Angel Delight: "less than the sum of its parts"

[Taliesin]

Angel Delight has to be my favorite album of all time from Fairport, classic line up which was made to work tighter, due to the reduced lineup. So pushing all concerned to bring out the best. Great humour & sound on that album.

Nine is another all time favorite, as well as the two albums that preceded Angel delight, for different reasons.

[jimc]

Actually the "less than the sum of parts" seems quite appropriate. There are a lot of good tracls on that recording, some I really like a lot. So why do I play it so rarely?

[Mindwarper]

I didn't think it was live. I thought it was a 45 version. Doesn't sound live to my ears.

I have never understood why people don't like this album. It is one of my favorites. Almost all the songs are great. Lord Marlborough is my favorite FC track. It has great vocals. It is a solid album.

ps  Does anyone know of any live versions of Lord Marlborough or when it was played live?

There is another pretty good version on Disk 3 the "Fairport Un-conventional" box set - A Fairport History.

[Jan_]

I tend to think of Angel Delight as quite a relaxed album.  I don't know if that is a reflection of how the band felt at the time.  I often play it after a hectic day and find it quite soothing. 

I'm afraid I think the exact opposite to the title of the thread.  In my opinion Angel Delight is more than the sum of its parts.  For me all of the songs/tunes are good and together they make a great album!

It would be wonderful to see some of them revived - Lord Marlborough, Sir William Gower, Wizard Of The Worldly Game and Bridge Over The River Ash.

[Mindwarper]

I just listened to it again. I doesn't sound live. It has crackle and pop of a record.  The booklet describes it as el pea. As in l.p.. I wonder if it is a rough mix acetate. Anyone know any more about this track?

I didn't think it was live. I thought it was a 45 version. Doesn't sound live to my ears.

I have never understood why people don't like this album. It is one of my favorites. Almost all the songs are great. Lord Marlborough is my favorite FC track. It has great vocals. It is a solid album.

ps  Does anyone know of any live versions of Lord Marlborough or when it was played live?

There is another pretty good version on Disk 3 the "Fairport Un-conventional" box set - A Fairport History.

[Jim]

el pea was an island sampler
 they used to put them out regularly
the first was "you can all join in" and among the tracks by tull, traffic, art and free etc was "meet on the ledge" by our heroes
the 2nd was"nice enough to eat" a similar mix, mott, heavy jelly,Crimson, quintessence etc and the fairps provided "cajun woman"
the next was a double lp "bumpers" to which the full house line up donated an edit of "Walk awhile "
the last one in the series was el pea and this used the version of "lord marlborough"
the thing with these was that they were cheap, not much more than the price of a single 14/6 in old money(72.5 new pence[roughly a dollar]) for the single lp's
bumpers cost 30 bob(£1.50[2 bucks]) and el pea, both of these were double lp's, weighed in at a hefty £2.50(work it out for yourself). hey, there was a vinyl shortage in 1971 ! i dont remember any more island samplers after el pea
a lot of the tracks on these samplers were edited slightly to make them fit
 so thats why its a slightly different version to the one off angel delight

hope this helps

can i go to bed now?

[Neil Morrell]

It would be wonderful to see some of them revived - Lord Marlborough, Sir William Gower, Wizard Of The Worldly Game and Bridge Over The River Ash.

I've certainly seen FC do Bridge Over The River Ash on several occasions, and I think I've seen them do Wizard Of The Worldly Game too, when Swarb was younger and fitter!

[Jan_]

I've certainly seen FC do Bridge Over The River Ash on several occasions, and I think I've seen them do Wizard Of The Worldly Game too, when Swarb was younger and fitter!

You lucky person!  

I'd love to see Wizard Of The Worldly Game with Swarb! 

Who knows?  Maybe I will one day ...

[Alex Lyons]

I've certainly seen FC do Bridge Over The River Ash on several occasions, and I think I've seen them do Wizard Of The Worldly Game too, when Swarb was younger and fitter!

If you're 34, I doubt it...I can't recall them ever doing 'Wizard' in your lifetime, and possibly never as I don't think they toured it back in '71. 'Bridge Over The River Ash' definitely though - Cropredy '92 with Swarb, and a regular in the "current line-up" set in 94-95ish. Hasn't been that long since 'Sir William Gower' got a revival as well, 1994 I think - worked really well with Simon's vocals and Peggy's rumbling bass but it didn't stay for long unfortunately.

