TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

From the FC List (surprised it hasn't made it here yet). I realize the idea behind the album might not be everyone's cuppa, but some good discussions were generated when SOH did something similar over at Longdogs.

Quite a few of us have baled out of the list due to the really high noise to signal ratio.


A dozen from the top 20 as voted for by fans? Where's that vote going to take place then? As you say, 285 tracks, (if not more) of which favourites, most will be pre-1980 I reckon.

Anyway, there'll be a formula there. Summat like "a simon song", "a ric medley", "a chris song", "a peggy song", "a ralph song", "a sandy song", "a maart song", "another ric instrumental with chris", "a richard song", "a swarb song"... Then finishing with sloth & meet on the ledge.

Err ... follow the link in the announcement?You know your Fairport fans  :)
Probably. So completely uninteresting to you, then? :)

I've voted for my top 20 - some difficult choices there I must say. My biggest issue with the way it's set up is there seems to be no chance to review one's choices after they are submitted. Don't make the mistake I did - copy the contents of that confirmation dialog to the clipboard (just press ctrl-c while it's being displayed) and paste it into Notepad or something. I didn't and much to my dismay, I was not redirected to a page that listed my choices. Maybe later I will try to reconstruct them using a fake address (I won't submit them, of course).

Good point. Thanks.

No, won't be entering.

The Show of Hands one was a bit different.  A double CD, nicely packaged as a triple foldout with an attached, excellent booklet with notes on albums and lyrics, and one disc picked by them and one by Longdogs.  30 tracks in all.

I've entered! Bob - when you've made your choices and selected you get a showmessage pop up with your list on it. You can cancel and edit at that stage.

No formula, just chose my favourite FC songs. Does what it says on the tin and all that.  :)

I voted a little while ago, and actually did get a page with my selections after I'd voted.

I like the idea of this - similar to what Steeleye did a few years back with Present, unfortunately the end result there was less than satisfying to many ears.  

In this case, the choices would have to favour the earlier material, presumably - I can't imagine too many people wanting re-recordings of tracks from the last 2 or 3 albums at least.  Just too recent to warrant it.   But it's good to have the option - it's also good to be able to request the more obscure material in the hope that others may too, to make the end result less predictable in that sense.

Yes, but once you click submit - the only place those choices exist is one's memory (outside of the comp's database of course). There is no possibility of revisiting the site in a few days and refreshing one's memory - which is why I suggested copying the confirmation dialog to the clipboard before clicking OK.
When I clicked OK, I was presented with a "Thank You" page that did not list my submissions as I expected. Oh well

Yes, I was tempted to take this route myself, but of course, that would reduce my chances of winning the prize, wouldn't it.

Sorry misread your post - I did a print screen too and stored it on my PC for later.  :)

Not even as part of a concerted TAW effort to get "Limey's Lament" into the last twenty?  :D

I just chose mine - that was fun!

Jules

Oh, ok then! ;D

What a great idea!  I included To Althea From Prison - would love to hear Chris sing that.

You know they are not going to do Sloth don't you, not even if it is the top choice. I'll have to think about this when I get home but I reckon I could pretty much predict the track listing now.

I also wonder about the point of this. Are the re recordings really going to replace the originals in anyone's affections?

i'd rather like to see them use this lp as a chance to get some guest musicians, and not just the usual suspects, in to help out and, perhaps stir up a bit of a buzz about it.
 Percy would have to do a turn, Stevie Winwood, that sort of thing, big names.
 the sort of thing John Lee Hooker did 15 years ago with Ivan Morrison,Van Morrison now there's a thought , Albert Lee doing tokyo/the claw ok you've got my drift

Made my choices and I completely went with what I liked, no tactical voting here :)

I don't suppose they'd ever replace the originals, but it might represent a chance for the current line up to put their mark on songs that they've actually sung longer than the original performers. After all, we all love Sandy singing 'WKWTTG', but Simon must have sung it many more times than she ever did. Uriah Heep did a similar thing with their 'Celebration' album. The new versions will never supercede the originals, but they might shine an interesting, different light upon them.

I voted too. Went for a few left field tracks, like 'Book Song' which is one of my all time favourites. I notice 'Poor Will' was a choice. Shame.

Also, I've never seen Matty refered to as "Matty Groves/Kate & the Cow Hide" before.  ???

That's one of my favourites too!



