TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Hey all,

Not sure if this community is big on lists so this may go nowhere, but I have some time to kill at work...so what are everyone's top post-Fairport RT songs?  ???

I'll have a go:

1. Calvary Cross
2. When I Get to the Border
3. Night Comes In
4. Tear Stained Letter
5. Dimming of the Day
6. Valerie
7. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
8. The Poor Ditching Boy
9. The End of the Rainbow
10. Mother Knows Best

I go by which songs I NEVER skip when they pop up on the Ipod -

1. Dimming of the Day
2. A Heart Needs a Home
3. The Great Valerio
4. Meet on the Ledge (original LP recording)
5. Crazy Man Michael (original LP recording)
6. I Misunderstood
7. Wall of Death
8. Man in Need
9. Walking on a Wire
10. Hand of Kindness
[11.] Salford Sunday

Beeswing
Devonside
Hand of Kindness
Tear Stained Letter
Wall of Death
Vincent Black Lightning
Shoot out the lights
Read about Love
Galway to Graceland
Persuasion

But it could change tomorrow. ;D

This is going to take a bit of thought. I could name two right off the bat but I am not sure I can narrow the rest down to a list of ten. I'll get back to you...

Like Nick said, it could change, but think for sure it would always include most of the following, in no order-

1. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
2. Cooksferry Queen
3. Wall Of Death
4. Shoot Out The Lights (any live version)
5. Tear Stained Letter
6. Walking On A Wire
7. A Heart Needs A Home
8. Valerie
9. Turning Of The Tide
10. Beeswing

All great selections that I had a hard time leaving off the list.  I especially love the version of Cooksferry on Live in Austin TX.  Ghosts in the Wind is another one - the solo version on the BBC box set is fantastic. Oh and MGB-GT of course.

I suppose this does change day to day, depending on how one is feeling.  :)

That was tough. For now I am going with (in no particular order)

Can’t Win
Al Bowlly’s In Heaven
Waltzing’s For Dreamers
The Poor Ditching Boy
The End Of The Rainbow
A Heart Needs A Home
Walking On A Wire
A Bone Through Her Nose
Mingus Eyes
Bathsheba Smiles

Honorable mentions for I Still Dream and Guns Are The Tongues which only just missed the list. And the Live At Crawley version of Ghosts In The Wind is a favourite recording.

I haven't lived with the two most recent albums for long enough to be objective yet but I suspect that If Love Whispers Your Name may work its way in at some point.



Edit: Damn! have just realised I forgot Hand Of Kindness!

When I get to the border
Bone through her nose
Demons in her dancing shoes
Speechless Child
Night comes in
Hokey Pokey
I feel so good
Hand of kindness
Fire in the engine room
End of the rainbow

I may need a day or so to work this one out....

Jules

Ditto.

In fact I would struggle to narrow it to 10 albums....

That was the one I'd noticed was conspicuous by its absence 'till you mentioned it, Al.

Can I take "all the above"?

I'll need a bit of time for this.

In no particular order, 10 RT songs that move me :

1. When I Get To The Border
2. Beeswing
3. Guns Are The Tongues
4. Missie How You Let Me Down
5. Can't Win
6. Nobody's Wedding
7. A Poisoned Heart And A Twisted Memory
8. Bathsheba Smiles
9. The Ghost Of You Walks
10. Diamonds In Her Dancing Shoes

...but with such a canon, ask me again in 20 minutes and I'd probably give you 10 different ones !  :)

1.I Misunderstood - particularly Cropredy 91 which was when I had my R.T epiphany.
2.Persuasion - the instrumental version from Sweet Talker moved me to write some lyrics for it.Then I was outdone by some Kiwi fellah.
3.Vincent - Of course.
4.Beeswing - Of course.
5.Hand Of Kindness.
6.Dimming Of The Day.
7.Feel So Good.
8.Read About Love.
9.The Ghost Of You Walks.
10.Business On You.

10a.Shoot Out The Lights.
10b.Bone Through Her Nose.
10c.Hide It Away.
10d......nah can't be done.....

What a great topic.

