, electric dulcimer (1,9), violin
Dave Swarbrick – lead vocals (1,4,5,10,11), mandolin (2,6,8,9,10), vocals (2,6,7,9), fiddle (1,5,7,8,11), viola, cuckoo
Dave Pegg – bass guitar (1-2,4-8,10,11), vocals (1,2,4-7,9,10,11), lead guitar, viola, violin
Dave Mattacks – drums (1,2,4-11), percussion (8,10), vocals (1,4-7,10-11), harmonium and piano, tambourine (6), bass guitar on 11:
Richard Thompson – vocals, electric guitar

NOTES

LP originally released on Island Records (ILPS 9162) in Jun 1971.
Recorded Feb - Mar 1971 at Sound Techniques, London, England.

Flac Size: 223 MB

7. FAIRPORT CONVENTION - BABBACOMBE' LEE 1971

The group's only concept album (similar in some ways to the Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow), built around the life story of John "Babbacombe" Lee, a Victorian-era condemned murderer. Lee's story, from his boyhood poverty to his time in the Royal Navy, his being invalided out and forced to work in the service of Miss Keyes, to her murder and his sentence of death, and the failure of the

gallows three times, is told in song, and all but one of those songs are originals. The all-male Fairport seldom sang better, nor did the post-Thompson band ever play with more panache, and some of the songs are beautiful -- but a few are lugubrious, and as with most other concept albums, the fit between the songs and the larger subject ultimately isn't entirely comfortable for the listener. All of the material was confusing because the group, for some reason, never put titles on the individual songs, instead stringing them together in longer sections. The critics loved it, but the listeners stayed away in droves for the first time since the band's debut album.
             

Fairport Convention – 'Babbacombe' Lee
Label: Island Records – 982 150-1, Island Remasters – IMCD 308
Series: Island Remasters
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo Aug 2, 2004
Country: UK
Released: 1971    
Genre: Rock
Style: Folk Rock, Spoken Word

TRACKS

ORIGINAL LP SIDE ONE        

                 

  
01. The Verdict
Narrator – Philip Sterling-Wall
02. Little Did I Think
03. I Was Sixteen (Part 1)
04. John My Son
05. I Was Sixteen (Part 2)
06. St Ninian's Isle / Trumpet Hornpipe
07. Sailors Alphabet
08. John Lee
09. Newspaper Reading
Narrator [Read By] – A. L. Lloyd
10. Breakfast In Mayfair

ORIGINAL LP SIDE TWO        

          

  
11. Trial Song
12. Cell Song
13. The Time Is Near
14. Dream Song
15. Wake Up John (Hanging Song)

BONUS TRACKS            

16. Farewell To A Poor Man's Son
Performer – Jerry Donahue
17. Breakfast In Mayfair
Performer – Jerry Donahue
Vocals – Sandy Denny

LINE - UP

Simon Nicol – vocals, guitar, dulcimer (12)
Dave Mattacks – drums, electric piano (12), harmonium (6,7)
Dave Swarbrick – vocals, fiddle, mandolin
Dave Pegg – vocals, bass, mandolin on 16 and 17
Jerry Donahue – lead guitar
Sandy Denny – vocals on "Breakfast in Mayfair"

Flac Size: 274 MB

8. MEET ON THE LEDGE (2CD COMPILATION - THE CLASSIC YEARS 1967 - 1975) 1999

            

Fairport Convention have had their fair share of anthologies, but the double-disc set Meet on the Ledge: The Classic Years (1967-1975) is arguably the best yet, rivaling the classic Fairport Chronicles, which was released just as the classic lineup was splitting apart. Meet on the Ledge is more exhaustive than that collection, and it also boasts a number of rarities, including the previously unreleased "Bonny

Bunch of Roses" and "Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman." Undoubtedly, those will be of interest to collectors, but the 32-track set is still primarily targeted at neophytes and casual fans. Happily, it fulfills its goal of offering a flawless introduction -- not only does it provide a concise history of the band, but it's also tremendously entertaining. Which means that even if it satiates some appetites, it will whet others. But the best thing is that the compilation works well enough to remain entertaining, even if you know the albums inside out.
          

Fairport Convention – Meet On The Ledge The Classic Years (1967-1975)
Label: Island Records – 564 687-2
Format: 2 x CD, Album, Compilation, Remastered
Country: Europe
Released: 1999
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk Rock

CD1.

                

01. Chelsea Morning   3:02
Written By – Joni Mitchell
02. Fotheringay   3:01
Written By – Sandy Denny
03. Mr. Lacey    2:50
Written By – Ashley Hutchings
04. Book Song   3:12
Written By – Iain Matthews
05. I'll Keep It With Mine   5:52
Written By – Bob Dylan
06. Tale In Hard Time   3:25
Written By – Richard Thompson
07. Meet On The Ledge   2:49
Written By – Richard Thompson
08. Genesis Hall   3:35
Written By – Richard Thompson
09. A Sailor's Life    11:12
Written By – Traditional
10. Who Knows Where The Time Goes?   5:07
Written By – Sandy Denny
11. Percy's Song   6:47
Written By – Bob Dylan
12. Come All Ye   4:58
Written By – Ashley Hutchings, Sandy Denny
13. Matty Groves   8:06
Written-By – Traditional
14. Tam Lin   7:09
Written By – Traditional
15. Crazy Man Michael   4:36
Written By – Dave Swarbrick, Richard Thompson
16. Farewell, Farewell   2:36
Written By – Richard Thompson

Flac Size: 459 MB

CD2.

             

01. Now Be Thankful   2:21
Written By – Dave Swarbrick, Richard Thompson
02. Bonny Bunch Of Roses   10:45
Written By – Traditional
03. Walk Awhile   3:57
Written By – Dave Swarbrick, Richard Thompson
04. Sloth   9:10
Written By – Dave Mattacks, Dave Pegg, Dave Swarbrick, Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol
05. Poor Will And The Jolly Hangman   5:28
Written By – Dave Swarbrick, Richard Thompson
06. Journeyman's Grace   4:31
Written By – Dave Swarbrick, Richard Thompson
07. John Lee   3:01
Written By – Dave Swarbrick
08. Rosie   3:35
Written By – Dave Swarbrick
09. The Plainsman   3:16
Written By – Pete Roche, Trevor Lucas
10. The Hexhamshire Lass   2:27
Written By – Traditional
11. Polly On The Shore   4:53
Written By – Dave Pegg, Traditional
12. Bring 'Em Down   5:55
Written By – Trevor Lucas
13. Rising For The Moon   4:06
Written By – Sandy Denny
14. White Dress   3:42
Written By – Dave Swarbrick
15. Stranger To Himself   2:49
Written By – Sandy Denny
16. One More Chance   7:50
Written-By – Sandy Denny

Flac Size: 454 MB