Another one I really love is Now Be Thankful and I was really surprised when I listened to the version that Chris sings and found that I loved it just as much, as I always assumed that it was the sound of Swarb's voice that made it so special.  [;-)

Do you mean shame it wasn't a choice?

Jules

Whoops! Yes, I'd like to see the current line up have a stab at it.

But surely the various live recordings serve that purpose?

Just voted, but looking at the list, there's so many of my favourites that the current lineup perform live anyway (e.g. Dr Of Physick, Adieu Adieu, The Rosehip), however, it's a fun idea and I look forward to the results. It's going to be controversial whatever the outcome !  ;)

voted for mine  ;D

Chose mine!  I enjoyed that!

Done!

Sorted too :)

Have voted! Some great choices I think...

Well, I've given it a shot. I'm not sure it was my definitive favourite 20 but I went by instinct. I reckon only about 5 of my choices have a realistic chance of making the final selection and one of those may fall by the wayside as it has already been re-recorded once by the current line up.

I skipped any of the recent revisits, such as Polly On The Shore, Tam Lin, Banks Of The Sweet Primeroses, even they definitely rank in my top all time tracks. Also skipped new material from the last 5 years, because it didn't seem like enough time, but perhaps I might point out Oysterband's Oxford Girls and Other Stories which did have at least one revisit of a newer song....completely stripped down and made new (that being The Soul's Electric). So I don't think there is a right or wrong way here. You could choose all pre-1985, or post 1985. Obscure versus the obvious. The ones you wish they might do or the ones you think they will never do (no chance of Don't Be Late from Gottle then I suppose?). Thats how I did it.

Wow, very interesting and worthwhile premise. Jim's notion could well have some traction though either way will be of deep interest to me, wish it was a triple cd, and yeah, Jolly Hangman would have been getting one of my votes...I'm pretty sure.
As some will know Tull did a similar bit with their 25 year set, and, though I probably haven't listened to it in a few years, my recollection is each re interpretation had merit, maybe a few improving on the original. I do recall a friend heard With You There To Help Me, to my ears a brilliant and very different reading and said something like, Jesus Christ, that's Ian Anderson? Please, turn it off! Feeling that a sacred piece from his childhood had been peed on. In fact I think the general opinion of the Tull community was only moderately to the upside but...I love it. Its called the "Beacons Bottom Tapes."

OMG that would be a killer FC record. Ack!!!! :-*

Well that's my 20 chosen and surprisingly 3 off the Festival Bell. But, after that you have to go back quite a few years.

They boobed leaving that one off the tracklisting.  Both now and back in 1970!   ;)

I didn't vote tactically either.  Like Gub, I went on instinct and yes, included songs that the current lineup has already reworked.  I kind of wish I'd given it more thought now, but hey ho.....

Jules

I know the whole exercise is supposed to be fun, but surely including anything by the current lineup (i.e. reworking any songs the current lineup originated) or songs they've already re-worked and perform live (e.g. Sir Patrick Spens, Crazy Man Michael) defeats the object ?

Woo! That was fun  :D

What We Did On Our Holidays — Meet On The Ledge
Leige & Lief — Matty Groves / [Kate and the Cow Hide]
Leige & Lief — Crazy Man Michael
Full House — Walk Awhile
Full House — Dirty Linen
Rosie — Rosie
Rosie — The Hen's March Through The Midden / The Four Poster Bed
Nine — The Hexhamshire Lass
Tipplers Tales — The Widow Of Westmorland's Daughter / Random Jig
Glady's Leap — The Hiring Fair
Jewel In The Crown — Slipjigs And Reels
Jewel In The Crown — The Naked Highwayman
Who Knows Where The Time Goes? — The Bowman's Retreat
Who Knows Where The Time Goes? — The Golden Glove
Who Knows Where The Time Goes? — Who Know's Where The Time Goes?
The Wood & The Wire — A Year And A Day
The Wood & The Wire — Don't Leave Too Soon
XXXV: 1967-2002 The 35th Anniversary Album — My Love Is In America
XXXV: 1967-2002 The 35th Anniversary Album — The Happy Man
Over The Next Hill — I'm Already Here

Would they gwet 20 tracks on the CD?

I had a go.  Already thinking of things I forgot...  I guess these aren't my favourite 20 Fairport songs, just some I'd like to hear the current line up have a go at (and one or two they already do well!)