Today's 10 are :-

Bathsheba Smiles.
A Love You Can't Survive.
Wall Of Death.
Dimming Of The Day.
Let It Blow.
A Heart Needs A Home.
I Misunderstood.
Crawl Back Under My Stone.
Waltzing's For Dreamers.
Good Things Happen To Bad People.

Thank God this isn't a community big on lists!
I'm with Jules, a day isn't long enough to distill it to 10.

I'm not entirely sure a lifetime is...

This is completely impossible - I'd struggle to narrow it down to 50 really, but...

1952 Vincent Black Lightning
The end of the rainbow
Waltzing's for dreamers
Cold kisses
I feel so good
Beeswing
Can't win
Cooksferry queen
Tear stained letter
Wall of death

I'd probably come up with a different 10 tomorrow and the day after that and...

Well I know the early stuff better than the recent stuff, so this may well change as I get more familiar with the newer songs, but for now:-

1. When I Get To The Border
2. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
3. House Of Cards
4. Nobody's Wedding
5. We Sing Halllelujah
6. Streets Of Paradise
7. I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
8. Back Street Slide
9. Down Where The Drunkards Roll
10. Dimming Of The Day

Bubbling under: Wall Of Death; Painted Ladies; The Angels Took My Racehorse Away; Old Man Inside A Young Man; I'll Never Give It Up; Shoot Out The Lights; Beeswing; The Old Changing Way; MGB-GT; The Poor Ditching Boy.

Jules

So many to choose from but I started with those which I've attempted to play on the guitar (not including Beeswing!) and had to include a light-hearted one at the end. Just thinking of the Janet Jackson song makes me smile. I've added a cover too, with Friday On My Mind coming a close second.

1. I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
2. Al Bowlly's In Heaven
3. Can't Win
4. Don't Sit on my Jimmy Shands
5. Beeswing
6. Train Don't Leave
7. Gethsemane
8. Happy Days and Old Lang Syne
9. Saving The Good Stuff For You
10. Dear Janet Jackson

Bonus cover version: Blackleg Miner

Off the top of my head, subject to daily change etc etc (and sticking to solo and R+LT songs)

Poor Ditching Boy
Calvary Cross
Heart Needs A Home
Dimming Of The Day
Wall Of Death
When The Spell Is Broken
Vincent
Beeswing
A Love You Can't Survive
Cooksferry Queen

These 15 make up some of my top10 off the top of my head (without going to sleeve listings etc.) For those I have overlooked I could claim to have Amnesia, but then again I have most of the rest of his albums too!
1. How Will I Ever Be Simple Again
2. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
3. Dimming of the Day
4. The Old Changing Way
5. Waltzing's for Dreamers
6. Withered and Died
7. The Poor Ditching Boy
8. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
9. Beeswing
10. Down Where the Drunkards Roll
11. Gethsemane
12. The New St. George
13. Night Comes In
14. I Misunderstood
15. Al Bowly's In Heaven

and best non-RT song Oops I Did It Again - shows what can be done in the hands of a master

It has occured to me that if I was basing the list solely on live recordings and performances rather than purely songwriting my choices would be entirely different.

Wouldn't be a music forum if people didn't say I can give you 10, but 15 is better! Or distinctions between live or studio recordings. Or only albums that begin with the letter S....... ;D

I have been guilty of this myself just so no one thinks I am being critical  ;)

It begs the question of what criteria you use to judge a song doesn't it? After all, a song is not a static thing. It changes and evolves in performance. Take Dylan's Most Likely You Go Your Way. For me the studio version is one of his lesser works but played live with The Band it catches fire. With regard to RT, my initial reaction to the Electric album was that it was good but a little pedestrian by his standards. In concert the songs really came alive and were taught and exciting. I listened to the album again this morning and I still think it is a bit ordinary by comparison.

It is an excellent point you make Al and it is indeed true. I lost count of how many times I have heard a singer or band mention the fact that live is where the songs really take shape, and bring out the true essence of the song. In the case of Richard I think as a guitarist this really holds true. Much as I like the studio version of Can't Win, the extended solos live really bring it into a whole new territory, and that is but one. Cavalry Cross, Night Comes In, Shoot Out The Lights and on and on prove that.

