TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Having downloaded the rather hopefully named "Number 1" from iTunes last night, I discover I have four versions of this song on my ipod.

1.The "original" "unhalfbricking" version. 2.One from Cropredy Capers from about the late 90's with Simon and Chris While. 3 Kate Rusby from this year. 4 And the latest. And there were many others to choose from them, if life wasn't so short.

Which do I like best. Well the answer as always is "depends on context". But 2 sends shivers down the spine when SN sings "I am not alone".  And Kate's is a grower.

To pick one, I'd just stay with the original: mainly because of RT's guitar work, the fact that the writer is singing and Martin Lamble is drumming.

Anyone else?

As you say, there are many more including the "title track" from the WKWTTG album and the real original take with The Strawbs.

Like you, I would go with the Unhalfbricking recording, though there is a live version on Before The Moon that I like a lot and Richard Thompson's beautiful live rendition on last year's tour is a fond, though sadly unrecorded, memory.

The best is without a doubt Iain Mathews version at Cropredy in the eighties and I can't remember when but it puts all others to shame.

The Fairport version from Unhalfbricking is definitive.  It's the mothership.  All other versions are but effigies.  Sandy's voice, Richard's guitar.....nothing comes close.

But if I had to nominate a second WKWTTG, I'd pick Judy Collins's cover version.

Jules

Setting aside the Unhalfbricking version I'd go for Julianne Regan singing at Cropredy ~89 (?)

Originally released on a Circle Dance charity compilation and recently included on a Box of Pegg's.

I have 11, 12 when I download the new version. I think my favourite is the version with Julianne Reagen from one of the Cropredys, on A Box of Peggs. Quite incredible

No 1 Version.  Sandy
No 2 Version   Simon

I don't think it's very kind to call Simon's version "number 2".

 ;D

Jules

Well, still haven`t downloaded the new version but - the way I know and admire Chris While - I assume it to be nothing but great.
Having said that, so far my favourite one is Kathy LeSurf`s version, years and years back.

 

Soley in order of personal preference, not ability or interpretation.  Besides which I fancy Sandy more than I do Simon!!!  ;D ;D ;D

Unhalfbricking

But the original version runs it close

Dave I'm sorry - for a moment I thought you were being all lavatorial!

 ;D

Jules

Simon's version, hands down.

The "Unhalfbricking" version aside, I'll second that!

I've always loved the one with the Strawbs on All Our Own Work - fab guitar and and spine tingling vocals

Hard to pick an absolute best, but of the recorded versions I've heard, these are my 3 favourites:

1. Unhalfbricking
2. The "new" arrangement (with Simon singing & the 2 violins)
3. Sandy's version from her Final Concert - her voice not as pure as it once was, but just full of emotion.

As for covers - Judy Collins' gets my vote.

I was thinking it was which version after the Unhalbricking one, Judy Collins version is very good and I believe is the first released version. Which in an odd way would make it the original.

No takers for the original version then?

i like Unhalfbricking,Strawbs and this one http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vbpURBJA4uA

Yeah, that's the original isn't it?  Then the Strawbs (not a version I'm very keen on) and the Fairport one... On balance it has to be the Unhalfbricking version doesn't it?

unhalfbricking, every time
no other version comes close
then some way back Judy Collins

i liked Nanci Griffith's version until she said "Winta"  :(

this is a nice one................Fairport Convention -Unconventional


1. Walk Awhile
2. John Gaudie
3. Hexhamshire Lass
4. Slip Jigs And Reels
5. Poor Will/Jolly Hangman
6. Crazy Man Michael
7. Rosie
8. Farewell Farewell (rehearsal)
9. Now Be Thankful
10. Hiring Fair
11. Stranger To Himself
12. Sloth
13. Who Knows Where The Time Goes
14. Matty Groves
15. Meet On The Ledge (live on BBC 1968)

Out of those 3, I prefer the Unhalfbricking version. On the others, the rhytmn and words aren't quite right yet.

repeat post alert...

Phoebe (niece of James out of SftBH) Partridge does a nice WKWTTG. I just thought I'd let you know  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLHyn-WkeCw

Although Simon's (live) pips it for me.

For me, it will always be the Unhalfbricking version, followed by several Sandy-fronted live Fairportversions. But latter days Fairport does a splendid job with it and Simon sings it beautifully with such emotion and fills the song to an extent that , in my mind, he and the band has "taken over" the song.
Can´t really say much about different cover versions,I find Collins OK, like Cassidy but I have yet to hear a female voice to touch Sandy`s!

I happen to know that the Sandy/Strawbs version will be part of this years Cropredy Interval Music.

Not many takers for Kate then...

Amen.

Jules

:)
Is "not quite right yet" another way of saying "different from the first version I heard and fell in love with"? What if the Strawbs version was the first one you heard and you fell in love with it? Wouldn't the subsequent versions be "not quite right"?
I only ask because that seems to be how my musical tastes work. With a very few exceptions, the first version of a song that I am exposed to will turn out to be my favorite, regardless of the merits of versions to which I am exposed later on. There's always a "this is how it should sound" feeling nagging me while listening to different versions.

This song is one of the rare exceptions: Judy Collins' version was the first one I was exposed to, and, while I did like it, I never really fell in love with it (and perhaps this is the difference) the way I fell in love with the unhalfbricking version.

That's absolutely on the money, Bob - I think that's a fundamental truth right there.  And yes there are exceptions, but yes they are very rare.

Jules

So the question is:

Do we prefer

Across the evening sky

or

Across the purple sky

?

A good example, I prefer the 87 version of Meet On The Ledge because it was the first one I heard. Actually I heard it live first and bought it after the gig so I associate it with that.



Evening sky!

Purple Haze!

 ;D

A thread to be proud of! Still no views on Kate's recent version.

But we're now getting started on MOTL...

After last night's RT gig I have to add a third favorite to my list:
                                       number 1 Sandy on Unhalfbricking
                                                  2 Simon  (I like the 3-piece acoustic version, but that may be because living in the States its the one I've heard live most often)
                                                  3 Richard Thompson did a beautiful and very moving rendition in tribute to Sandy........after he made some reference to Cropredy which could be taken to mean that he may be there this year. As a secret special guest????? anyone heard any rumours ?? he is scheduled for the Greenman the next week.......

Well, I think he will, as it there will be a special tribute to Sandy.

Sorry . I don't know how the Sad Face got in there --over abundance of ? I think. The biggest grin face would be more appropriate!

A close friend of mine lives in Guernsey....her teenage daughter's friend's family are close friends of the Thompson famille who visit them fairly regularly.  They have been distributing Cropredy guest tickets on Richard's behalf.  They certainly believe him to be there.  That's a third-hand way of saying 'my money's on him being there'  :)

Okay, I have to throw a dark horse in here that (i think) no one has mentioned yet.......and its my favorite:  The BBC version from '68 (or very early '69).

It follows a very similar meter to the Strawb version, setting it apart from the Unhalfbricking one.  However, its sound and treatment is very characteristic of Holidays, the album they were completing at the time of the session, and one for which I believe the song would have better complimented than Unhalfbricking.

Its so sweet, you can almost smell the incense!

He did it as well at the Royal Festival Hall a month or so back. He is very modest about it if you look at his response to a question on Beesweb (http://www.richardthompson-music.com/catch_of_the_day.asp?id=919), but we thought it was done very well and had qualities of its own that made it stand up well against all the other versions. I noticed the gap in his calendar around the Crpredy weekend too ...