Fairport Convention — I Don't Know Where I Stand
What We Did On Our Holidays — Fotheringay
What We Did On Our Holidays — Nottamun Town
Unhalfbricking — Genesis Hall
Unhalfbricking — Percy's Song
Leige & Lief — Farewell, Farewell
Full House — Flowers of The Forest
Angel Delight — Sir William Gower
Angel Delight — Sickness & Diseases
Babbacombe Lee — Cell Song
Nine — Bring 'Em Down
The Bonny Bunch Of Roses — James O'Donnells Jig
Tipplers Tales — Jack O'Rion (including Turnabout / Miss Stevenson's / Do It Again / March Of The Last / Jack O'Rion / Tiree
Tipplers Tales — John Barleycorn
Glady's Leap — Honour And Praise
Glady's Leap — Wat Tyler
Red & Gold — Summer Before The War
Jewel In The Crown — A Surfeit Of Lampreys
Who Knows Where The Time Goes? — Spanish Main
Fairport Acoustic - Old New Borrowed Blue — Laila Rookh

"The album will be a selection of a dozen or so tracks from the top twenty tracks voted for by their fans"

Hey - these mailing lists don't generate themselves, you know...  ;)
And, already at number two in the charts after only 24 hrs voting - 2 Crazy Man Michael -- Leige & Lief according to the FC website.  ::)

Only 2 of my 20 in that top 5. Two of the others I am quite surprised by, at least that they would rank that highly.

Great - they can cover the cover of the original!   ;)

Jules

Things like this always cause me a problem since I remember songs but not titles.  This is probably asking for trouble, and I think I may have clicked on the wrong "BL" track, but here goes...

Fairport Convention — Time Will Show The Wiser
Fairport Convention — Jack O'Diamonds
What We Did On Our Holidays — Mr Lacey
What We Did On Our Holidays — Meet On The Ledge
Unhalfbricking — Si Tu Dois Partir
Unhalfbricking — Who Knows Where the Time Goes
Leige & Lief — Come All Ye
Leige & Lief — Farewell, Farewell
Leige & Lief — Tam Lin
Full House — Walk Awhile
Full House — Sloth
Full House — Doctor of Physick
Babbacombe Lee — Wake Up John
Nine — The Hexhamshire Lass
Tipplers Tales — Bottom Of The Punch Bowl / East Nuke Of Fyfe / Ye Mariner's All
Red & Gold — Red And Gold
Who Knows Where The Time Goes? — John Gaudie / Jack Brook Da Prison Door / Donald Blue / The Bonnie Isle O'Whalsay
The Wood & The Wire — The Wood And The Wire
Over The Next Hill — Wait For The Tide To Come In
Sense Of Occasion — Hawkwood's Army

Done it.

Can't remember now what I went for!

... which they already covered a few years ago - remember that single release?

Well, 3 of the top 5 so far are ones I picked....but I think my other picks stand a good chance of not being there. Wish I had the chance to submit a second list, and a third...maybe I'd get it right by that point  :D

Unfortunately one of my favorite tracks wasn't mentioned as a choice .
 From Cropredy to Portmerion's CD version of Matty Groves ranks very highly with me .

Where are you seeing what the top picks are so far?

Possibly because you have a to pick a song and not a version of a song.

Click the More link in the article on the FC main site (http://www.fairportconvention.com/general_news.php)
Currently, they are:
1 Meet On The Ledge -- What We Did On Our Holidays
2 Crazy Man Michael -- Leige & Lief
3 Fotheringay -- What We Did On Our Holidays
4 Rosie -- Rosie
5 Red And Gold -- Red & Gold

None of my choices are in the top 5. I'm not sure what that means apart form it is unlikely I will win a CD.

Aha, it never occurred to me to look at the FC website for info...

I never picked that up. Was that a live recording or studio? Does anyone remember?

If its the one I think it is (with Chris and Kellie While) that was live. I bought it, but a quick glimpse at the ipod tells me I don't have it on there at the moment to confirm.

Read all about it here

http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=27799.0

That's the one.

So, to be clear, the current line up have already released studio re-recordings of the following songs associated with previous incarnations of the band so it would be strange for them to re-work them again:

Portmeiron
The Banks of Sweet Primroses
Now Be Thankful
Si Tu Dois Partir
Polly On The Shore
Tam Lin
Rising For The Moon

They have never actually reworked WKWTTG in the studio despite it being the title track of the 1997 album, That version was "live" and it was of course a previous line up.

