TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Just a thought - except for some tunes it seems that the last "new" trad arr recorded by Fairport was Wassail on Over the Next Hill, and before that Brookside on XXXV (which was part of Chris' canon anyway).

Compare to Steeleye's Cogs, Wheels and Lovers, all trad arr, Oysters and June Tabor mostly trad arr, Bellowheads reworking of trad songs, Martin Simpson etc.

I wonder if, given the stated preference of the current lineup for an acoustic sound, that a revisit to Cecil Sharp house and an input of "folk" might shake things up a bit.

DW

There was an interesting snippet in the Way of Morris of the Adderbury revivers pouring over manuscripts st CSH. But I guess the lads spend a lot of time touring these days.I for one would welcome a few 'new' trad arrs.

I agree, and especially with Chris in the band I would have thought he would want to do some more traditional material.

Hear, Hear.

Well several of Ralph McTell's own songs have been described as 'traditional' so I suppose 'McTell arranged FC'  could be described as trad  ;)  How long before people really do think Red & Gold is a traditional song from the last English civil war.

You meant "misdescribed", I think. If the author is known, the song cannot be "traditional", by definition.

I've seen Galway Bay, written by Steve Knightly, described as a tradtional Irish song many times.
As Peter Kay might say, it's not even Irish.

Yes, but even Steve says it's misdescribed as such.

do they do a song called Galway bay? what record is it on? i know they do one called galway farmer

Good catch. Funny the tricks the mind plays on ya.

How about an entire album of trad. arr. songs? I'd buy it...

It's on 'Play in a Day, the non-Irish Way'.
Don't you have it?  ;)

I also would't mind Fairport recording some traditional songs/tunes again, but I asked my self "why?". Is it because I like to hear old stories or are the melodies of the older songs/tunes more beautiful?

I would prefer some Morris tunes or some from the Complete dancing master or some of those beautiful Shetland ones like the one they did in John Gaudie. As for songs Chris must know a lot, I would love to hear them play Ramblin Robin, but as Chris also provides a lot of new material I don't think a trip to the Cecil Sharp house is going to happen.

Being back more Morris medleys! Why should Digence get all the fun?

I think it would be a good move for them provided, and this is important, provided that Simon gets his electric guitar out and they do not treat the material too reverently. Otherwise it is just another album of folk songs.

I just read a review from 1988 when Fairport played at a festival in The Netherlands and the reviewer described their music as Folkmetal and also that their performance was the best in the history of the festival. So, indeed bring back the electric guitar.

That was at (or approaching?) the height of Maart's "Metal Matty" period, I suppose.  At the time I wasn't quite sure...in retrospect, compared with what followed, I miss it greatly.

Since 97 FC have been, principally, an  acoustic based band.
Chris's song writing, band line up, an aging band and audience means we won't see them as an electric folk rock band again............................. except possibly with guests at Cropredy..............................imho