TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Here's a subject that I don't think we've had before, at least not for a while.  I'm just interested in any obscure information about the relatively few singles there have been and in what lengths people may have gone to in order to obtain them given that they are now all available as bonus tracks on CD. From memory, I think the pre-'79 singles are as follows:

Ribbon Bow / If
Meet on the Ledge / Throwaway Street Puzzle
Si Tu Dois Partir / Genesis Hall
Now Be Thankful / Sir B. McKenzie's Daughter's Lament For The 77th Mounted Lancers Retreat From The Straits Of Loch Knombe, In The Year Of Our Lord 1727, On The Occasion Of The Announcement Of Her Marriage To The Laird Of Kinleakie
White Dress / Tears
Rubber Band / Bonny Black Hare

For me, of the non-album singles, Now Be Thankful is the most interesting, in that it is the only one that can be regarded as a Fairport classic - of course it did not stay non-album for long because it was included in the History of FC album - plus they apparently made the Guinness Book of Records with the name of the b-side. Does this record still stand? I also really like the "Australian, orchestral" version of Sir B that is now included in the Nine CD.

 

I'd also be intrigued to know what post-79 singles there are too (pedants alert: Rubber Band is a post-79 single).  Are there any others beyond the MotL from '87?

They put out a 12" single of MOTL with Si begh Si mor and John Barleycorn for the 20th anniversary of the band(i think)

Yep - the 7" just has SBSM

There are a few more pre 79 UK single releases.

Polydor seem to have belatedly reissued If with Chelsea Morning on the reverse in 1970

Also:

John Lee/The Time Is Near
Rosie/Knights of the Road

"The Devil In The Kitchen" / "Possibly Parsons Green" - 1973 Island (pink label) K 5402 NZ pressing

Well if we're gonna go abroad then the field gets much wider, I think...?

Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything that was not just a local issue of a UK release. Come on people, prove me wrong.  ;D

In current times, I'm sure there'd be an English version of Si Tu Dois Partir released in Francophone countries.  ;)

(Off topic I know, but did anyone else buy The Enid's 7" single of the Dambusters Theme/Land of Hope & Glory?)

No, but if you hadn't told me it was by The Enid, I would have assumed that was a Who record!

Saw The Enid play that at Glastonbury in 1983. Quite enjoyed them at the time, but find them hopelessly pretentious now.

Fairport have slipped to number 6.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf-Tgqj0OAU

(btw Sir B isn't the Aussie Strings tune - that's Fiddlestix and/or The Devil In The Kitchen...probably the NZ single mentioned up thread.)

Also, there was  Fairport Convention, Mike Silver Quazi-Be-Goode / Where Would You Rather Be Tonight

I would just throw this in here...a Fairport single that was going to be and wasn't...if my memory serves me right and I wish I still had my early Woodworm Records newsletter. Fairport were going to release, 'She is Woman' as a single. I can not remember what year this was, all I remember was on the BBC Radio show presented by Ralph McTell Swarb and Nicol performed this song on the show...I that the choice was not in the best taste at the time so I am not surprised it was pulled.

That rings a few bells, Simon...

According to wikipedia UK singles were as follows
"If I Had a Ribbon Bow"/"If (Stomp)" – February 1968, (Track Records)
"Meet on the Ledge"/"Throwaway Street Puzzle" – December 1968 (Island)
"I'll Keep It with Mine"/"Fotheringay" – 1969
"Si Tu Dois Partir"/"Genesis Hall" – July 1969 Chart: #21 [2]
"If (Stomp)"/"Chelsea Morning" – April 1970 (Polydor Records)
"Now Be Thankful"/"Sir B. McKenzie's Daughter's Lament..." – September 1970 (Island)
"Walk Awhile"/"Sir Patrick Spens" – Late 1970
"Sickness & Diseases"/"Wizard Of Worldly Game" – 1971
"John Lee"/"The Time Is Near" – February 1972 (Island)
"The World Has Surely Lost Its Head"/"The Journeyman's Grace" – February 1972
"Rosie"/"Knights of the Road" – February 1973, Island
"Rosie"/"Fiddlestix" – May 1973
"The Devil In The Kitchen"/"Possibly Parsons Green" – January 1974 (Australia / New Zealand only)
"White Dress"/"Tears" – 1975, Island
"Si Tu Dois Partir"/"White Dress" – August 1975
"Jams O'Donnell's Jig"/"The Last Waltz" – June 1978
"Rubber Band"/"The Bonny Black Hare" – March 1980
"Quazi-Be-Goode"/"Where Would You Rather Be Tonight?" – August 1986
"Meet on the Ledge"/"Sigh Beg Sigh Mor" – May 1987

What in the name of ****ery is this?

It certainly isn't '86 is it...and who the hell from Fairport is on it?  Rhythm section is about all it could be (although it doesn't sound like them to these ears)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhKkZFqLnhg

To partly answer my own question...it is from '86 (and presumably from) here: https://www.discogs.com/Various-Where-Would-You-Rather-Be-Tonight/release/8498365

I've never seen a copy before or even heard of it, and I'm still intrigued by what the Fairport connection is?  Anyway, it's near impossible to find at a reasonable price, and it is a single with the Fairport Convention name on the label so into the collection it goes....