On reflection I suppose there is precedent for all of this. "Meet On The Ledge", originally by Fairport 69 (Mk1) was re-recorded by Fairport 87. The rest of "In Real Time" comprised re-recordings too, despite it masquerading as a live album, in a similar spirit I guess to this new project. And "Expletive Delighted" also contained several reworkings of earlier material.

What a tangled web!

3 of my choices in the top 5!

Rosie isn't one by the way, never saw the attraction to that song (sorry to Rosie fans)

Fwiw, here's mine:

    Fairport Convention — Time Will Show The Wiser
    Fairport Convention — If [Stomp]
    What We Did On Our Holidays — Meet On The Ledge
    What We Did On Our Holidays — End Of A Holiday
    Unhalfbricking — A Sailor's Life
    Leige & Lief — Farewell, Farewell
    Leige & Lief — Crazy Man Michael
    Full House — Sloth
    Angel Delight — The Journeyman's Grace
    Angel Delight — Sickness & Diseases
    Babbacombe Lee — John Lee
    Babbacombe Lee — Cell Song
    Rosie — The Hen's March Through The Midden / The Four Poster Bed
    Nine — The Hexhamshire Lass
    The Bonny Bunch Of Roses — Adieu Adieu
    The Bonny Bunch Of Roses — Royal Seleccion No. 13
    Tipplers Tales — John Barleycorn
    Glady's Leap — Wat Tyler
    Jewel In The Crown — Jewel In The Crown
    Singles — Now Be Thankful

I'm not expecting to win  ;) :)

Me either. If I remember rightly mine were:

Meet On The Ledge
Come All Ye
Instrumental Medley from Liege & Lief
Crazy Man Michael
Sloth
Sir Patrick Spens
Journeyman's Grace
Angel Delight
Trial Song
Wake Up John (Hanging Song)
Now Be Thankful
Hexhamshire Lass
One More Chance
The Poor Ditching Boy
How Many Times?
Claudy Banks
The Wounded Whale
John Gaudie
Spanish Main

There's one missing but I can't remember what it was!  :-[ Possibly Time Will Show The Wiser.

I went for songs and instumentals that the current line-up have never tackled so don't expect to win either.

Has anyone put To Althea from Prison or Wizard of the Worldly Game yet? Two songs we never hear these days, but should.

Presumably if these all made the top twenty then they'd simply default to the remaining dozen or so? It'll be interesting to see the split between people's top twenties and the lists of things they'd like to see reworked. I'm very fond of John Gaudie for example, but I can't see what the current line up could do to it that would in any way improve on the original. A couple of things from Gladys' Leap, on the other hand, could definitely do with a make over to lose the dated eighties production, and since Chris Leslie has been doing such sterling work on re-interpreting Swarb's vocals recently there's a whole swathe of early seventies material just ripe for a buffing up. Oh, and Limey's Lament, of course.  

I must admit that I read it as songs not performed by this last line-up.
I chose much more strange faves!  ;)

I picked the latter. Would just love to hear Chris sing it!

Agree with both of you there but good to see Throwaway Street Puzzle included, which got one of my votes. My choices are rather heavy on the RT years along with a selection of Chris Leslie compositions. Plus Rosie as that's the name of our cat!

 :)

I thought that was sort of the idea, so I went along your lines, KM  ;)

Actually, I'm not sure it is the idea ...

"Vote for your favourite twenty Fairport Convention tracks of all time!"

but they play my favourites on a regular basis so I just went through the list ticking stuff I'd like to hear interpreted by this line up.  I think there were a few that they have done previously but a long time ago.  I did the whole thing in about five minutes.  Katy's Dad is still thinking about it, making lists etc. which I think shows the difference between us! :D

As I mentioned, I just went on instinct but I don't think I came up with a definitive favourite 20 because I compromised myself to some degree by wanting to include something from a broad spectrum of the band's history. I managed 1967 - 1997. Sadly nothing since then, though something from Festival Bell might ultimately qualify. I have not had it long enough to absorb it all yet.

One thing I did realise by virtue of this exercise is that on every album on which it appears, whether by Sandy, Fotheringay or Fairport, John The Gun always ends up being my favourite track. It appears in different incarnations in several of my "best of the year" playlists but I didn't nominate it because I regard it as a Sandy/Fotheringay song rather than a Fairport song.

