TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

No, not a duvet with Simon's face on it but ...

The last couple of albums have included cover versions of hits from other bands - Love on a farmboys wages and Untouchable , so what other songs do we think would sit well in a album or live set from the current line up, I mean songs which have been actual hits but could be spun to become Fairporty?

I think they would do a great version of Weather With You by Crowded House, and also a very tongue in cheek Village Green Preservation Society by the Kinks.

I like that idea, though I don't think it would need to be tongue in cheek....well anymore than that song is already.

Jules

"Born To Run", "Eleanor Rigby", "Come On Eileen", "The Way It Is", "Here Comes The Groom", "In The Air Tonight", "Oops I did it again", "Boots And Shoes"....

Eleanor Rigby is a great shout - really good vocal harmonies for the guys to get to grips with.

"You've lost that loving feeling". Simon's baritone would be superb on this.

Peggy singing "I've got a bike".

Chris singing "I hear you now" by Jon & Vangelis

One of my favourite FC covers is Evidence by Del Amitri (who did some great covers themselves). I'd like to hear them try Be My Downfall or Nothing Ever Happens.
Justin would make a great guest at Cropredy.

When did they do that - and I agree Nothing Ever Happens would be great

It was on Simons solo album "Consonant......" , but the band played it live a lot.

if they did 99% of whats been suggested i wouldnt want to hear them
bloody hell the very thought of fc doing jon and vangelis covers is making my stomach turn

Garcia / Hunter's "Uncle John's Band"

howabout some ideas then Jim, instead of just being sarky from the sidelines? :P

why would i be bothered with yet another pointless excercise
FC are perfectly able to pick their own cover versions without us lot making ridiculous suggestiions

I dont normally like covers bands (but would prefer them to Jon and Vangelis!!) , however I do like it when bands slip in the odd imaginatively done cover out of the blue. Del Amitri, as already noted, were the stars at doing this - "Ace of Spades", "Get It On", "Brown Eyed Girl", " Maggie May" etc etc. In fact I think there is an unofficial release full of them.

Got out of the wrong side of the bed, eh Jim?  ???

If you can't contribute anything nice, why not just ignore the thread. Silly to be bad tempered over something as innocuous as FC covering other people's songs.

I think it is also on one of the live albums too isn't it? Or did I dream that?

How about White Punks On Dope?  ;D

Personally I have found the cover versions of of some of the better known songs to be the weak spots on the albums. I didn't like their versions of Closing Time or Home Is Where The Heart Is. Love On A Farmboy's Wages is ok but is so defintively associated with XTC as to be rendered pointless. I'll make an honourable exception for Untouchable which is a rare example of a cover version that is better than the original but to me (and notwithstanding the number of covers on the first three albums which were a bit of a different kettle of fish) it is not really what Fairport are about unless it is as a side project like The Bunch or The Dylan Project.

Ooo er Jim consider yerself told!!
come to think about it you have been a grumpy bugger since you retired, perhaps a return to the 9 - 5 is called for?

I only saw the bottom line of that post fB - I thought you were suggesting FC cover 9-5 a la Dolly Parton!!  :)

that would be interesting, would simon or chris sing the lead?

One of my favourite fairport moments was when at Cropredy a couple of years or so back they suddenly burst into the Beatles- I'm Down. It was fantastic. I'd rather they saved covers for live sessions though than put them on an album. I am often dissapointed. :-\

I think you would need two bald fellas!

 ;D ;D ;D

Four Strong Winds

Has a history in English pop - The Searchers -and Johnny Cash did a good version late in his life.
I think the lyrics and the sad melody line is just up The Fairport Street.  :)

But on a live album it´s nice.. ;)

Also Neil Young did a great version.

Jules

I know they've done it before (with RT), but I'd really like to hear East-West (with RT), as I've had the original version (by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band) since it was first relased and would really like to hear Richard's version, which I gather was very influential in Joe Boyd wanting to work with them.

DC

I adore the man but he'd just stomp around being grumpy.  :) His Myspace blogs are things of great wonder.

What about some more from Mr Trad. Arr.? FC have only done one new traditional song in the last 3 albums. Why keep doing new versions of trad songs they've already done when there are so many others out there? I'd quite like to hear some more trad tunes done; The Good Fortunes Medley is one of my favourite tracks on The Wood and the Wire, so some more like that would be good.