Apologies for replying to myself, but... as someone has pointed out on FB, they played it live in '86 (a year I didn't go)... http://fclist.org/cropredy-cropredy-line-ups/cropredy-1986

I used to have a signed (by Steeleye '87) copy of this album. The Fairport track featured Wurzel from Motorhead on lead guitar.

https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/records/wherewouldyouratherbetonight.html

Quazi be Goode was a Les Barker poem I think.

Still going, I think. Saw him many times at many different folk festivals. Good, observational parody poetry.

OMG where can I get a copy of this, preferably digitally? It's amazing!  :D

Seek help (says man who's just bought a copy of single he despises)...  ;) :) ;D

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Where-Would-You-Rather-Be-Tonight-A-Compilation-Album/392511721635?hash=item5b638590a3:g:aCEAAOSw9fZdu9Jr

That's what I come on here for!!!  :D  To be honest, I just want to hear it. I've bought far too much music on the basis that I heard one track which was Ok or I once saw the drummer play in a local band when I was drunk and can't remember if they were any good....  :-\

It's a good job I'm not the sort of person who would just follow a link and buy something without due consideration first, isn't it....  :-X  ;D

(soz for double post)

I love the fact the single cost me twice as much as the album would have done...  ;D

Thanks Jon for the list, but I can't help doubting the reliability of wikipedia (shock, horror!) as regards some of its contents. For example, I've never previously heard reference to Walk Awhile having been a single (although it would have been a good choice) and the same goes for the 1975 re-issue of Si Ti Dois Partir, this time teamed with White Dress.

This is a list taken from (an archived copy of) the old Expletive Delighted website (available here if anyone else wants a look: https://web.archive.org/web/20080509115746/http://www.fcfansite.fsnet.co.uk/), so accurate to about 2006:


    If I Had A Ribbon Bow / If (Stomp) - February 1968
    Meet On The Ledge / Throw Away Street Puzzle - December 1968
    I'll Keep It With Mine / Fotheringay - 1969
    I'll Keep It With Mine / I'll Keep It With Mine - 1969
    Si Tu Dois Partir / Genesis Hall - July 1969
    If (Stomp) / Chelsea Morning - April 1970
    Now Be Thankful / Sir B. McKenzie's Daughter's Lament For The 77th Mounted Lancer's Retreat From The Straights Of Loch Knombe, In The Year Of Our Lord 1727, On The Occasion Of The Announcment Of Her Marriage To The Laird Of Kinleake - September 1970
    Walk Awhile / Sir Patrick Spens - Late 1970
    Sickness & Diseases / Wizard Of  Wordly Game - 1971
    John Lee / The Time Is Near - February 1972
    The World Has Surely Lost Its Head / The Journeyman's Grace - February 1972
    Rosie / Knights Of The Road - February 1973
    Rosie / Fiddlestix - May 1973
    The Devil In The Kitchen / Possibly Parsons Green - January 1974
    White Dress / Tears - July 1975
    Si Tu Dois Partir / White Dress - August 1975
    Jams O'Donnell's Jig / The Last Waltz - June 1978
    Rubber Band / The Bonny Black Hare - March 1980
    Adieu Adieu / General Taylor / The Last Waltz / Jack O'Rion / Lady Of Pleasure - 1980's (Poland)
    Quazi-Be-Goode / Where Would You Rather Be Tonight? - August 1986
    Meet On The Ledge / Sigh Beg Sigh Mor - May 1987
    (12" single) Meet On The Ledge / John Barleycorn / Sigh Beg Sigh Mor - May 1987

It does include both of those Phil queries, but if you dig deeper the Walk Awhile was a US single and the 1975 Si Tu Dois Partir was a French one.  It looks as if this list may be the source of the one on Wikipedia.

Discogs says it was a French single.

Jules

According to the old Expletive Delighted site, the musicians on Quazi-Be-Goode were:

Ric Sanders    Violin
Dave Pegg    Bass Guitar
Dave Mattacks    Drums, Tambourine, Glockenspiel
with    
Jon Benns    Vocal, Acoustic Guitar
Wurzel    Electric Guitar
Bob Johnson    Electric Guitar

Thanks for that, Will.  Makes sense.  I'm damned if I can hear Ric on it though...

I gave up buying on recommendation years ago. have a guess which band are at the root of that!!

I bet it begins with B  :D

Um, no, "it" begins with "i".  ::)

Sorry to be so stupid

Hey! It's a joke!

Stupid and with no sense of humour  ::)  There is no hope for me!  ;)

... and I still don't know the name of the artist   :-\

Yes. Still going, still very funny. Often at Wickham Festival.

I performed Reg the Lonely Glow Worm over Zoom recently.

Paul

I have this French single.
It isn't on red vinyl, btw, that's only the sleeve....

Nice one  :)