TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Who else loves this album?

can't say I like or dislike it :-\

Oh I definitely like it...it sounds like the band I first fell in love with when I saw them live a few years later....there's a review on Amazon which reads:

"...so while you are looking at the Fairport back catalogue and buying Leige and Leif and Unhalfbricking, take time to consider this, possibly the most Fairport-y of Fairport albums. Goes well with some beer and some mates! "

I can't really argue with that. :)

I bought it recently, having not heard of it before.  I haven't played it much, but there is some good stuff on it.  Nice to hear some infamiliar Fairport!

One of my many favourite Fairport albums.  I think it's a good 'un.

I like it a lot ... some great arrangements featuring wonderful tunes ... and some brilliant songs to listen to, such as "The Widow Of Westmorland's Daughter" and "John Barleycorn". Very positive production values too.

Definitely a good one - a very 'Fairporty' album as that Amazon review said.

Wow.
Nice review.
I fell in love with it while I was on holiday a couple of months ago. We had it on in the car, and because it's very short we listened to it about 8 times.
Brill album.

end of an era, last of the Swarb records, not a bad way to go out

For many years the only gaps I had in the Fairport catalogue were Tippler's, BBOR, and Gottle.
I bought all 3 in the space of a couple of weeks when they were reissued and I was really surprised at how good Tippler's was. At present it's one of the Fairport albums I play most.I also think BBOR is a pretty fine album  too. As for Gottle...? Well it has a certain charm!!!

One of my favourites  ;D

I think most of the album is good except Jack Orion which I think is stunning!

Jules

Who is this John Barleycorn fellow? Is there any reason why I should know him? Does he frequent the Red Lion or the Brasenose perchance?   :o ;D [;-)

Isn't John Barleycorn something to do with Bread?

Listen to the song Kascadekid. :D The tune is the same as the one for the famous hymn "We Plough the Fields and Scatter".

Yeah :-\

One of my all time favorite Fairport records. Great songs and performances. Honorable mention should definitely go to Bruce Rowland as well... IMO he has never really got the respect he deserves for his contributions to the FC catalog.

Of the three magnificent drummers I've been fortunate enough to see Fairport play with over the last 27 years, Bruce is definitely my favourite.  He does that 'less is more' thing to near perfection...

Does he ever come back to play with Fairport?

He's banged a tambourine on stage at Cropredy a few times over the years, but not for quite a while now I believe.  I asked a question about him on here a year or so back and Simon replied that he was happily retired these days... Last time I saw him was on a documentary about Ronnie Lane who he played with in the 70's.  And lest we forget, he's the only member of the Fairport 1st team to have played at the Woodstock Festival(in Joe Cocker's Grease Band)....

 :)

For more background....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Barleycorn

When I was in the process of "discovering" Fairport (late 80s) the two Vertigo albums, TT and BBoR, were like the proverbial rocking horse doo-dah - long since deleted on vinyl/cassette and some years off being dusted down for a CD release. Hence they were the last two Fairport albums I ever got round to hearing retrospectively, and I was bowled over by them - Jack O'Rion is definitely amongst my top five FC tracks, and I've often felt that the band who recorded these two albums is possibly Fairport's most under-rated lineup.

Messed up the above quote at this hour of the morning!

But:
I think I read somewhere that he suffers from arthritis which prevents him drumming.

Ah.
At least we know we can always go to Wikipedia for help.
Wikipedia NEVER lies. ;D ;D ;D

Ah, thanks. ;)

He played drums too at Croppers until the mid 80s at least.

I agree about Bruce - a fine drummer.  I guess DM's shoes are really difficult to fill, but I think Bruce was a mere hair's breadth away from being similarly legendary.  It's so true that he deserves much more respect.

Jules

Well, he was the drummer in the band until '85 so I suppose he would have done!  

DM was the guest until then (although he took the reins on a few US tours if I remember correctly)  :)

It's not bread, it's oil. It's a song about bio-fuel.

Hence the Traffic connection, I suppose.

I'll get me coat ......

Tipplers Tales is one of the studio albums that for me best represents the essential Fairport - a bunch of mates, playing brilliantly, having a laugh and making damn fine music. Nuff said.

And having a drink, don't forget that!

It also contains what is, hopefully, the only folk song reference to the Isle of Wight ;D ;D

There are some strange lyrics on 'Jack Orion'.
'Milk from out of a Maiden's breast, poor baby she had none!'
What is she doing with a baby if she's a Maiden? ??? ??? ???

It's "though baby she had none".

Jules

Lyrics are

"He could fiddle the fish out of salt water, water from a marble stone
Or milk from out a maiden's breast though baby she had none"
 ;D ;D

It's the principle.
What is a Maiden doing with a baby?

She hasn't got a baby- thats the point he can get her breasts to produce milk even though she hasn't had a baby!

Gosh i never thought i'd be typing that to a young lad on a message board ;D ;D ;D

OK, We should end this ;D

Arf arf! Nearly as good as some of the Swarb threads.