Do they really want / need to include / re-record something from the current album already?

I suppose it's unlikely that anything from Festival Bell will make the top 20 as it's still so new to all of us (apart from Rising) though I have voted for 'Wouldn't Say No'. I felt I wanted to pick something recent and I don't have a favourite track on Sense of Occasion.

If something from FB does make the final cut, they could always include a live\demo\acoustic version. Or they could swap instruments - Simon on drums, Peggy on fiddle. Could be interesting!  ;D

Any votes for Hungarian Rhapsody yet?

Yes, I put the first, which is one of my favourites.  Generally I went for stuff I like which hasn't been reinterpreted in the studio recently, and that hasn't been a live staple recently.  I can't remember exactly what I did pick now, but know it included Time It Will Show the Wiser, Nottamun Town, Lord Marlborough, Sailing Boat, The Islands, She's Like The Swallow, Lalla Rookh, The Wounded Whale, Bird From the Mountain, Sir Patrick Spens (I think), Crazy Man Michael (breaking the live staple rule, but what the heck - I love it!), Dark Eyed Molly, Dawn, After Halloween, Reynard The Fox, A Sailor's Life...  That's most of them.  I may even have put in End of a Holiday.

I thought about it.

Must admit I got so excited that I didn't read that line properly.
Now that I have voted for the ones I want today's lineup to put it's teeth into, I'll see if any family member will let me influence  him or her to a vote along the above line.  :)

Agree with both of you there but good to see Throwaway Street Puzzle included, which got one of my votes. My choices are rather heavy on the RT years along with a selection of Chris Leslie compositions. Plus Rosie as that's the name of our cat!

Our cat is called Rosie too.. for obvious reasons.

Bonny Black Hare please chaps  :)

She's also named after a silent character in The Archers. Somebody's aunt I think. My wife's idea - I'm not that much of an Archers Addict. I emailed Swarb sending a photo our cat and his response was something like, "a handsome beast, much like myself." Such modesty.  :)

LOL... classic Swarb  :)

But please don't invite Sid Kipper to guest.  :-X

I like the cut of your jib, sir! (How does that translate into Swedish, I wonder :-\)  

I fear I have used up all my family favours for the time being ;)

Jag gillar skära av din fock herr

Or thereabouts (courtesy Google Translate)

 ;D ;D ;D

antiquated nautical metaphors ... a universal language, obviously!

Well, Fairport IS a band known for singing songs about sailors, seas and ships....!!  :D

That was fun.

Time Will Show The Wiser - Fairport Convention
Who Knows Where The Time Goes - Unhalfbricking
Lark In The Morning Medley - Liege & Lief
Sloth - Full House
The Bonnie Black Hare - Angel Delight
The Hens March - Rosie
To Althea From Prison - Nine
White Dress - Rising For The Moon
Stranger To Himself - Rising For The Moon
Royal Selection No 13 - Bonney Bunch Of Roses
Ye Mariners All - Tipplers Tales
Three Drunken Maidens - Tipplers Tales
Jack O'Rion - Tipplers Tales
The Hiring Fair - Gladys Leap
Instrumental Medley 85 - Gladys Leap
Dark Eyed Molly - Red And Gold
Ginnie - Five Seasons
Spanish Main - Who Knows Where The Time Goes
Dangerous - Who Knows Where The Time Goes
The Crowd - XXXV

Does anyone else think it would be brilliant to hear Chris Leslie sing Farewell, Farewell? Or is there an injunction against reworking that song - some emotional hitch I'm too dumb to realise? Puzzles me it's never been done...

I doubt the current Top Ten will change that much...

1 Meet On The Ledge -- What We Did On Our Holidays
2 Who Knows Where the Time Goes -- Unhalfbricking
3 Matty Groves / [Kate and the Cow Hide] -- Leige & Lief
4 Crazy Man Michael -- Leige & Lief
5 Fotheringay -- What We Did On Our Holidays
6 Walk Awhile -- Full House
7 Red And Gold -- Red & Gold
8 The Hiring Fair -- Glady's Leap
9 Rosie -- Rosie
10 Rising For The Moon -- Rising For The Moon

The newest track is not far short of a quarter of a century old...  :(

There aren't many there that they haven't played (live or recorded) as the current line-up already.

I think, sadly, that says it all David.

