TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

This past autumn Eric Andersen (ah - heart throb of my early teen years!) performed not too far from here, prior commitments prevented my attending but a newspaper article mentioned that Fairport Convention had recorded one of his songs. I can't remember which and my record collection is by no means complete....but I'm sure a few dozen or more TAWers would know. The line "Alice-wonder-landy-gown" keeps running through my head so it could be "Violets of the Dawn"?? or ?? What album? what line up?   Thanks for any help.
       Kathryn

Violets of Dawn and Close The Door Lightly When You Go are both on The Radio Sessions Volume 1, which were recorded back in 67 and/or 68. Not sure if they are on any other albums or not. But I am sure others will know much more than me......

'Violets of Dawn' was sung by me in the original (oh all right, completists ::)) second line up on 1967/8.

I don't remember that line Kathryn, but 'Oh whirling twirling puppy warm before the flashing cloaks of darkness gone' was pretty splendid! Always assuming I heard the words right in the first place... ::)

it was only recorded once for the first BBC session we did and I don't think it has ever been released before except as a bootleg. As far as I know.

I don't know if Sandy sang it after I left, but I continued to sing it both in Trader Horne and in Dyble Coxhill and the Miller Brothers.

I can't remember if 'Close the Door Lightly' was my Fpt or the next incarnation.......

Oh wooooow - life doesn't get much more psychedelic than this at 9am in the morning!  :o

And that's one of the more sensible lines....... ;D

I just googled the lyrics and there was a whole verse that we left out that did have 'Alice wonderlandy gown' in it. Crikey!

Oops indeed  ::)

Possibly because it wasn't that easy a verse for a female to sing. Or maybe because the song was a bit long. Who knows. Probably a very good reason at the time

Eric has his new album set for European release (Blue Rain) in February and he has not grown any less psychedelic with age only now he has a full blown psychedelic band in tow... Phew

He also came out with my favorite quote of the last few minutes:

'I have a perfect memory, excepting for 3 things. I have no memory for faces, none for names and I ........ I can't remember what the other thing is'.

Probably old and not his but I thought it was funny

Only a matter of time before this features on the Wintour?? ;)

Close the Door Lightly is the first track on Heyday.  So presumably was recorded in 1968.

Love the FC version of Violets Of Dawn that I've heard on bootleg. Just wish there was a better sounding recording of it...Didn't you own a (presumably nice sounding) acetate of that radio session Jude? Sure Kingsley Abbot mentioned it in his book?? Would love to hear that song at Cropredy...

Eric Andersen is another great discovery to be made via the early Fairport and their collective fine taste (see also the Farinas, mid-period Everly Brothers, Emmit Rhodes, Gene Clark et al)! There is a good, recent compilation of his 60s stuff on Vanguard (the CD is called Violets Of Dawn), but Blue River - his great early 70s masterpiece- takes some beating! Listened to that more than anything else over the past few months, in fact and can't understand why he's not more recognised.

Yes Kingsley does mention it and indeed there is a picture of the very acetate, but I never had a copy of it and I am really looking forward to hearing those tracks again properly (I have also only heard them on a many-copies -down-the -line bootleg)

Thanks so much Jude and Albie and everyone for the info....I'll keep a look out for Heyday and Radio Sessions Vol1
Jude, Iam so impressed that you could remember the "twirling whirling" line esp. after so many years! I find VofD to be one of those songs whose words simply will not stay in my brain from one minute to the next even if I'm singing along with someone

" Eric Andersen is another great discovery to be made via the early Fairport and their collective fine taste (see also the Farinas,  "
      The other way 'round for me...first heard Mimi and Richard and EricA in 64-66  through the various folk venues and radio shows in the Boston area. I probably heard FC in the late 60's but don't remember them really  hitting me til the summer of 70 when I first heard L&L......

Ummmm I'll let you into a secret here.... I still have the book that I transcribed the lyrics into all those years ago so I looked it up..... ::)

Oooooh you don't want that ol' thing cluttering up your drawers any more Jude...let me buy you a nice shiny bright new lyric book for you, and take that nasty old thing off your hands...no, really, it would be NO trouble whatsoever...

 :D

No honestly David, you'd be shocked at all the misheard lyrics and as for the handwriting....well.... :o

I seem to have much less trouble in working out lyrics than I used to... I can remember it being quite a problem back in the 70s. Do you think its just that the hardware has far better sound than some of the rubbish we had back then, or does one actually get better at understanding the words with age...

It's certainly a whole lot easier transcribing from a CD than it ever was from an LP. Apart from the fact that one tends to ruin the LP it's not so easy to keep putting the stylus in the right place. I have many brilliant LP's that are covered in scratches. But I don't care...... :D

'Bout Changes and Things".... nice album... "Violets of Dawn" lovely track...

"Come watch the no colors fade blazing
Into petal sprays of  Violets of Dawn"...

I have seen this transcribed as "pedal sprays" - just shows you... poor transcriptions, ruined vinyl.... Where would we be without mp3?

Eric recently mentioned how many song lyrics we 'mis-hear'. I think it was ultimately agreed that the favorite one was the second line in Al Green's 'Tired of being alone'. Could swear he sings 'tired of being alone, tired of growing my own' but surely not...............

Now that is ironic

Mike

Can anyone suggest a retailer carrying the new Eric Andersen CD that will ship to the US?  All the retailers carrying it that I've found so far only ship to EU countries at most and some only within Norway.  Thanks.

This has probably been answered by now but if not.........

Eric's new album 'Blue Rain' does have American distribution but I am not sure who is handling it...

If you continue to have problems let me know at:

michaelcole_3@hotmail.com

and I will be pleased to assist you in getting hold of a copy..

Mike

Thanks.  I have been able to secure a copy.

What did you think? I really like it
Mike

Violets of Dawn also appears on the recently released Live at the BBC set.
How does the sound quality compare to version on the bootleg "Chronicle of sorts"?

I think they are the same recording therefore not much different.

Whoever recorded it off the radio missed the first few notes in both cases

I really like it as well.  I'm glad to have a live recording.  I haven't had a chance to see Eric perform live too many times.