[Mindwarper]

Thank you for the info. I knew nothing of those samplers. So do you know if it a outtake or just edited?

el pea was an island sampler
 they used to put them out regularly
the first was "you can all join in" and among the tracks by tull, traffic, art and free etc was "meet on the ledge" by our heroes
the 2nd was"nice enough to eat" a similar mix, mott, heavy jelly,Crimson, quintessence etc and the fairps provided "cajun woman"
the next was a double lp "bumpers" to which the full house line up donated an edit of "Walk awhile "
the last one in the series was el pea and this used the version of "lord marlborough"
the thing with these was that they were cheap, not much more than the price of a single 14/6 in old money(72.5 new pence[roughly a dollar]) for the single lp's
bumpers cost 30 bob(£1.50[2 bucks]) and el pea, both of these were double lp's, weighed in at a hefty £2.50(work it out for yourself). hey, there was a vinyl shortage in 1971 ! i dont remember any more island samplers after el pea
a lot of the tracks on these samplers were edited slightly to make them fit
 so thats why its a slightly different version to the one off angel delight

hope this helps

can i go to bed now?

[Jim]

just edited, i think
 they used to edit them all to fit as many groups as possible on the lps
but they were a great way of finding out about groups
 the version of walk awhile on bumpers was slightly edited to make it a few seconds shorter than the full house version

[Andy]

I have a transcribed copy of Bumpers if anyone wants a listen Quite the sampler, with Jethro Tull, Fairport, Mott The Hoople and many others.

[Jan_]

I've certainly seen FC do Bridge Over The River Ash on several occasions, and I think I've seen them do Wizard Of The Worldly Game too, when Swarb was younger and fitter!

If you're 34, I doubt it...I can't recall them ever doing 'Wizard' in your lifetime, and possibly never as I don't think they toured it back in '71. 'Bridge Over The River Ash' definitely though - Cropredy '92 with Swarb, and a regular in the "current line-up" set in 94-95ish. Hasn't been that long since 'Sir William Gower' got a revival as well, 1994 I think - worked really well with Simon's vocals and Peggy's rumbling bass but it didn't stay for long unfortunately.

Sadly, all before I came to Fairport in the late 1990s.  We borrowed Jewel In The Crown from our local library and we were hooked.

If Wizard Of The Worldly Game has never been performed live, as you say, wouldn't it be great if it was revived?

I wonder which other tracks have never been performed live.

[greglin (Gregg)]

I have a transcribed copy of Bumpers if anyone wants a listen Quite the sampler, with Jethro Tull, Fairport, Mott The Hoople and many others.

Yes please - I did have the vinyl but can't find it. If I recall it had a lurid yellow cover with a pair of baseball boots on t'front. Also had a few tracks which as you say didn't appear anywhere else in that format or edit. Both " Nice enough to eat" and " Bumpers " helped me to hear a lot of bands I wouldn't have heard otherwise.

Also remember that charisma put out a series of samplers as well, with a few early folk rock bands among the artists.

[Staffan]

Sadly, all before I came to Fairport in the late 1990s.  We borrowed Jewel In The Crown from our local library and we were hooked.


[/quote]

One of the wonderful things libraries can do : start lifeliong passions. 
I know for sure that one Fairport passion was started in a local library over here when a now friend borrowed, just,  Angel Delight. The LP, that is!
Staffan
Librarian

[Andy]

All are welcome to an mp3'd version of "Bumpers", drop me an IM and I'll tell you where it is.

It's old, transcribed from scratchy vinyl and thus not Hi-Fi quality. A great document of 1970, tho'.

[Neil Morrell]

I've certainly seen FC do Bridge Over The River Ash on several occasions, and I think I've seen them do Wizard Of The Worldly Game too, when Swarb was younger and fitter!

If you're 34, I doubt it...I can't recall them ever doing 'Wizard' in your lifetime, and possibly never as I don't think they toured it back in '71. 'Bridge Over The River Ash' definitely though - Cropredy '92 with Swarb, and a regular in the "current line-up" set in 94-95ish. Hasn't been that long since 'Sir William Gower' got a revival as well, 1994 I think - worked really well with Simon's vocals and Peggy's rumbling bass but it didn't stay for long unfortunately.

I did imply that I was possibly mistaken..............

Anyway, maybe they could do it this year!

[Pat Helms]

Hasn't been that long since 'Sir William Gower' got a revival as well, 1994 I think - worked really well with Simon's vocals and Peggy's rumbling bass but it didn't stay for long unfortunately.

GOWER in '94?   Well, I'll be jiggered!  I was on hiatus during the early 90s.  Sorry I missed that one!

[Anne T]

Well I've finally caved in and ordered a copy of "Angel Delight". I can't wait for it to arrive, having read all the things on this thread. I'm especially intrigued by references to "Wizard of the Worldly Game"; the title sounds as though it belongs on a "Yes" LP...
Having an expensive day - just ordered the Cropredy tickets as well!

[greglin (Gregg)]

Well I've finally caved in and ordered a copy of "Angel Delight". I can't wait for it to arrive, having read all the things on this thread. I'm especially intrigued by references to "Wizard of the Worldly Game"; the title sounds as though it belongs on a "Yes" LP...
Having an expensive day - just ordered the Cropredy tickets as well!

you will love it..........if you don't I'll buy you a drink at Cropredy ............ My God, did I just offer to spend money ..........play the title track LOUD...................but play Bonny Black Hare first........................and ignore the cover - that suit is scary !!!