But your opinion doesn't count, Pete...you only like American music...  :)

Who do you think would sing Fotheringay if that is one of the one's they record?  I couldn't really see any of the current line-up singing it, which is one reason I didn't vote for that.  Or should they get in a guest vocalist, and if so, who?  

I just can't hear a male voice singing it...

Any of the usual suspects could make a good stab at it.  From memory I think Linde Nijland sang it at the Barbican didn't she?

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Julianne Regan having a go.

I think you're right - I should have remembered that.  Either of those two would do, but as you say, I can't hear it being sung by a man.

I might've bucked the trend a bit there, in the sense that I voted for what are genuinely my favourite tracks, rather than the tracks I'd like to hear the current line up have a go at.  But I'm just a simple soul.   ;)

I think Simon would do a fine job. In fact, I'm fairly sure I've heard him sing it somewhere (possibly in my head...).

[ I think Simon would do a fine job. In fact, I'm fairly sure I've heard him sing it somewhere (possibly in my head...).
[/quote]

I seem to remember Simon singing it, too.

Possibly on an Acoustic Fairport tour a few years ago ?

I'd agree with the opinion that there's little point redoing the recent remakes, or in fact anything already done by this current line up,so I have no selections from The Wood and The Wire onwards.I also omitted Matty,Ledge,WKWTTG and Hiring Fair because we have plenty enough of those and hear them all the time.Babbacombe Lee was also not considered because I'm still hoping for a live album.So I went for:

1.Fothringay (I'm thinking Simon could sing this)
2.A Sailor's Life
3.Crazy Man Michael (although having read the thread Chris doing Farewell..might be a better choice)
4.Dirty Linen
5.Sloth (plenty of versions of this too, but it's the improvisations that are unique each time)
6.Journeyman's Grace
7.Rosie
8.To Althea From Prison
9.Bring 'Em Down
10.Fiddlestix
11.Royal Selection No.13
12.Widow Of Westmorland's Daughter
13.Dark Eyed Molly
14.The Wounded Whale
15.A Surfeit Of Lampreys
16.Jewel In The Crown
17.Naked Highwayman (maybe should have dropped last two Jewel tunes for tracks from Gladys and Expletive)
18.Lallah Rookh
19.Spanish Main
20.Sir B McKenzie (could have been Sir Patrick or Poor Will, but I went for that)

We've had family staying with us, and I've only just caught up with all the comments posted.   David..... s@d off!!!   ;)  

What during a nightmare!!    ;)

Nope, I just have perverse tastes. Can't stand Bonny Black Hare. Love HR!  :)

It takes all sorts...

That is perverse!   ;)

The results are in:

http://www.fairportconvention.com/general_news.php#news1

Rather disappointingly predictable list, I'm afraid.  Not much out of that lot that they haven't played a lot, apart from Sailor's Life, Come All Ye and Farewell, Farewell

Agree with you there Will, but I think this was going to be the case anyway no matter what. Still-remakes/reworkings of Jewel In The Crown, Farewell, Farewell, Red and Gold, Genesis Hall, Sailor's Life, and Fotheringay could prove interesting. As you mentioned earlier I'm not sure about Fotheringay being sung by Simon or Chris, but you never know. As for the others, the ones that have been in the repertoire (or never left)by the current lineup, lets just hope they get tweaked slightly from how they have been performed.

I don't think I won  :(


 ;)

I am pretty sure I didnt either.  Otherwise Lord Marlborough would be in the list.

Me either....I think my for the hell of it pick was Don't Be Late from Gottle (I remember on Cropredy Chronicles they mentioned that is the only album where nothing from it has ever been played at Cropredy-is that still the case? I'm sure somone will quip shortly....for good reason! :)

I am sure I didn' t! One or two of mine appeared way down the list. But to be totally frank I couldn't imagine an album with Rising for..and Genesis Hall, both being rerecorded fairly recenttly and the top 5 being in the repertoire atm. Must admit I am a bit disappointed and underwhelmed by the result... :(

Yup. Predictable. And you can immediately discount Tam Lin, Now Be Thankful, Rising For The Moon & Sloth as candidates for the album

They could always make it less a predictable recording, by inviting some guest vocalists to turn up.  

Kellie While for A Sailor's Life please :)

Hmmmm...I tend to hate those albums with a castlist of guest artists.  They always come across as desperate.  What works for a Croppers gig wouldn't be the same for a studio record.  I'd rather the band hunkered down to something fresh or drafted in a new musician or singer or writer (or all three in one) permanently to stir the pot up a bit.