Thats another topic Ollie - I happen to think an album from fairport called Trad Arr would be very welcome.

a cover of the CSN cover perhaps?   ;)

Most of the ideas on here make my skin crawl.  But, maybe (almost certainly!) that's my problem!

Naw! - Dead's tri-fectas from late '73 and early '74:

Playing in the Band - Uncle John's Band - Morning Dew - Uncle John's Band (reprise) - Playing in the Band (reprise)

Should be no less than 45 minutes long.  I'd listen to it!

There's a Levellers song called Four Winds that I think would be perfect for Fairport.


Summer came around early this year
And winter swung around soon after
The scent of spring was high with fear
The autumn crows call disaster

The North wind blows so cold
Chilling the warmth of my desire
And the whispered words we know
Tell of a future burned with fire

The music that now fills the street
Falls to the rhythm of marching
I find no comfort here
Not in this or any other year

The stranger asked me what do you know
And just where are you going
I told the truth, I just don't know
And if you don't mind I'll keep on going

I'm in!  I'm just struggling with who's taking on the Donna 'wail'....any ideas? :)

Gotta have the Donna scream!  ;D

I guess Ric would have to dig out one of those old pedals from the 80's to pull that one off.  ;)

How about a bit of The Who? That might work well with the FC treatment.

Behind Blue Eyes
Won't Get Fooled Again (Who would do the scream?)

We know Simon can do the Townshend windmill!

How about The Band?  "Up On Cripple Creek" or "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" ... I could certainly imagine Simon singing the latter ....

As the world's number one Phil Ochs obsessive, I think they should cover some Phil.  I can hear Simon singing Flower Lady (Jude used to do that one with the band, she tells me).  Or maybe No More Songs.  Or maybe The Scorpion Departs But Never Returns.

Most of you probably don't know these songs, so you're gonna have to trust me here.   8)

Jules

..... but you tempt me to do some research  ;) ;D

yup!

I'd love to hear you sing that one in person one day Jude!

Jules

Do it, Barry, you won't regret it.  Alas, most of his best albums are out of print, but they tell me other options exist out here in cyberspace.   ;D ;)

Jules

Fairport doing The Beatles' 'Act Naturally'. Gerry could sing it....

jim yer cumudgenly old git  ;)
have a lezza squish x

Silver coin by Hunter Muskett
It's a long time since they did any Alan Taylor so Always You or Only a Few
Some Steve Knightley - probably Are We All Right?
..and definitely some Reg Meuross - Lizzie Loved a Highwayman for starters (on his Dragonfly album)

. . .or The Poozies depending on which version you heard first.

Not quite sure why, but whenever I hear "Gentlman's Excuse Me" by Fish I can imagine Fairport doing it.

I've always thought they'd do a super version of the Grateful Dead's Box of Rain, with Chris singing.

Whilst I am not keen on the covers idea I must agree that I have imagined FC (and particularly Simon) doing these two

Always wanted to hear FC do "Celluloid Heroes." I doubt they would, what with the subject matter, but it would be sooooo cool.

I'm sure I've said this before.

How about "The Devil went down to Georgia", originally by the Charlie Daniels Band.

Simon could revive "She Is....Woman", used to get a really good reaction from the laydeez  ::)

Golden Brown - The Stranglers. Instead of Harpsichord, some kind of dual violin thing in it's place.

J

Creedence Clearwater Revival's 'Have You Ever Seen The Rain ?'.

Or is that a RT choice ?

How about "Urge For Going", authored by Joni Mitchell, but first recorded by Tom Rush in 1968.

Cheers ///  Tom M.***

Yes, I can hear them doing a nice version of that.

Jules

I can hear the first lineup (maybe the early Sandy/Iain version too) doing it easily.  Not sure about any since.  Lovely song.

I think they could do a pretty mean 'Man of Constant Sorrow'

And having found footage on youtube of Peggy and Simon backing RT on 'Strange Affair', a song I love, I reckon they could do that justice.

I reckon 'The Kiss' by Jake Thackray could be a classic Fairport song.

Check it out on Spotify if you've not heard it - great story, humour, pathos and lots of lovely words for Simon to get his tonsils around.

If we're going down the Creedence route, then the first song they should play on Saturday should be "Who'll Stop The Rain?".

How about "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" - you'd get a good singalong on the punchline...