Heresy!  (I love the original version best.)

Jules

It's always been true of Mr N Young as well.

Some folks never equal their records, others easily surpass them every time they plug-in in front of a crowd.

Jules

Went throught this exercise with a pal (top 20) and encountered many difficulties with that.  We agreed to omit works with FC and the French Kaiser etc albums (otherwise Killing Jar, Black Dog..complicate things).  From my list in chronological order:

Calvary Cross
Dimming of the Day
Did She Jump
Tear Stained Letter
I Still Dream
Vincent
Mystery Wind
Gethsemane
Guns are the Tongues
If Love Whispers Your Name

For me, it's the first 10 tracks on Henry the Human Fly!  I'm being serious......I am!  8)

I'm sure RT is secretly compiling the results of this poll for an upcoming release:  "By Popular Request."

I'm going to attempt this a song at a time-  "Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shands"

I love the humour and the imagery of going to parties in the song.

"Just don't rest your cheeks against my man."

I think I'll go for the one at a time approach:

Meet on the Ledge.

By the way, I note with concern for our collective mental well-being that so many people include there's nothing at the End of the Rainbow in their top tens ;)

Ok, for the next hour only I will go with...

1. Genesis Hall
2. Angels have taken my racecourse away
3. Calvary Cross
4. Al Bowleys in Heaven
5. Outside of the Inside
6. Shoot out the lights
7. First Light
8. Pavane
9. Pharaoh
10. God loves a drunk

Special bonus comedy song - My Daddy is a Mummy
Special bonus cover version - Surfing USA

Aargh - forgot Sloth....

Don't worry Sir Martin - it was meant to be the top ten POST Fairport songs.So it's not eligible for inclusion anyway.
So some of you folks are going to have to recompile, you cheaters.

1. Beeswing
2. Gethsemane
3. I Misunderstood
4. Sunset Song
5. Calvary Cross
6. End of the Rainbow
7. Can't Win
8. Vincent
9. Shoot out the Lights
10 Cold Kisses

Can't do ten - I'll be arguing with myself all night.

But at number one: Drowned Dog Black Night.

I know its FFKT, but it is an RT song, and it never fails to cheer me up. :'(

It's that song that really introduced me to RT's music really - I was aware of Fairport - I owned a copy of Liege & Lief, but I heard Elvis Costello do a live version of End of the rainbow in about 1984 and started to look more deeply into his music. The rest, as they say, is history.

I will have to give this some consideration. I am not familiar with much of RTs work, but one song (not so far listed I believe) gave me the chills first time I heard it live. It was "Hope you like the new Me".

I don't normally enjoy these list posts, but (despite my limited knowledge of RTs music) this one appeals. I shall return! ;D

1. Sloth
2. Meet On The Ledge
3. Dimming of The Day
4. Genesis Hall
5. Hand of Kindness
6.Tear Stained Letter
7. Wall of Death
8 A Heart needs a Home
9. When the Spell is Broken
10. Poor Ditching Boy

The list looks "old" to me but songs and music makes much more impact on you, when you´re young.
Doesn´t it?  ;)

Or, maybe it´s just me..... 8)

In no particular order:

1. 1952 Vincent Black Lightening
2. Beeswing
3. Pharaoh
4. Tear Stained Letter
5. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
6. Dimming of the Day
7. The Sun Never Shines on the Poor
8. Poor Ditching Boy
9. I Misunderstood
10.  Dad's Gonna Kill Me

That post-Fairport only memo still isn't making the rounds, is it?   ;)

As for your point about songs affecting you more when you're younger, I sort of agree, but not quite.  I think that it's more of a case of the first songs you hear by an artist you get into remaining amongst your favourites regardless of the age you are when you first hear them.  I hadn't heard any Richard Thompson songs before the age of 30+ yet the stuff I first heard by him still hit me strongly.