Jules

Yeah. Like Richard Thompson for instance.

I'm sorry, but I really don't want to hear this album....I just can't connect with the idea of it in any shape or form...

I can't help wondering how much enthusiasm the band will ultimately have for this idea themselves. All of the studio remakes to date have been pale imitations of the originals (whereas live versions on Cropredy 08 for example are splendid). 14 of the 20 tracks voted for come from a 2 year period out of the band's 44 year career and only one member of the current line up played on 13 of the 20 songs voted for (with the count rising to two members for an additional 4 songs). It must be particularly disappointing for them that nothing at all from the Chris Leslie years has made the list. They might have at least expected John Gaudie to be there.

I can't see what they can do to really make this work to anybody's satisfaction. It is just too unimaginative a list.

Has anyone ever heard a remake (particularly one by a later version of the same band) that is better than the original?

I might give a half thumbs up for Kate Bush's Director's Cut, but as these were songs she was very vocally unhappy with at the time, and nobody really regarded as classics in the first place, I'm not sure the comparison works...

So, this is entirely the wrong way round...they've asked for a list of everybody's fave tracks which they then want to reinterpret?  Right..Saying it out loud doesn't succeed in making it sound a better idea, does it...surely, it would have been a much more productive idea to just remake Gottle? ;) :)

I'm tempted to say (controversially) the Just Us version of Circle Sky by The Monkees, purely because you can actually hear the vocals unlike the original but otherwise no.

Nah, that Justus version sucks.  What you want is the vocals-up mix of the original as found on Missing Links vol 3.

Jules

Career Opportunities, by The Clash, which they reworked on Sandanista, although that was only a couple of years or so after the original, is one that I can think of.

Anyway, I'm with you david, in not really seeing the point of this. To me the only way it could be made interesting would be with guest vocalists/musicians, but not the usual folk circuit suspects. No guarantee anyone would say yes, of course, but why not be totally radical and ask the likes of Dani Filth, Chris Cornell, Siouxsie, Jake Burns, Tom Waits, Adele.........there are loads out there who would/could bring something new. Need an independent producer as well I suppose.

I'll just get me tin hat............

That's actually a pretty neat idea!   :)

Jules

But that version's awful!   :(

Jules

 :D

Ah. I don't have the Missing Links series. Given the quality of much of the bonus material on the album reissues I gave them a miss and I think they are unavailable now. I'd like to hear that though. One of my favourite Monkees songs spoiled by a lousy recording.

Er... back on topic...maybe FC should cover it. Nice fiddle solo in the middle. Would work well I think  ;D

It is brilliant... ;D

Missing Links 2 and 3 are excellent collections.  The alternate mix of Circle Sky has crystal clear vocals, but maybe loses out on some of the instrumental power of the first mix.  That original wasn't a lousy recording - it's actually very dynamic.  Somebody just forgot to turn the vocals up!  I synched the two up and made my own alternate mix.

As for Fairport - do we really want a bunch of music legends sitting in with the band and making a "look at our famous friends" record?  It's what The Chieftains did when they'd run out of ideas.  It pretty much means you've resigned yourself to no longer being creative, so you're content to buy yourself a higher profile by recycling your past with knobs on.  It's a vacuous road to travel down IMO.

Jules

Pretty much agree with you. But I do think, if they are going to do it, they have to look outside the folk circuit for their recruits, otherwise it's the same old, same old.

We have seen, in the recent past, Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell get a new lease of life when stepping out of their comfort zone and doing something a bit radical, unexpected.

Yes, but they're singers whose producers drafted in younger backing musicians to support on albums including material by younger writers.  Conversely, Fairport would presumably back famous singers in the model proposed above (I'm aware that this is all hypothetical) and then it starts to look top-heavy.  If they did more of a session thing with  pickers and fiddlers etc, or simply covered some younger people's songs, then I'd be much more open to the idea.

Jules

And Glen Campbell's just called it a day.,....

I don't think they would go down that route. They are forever making the point that they are a working band with their eyes on the future as much as the past and have no wish to be their own tribute band. They want to stand or fall on their own merits and would not want to be overshadowed by their collaborators which is why, I think, this project appears to be backfiring badly before it has really even begun.

Alzheimer's, so I hear.   :(

Jules

That's very sad.

Normally I'd agree but this is supposed to be a 45 year celebration album so it seems to me the perfect opportunity to get in a whole range of guest singers from that entire period to sing - the likes of John Jones, Jon Boden, Maddy Prior, etc. etc. there's an endless list of possibilities.

That might work.

Jules

How about a TAWers' version?

Collectively, we could come up with a different song/tune list, there's plenty of musicians & singers on here...  

... bagsy vocals on "Polly On The Shore"!

No way!  That one's mine!  We'll have to have a deep throat competition.  Uh...sorry...that came out wrong.   :-[

Jules

That's just made me spurt my tea all over the keyboard! ;D

C x

Next time, choose to swallow rather than spit.

 ::)

Jules

 :-[ ok

I think we have a new winner of the Topic Drift of the Year award... :)

Ooh matron!  Who's going to do Rosie?

OK Jules - you can have Polly (!) if I can sing "Iron Lion".

You're welcome to that one (I can't even remember how it goes).

Jules

That's my style, man.  They call me The Drifter.  

(Well, alright they don't call me The Drifter really.)

Jules

If I could bring this back on topic  :P Not quite what you are talking about here David, but I had mentioned earlier in this thread Oysterband's Oxford Girl and Other Stories, which reworked a few recent songs in their repertoire, along with some older songs, in what I thought was a refreshing way. Maybe not better....but different. I also wonder if we are writing this whole concept off too soon. Is it not possible the band might throw a couple of surprises our way? They could go the guest singer route, they could just do it straightforward a la Tam Lin and Polly On The Shore (which I agree did little to the original versions). Or maybe, just maybe the band will really shake things up and alter the songs completely (certainly what I would hope for).

 And Gub, I agree with your point (nice statistical analysis by the way) about the time frame the chosen songs have originally appeared in, versus the lack of say, anything by Chris Leslie. I approached the contest as more of a oh why not, than a deep thought exercise because I suspected these were the type of results we would get. I was hoping for some more obscure material revisited,and will just hold out hope that the guys come up with something different

The best re-working of an old song they have done recently was Chris singing Reynardine on stage IMHO.

Hairs on the back of the neck job (mine, not the werefox's :D)

Oh, do we have to?   I thought the other topic with Jules and Caz far more amusing!!   :P

Drift on Pete! :-X

 i heard he was battling through the alzheimers and soldiering on, the current mrs Glen asked for a bit of leeway to be given if he has any senior moments

Yes, he has a new album coming out and is embarking on a farewell tour. The man is 75 after all. He's probably entitled to a bit of a rest.

I thought my girlfriend was joking when she said she was leaving me because of my obsession with The Monkees.

Then I saw her face.

To get us all back on topic....

Chris singing Reynardine, the band performing Babbacombe Lee and the more recent versions of Who Knows Where The Time Goes have been praised here Along with a new album that may be the best they have done in a while this would indicate that once we see past our prejudices of which version of Fairport is the best, in our opinion, there may be a band who can look at the past and produce an interesting album.

It is however a very safe list, although any list of favored songs by a bands fans would be fairly predictable. I am voting for two songs only on the whole album, a jam fest with Sailors Life and Sloth.

Neil

Bwahahahahaha!!!   ;D

Jules

I sincerely hope Sloth and A Sailor's Life (reinterpreted by the current lineup) appear on the new studio album.

ditto.

I'm afraid that sounds like a recipe for disaster to me...

I don't think it will happen but Sloth might be interesting. I am very fond of the Nicol/Swarb version on When We Were Very Young and I think a full band acoustic version based around that arrangement could work well.

An acoustic Sloth by the current band might be fun, but I'm hoping instead for a version with a two-and-a-half-minute solo by Dave Pegg on electric bass.

acoustic sloths are ok for duos, i want to hear leccy guitars and bass solos as well and preferably taking at least 20 minutes out of the set

Liking this line of thinking Dooovall and Jim - more Peggy on the bass solos please - keep him away from those kippers and cider and set him to work.

So do I but it ain't gonna happen with the current lineup and they are the ones recording this album.

However add Chris and his love of prog, Ric's penchant for jazz rock, to the rest of the band without being over shadowed by guest heavy hitters who knows what may happen. A Sailor's Life would be interesting, maybe it can be a vinyl only release, Sloth side A with A Sailor's Life the B side.

Is that statement a fact Neil?   If so, I'm surprised.

Maybe an overstatement he has played on a Mostly Autumn album however.