Jules

I don't now how anyone expects to pass the exam if they don't take the time to read the question properly!  ;)

Everyone will have personal favourites but in any list I would have to have the live version of Calvary Cross firmly at the top.
 A recording I return to again and again. The electricity of the gig still comes across as RT had toured playing purely acoustic then suddenly does an electric version of CC, Still makes hairs on my arms tingle.
I shall have to play it now!

1. Calvary Cross
and then in no particular order
Dimming of the Day.
Withered and Died
I want to see Bright Lights tonight
Dad's gonna kill me.
Vincent B L
Beeswing
Cooksferry Queen
Down where the Drunkards roll
Wall of Death

Gosh , i realise all the stuff I have left out and if we are including FC then Sailors Life and Sloth HAVE to be in there.

If we were including Fairport-era songs, then Now Be Thankful would stand tall at my number one slot, always and forever.

Jules

I never spent the time to go to the start of the thread- I just jumped aboard. If s, MoTL & GH were off the list I´d  add Dad´s Gonna Kill Me, I Want To See The bright Lights and Pavanne....
I hope I´ll pass.... 8) ;D

Ok we will let you off this time Staffan, but pay attention if you want to sit at the back of the class!  ;) ;D

1. Withered and Died
2. When I Get to the Border.
3. Sights and Sounds of London Town.
4. Down Where the Drunkards Roll.
5. Vincent Black Lightning 1952.
6. Turning of the Tide.
7. The Ghost of You Walks.
8. A Heart Needs A Home.
9. The Sun Never Shines on the Poor.
10 Beeswing.

Possibly no in that order but close to it.

In no particular order...

1. Shoot out the lights
2. I want to see the Bright lights tonight
3. Night comes in
4. Calvary Cross
5. Civilisation
6. Hand of Kindness
7. The Gorse among the grey
8. For shame of doing wrong
9. Bathsheba smiles
10. when I get to the boarder

In random order...

Withered and Died
Wall of Death
I Feel So Good
1952 Vincent Black Lightning
Guns Are The Tongues
Waltzing's for Dreamers
I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
Tear Stained Letter
Take Care The Road You Choose
Oops I Did It Again

1.   Guns Are the Tongues
2.   Needle and Thread
3.   Dead Man’s Handle
4.   Persuasion
5.   Beeswing
6.   Gypsy Love Songs
7.   Hard On Me
8.   Keep Your Distance
9.   1952 Vincent Black Lightning
10.   The Angels Took My Racehorse Away

That #2 there is for personal reasons, I can't really make an artistic defence of it.

Thought about it - just can't do it.

Beeswing is one of my all time favourite narrative songs by anyone but after that I really can't choose.

DW

1. Beeswing
2. Vincent Black Lightning
3. Shoot Out The Lights
4. Waltzing's For Dreamers
5. Persuasion
6. Dimming of the Day
7. Wall of Death
8. Al Bowlly's in Heaven
9. If Love Whispers Your Name
10. For Shame of Doing Wrong

Today's list. It will probably change tomorrow. It feels like having to pick your favourite children!

Surprised to see so few pick For Shame... I have always felt the line "I wish I was a fool for you again" to be of the best ever written.

I always associate it more with Sandy Denny and prefer her recording to Richard & Linda's, which is in no way to diminish the latter.

In no order at all.

When I Get To The Border
Beat The Retreat
Gypsy Love Songs
How Will I Ever Be Simple Again
Devonside
The Angels Took My Racehorse Away
One Door Opens
How Many Times
Put It There Pal
Dimming of the Day

Of course as so many have said it depends on the mood, the day, or even time of day.

Neil

Especially when it's dimming, eh?   ;)

Jules

David, that is because you had the perspective that I lacked when I cast my selection - no other reason, it is indeed a great song, with an excellent lyric. Change my list to my 16 Top 10 Songs!

1. 1952 Vincent Black Lightening
2. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
3. We Sing Hallelluja
4. Dad's Gonna Kill Me
5. Crazy Man Michael
6. Salford Sunday
7. The Sun Never Shines on the Poor
8. Genesis Hall
9. When I Get to the Border
10. I'll Regret it All in the Morning