What is the oddest Fairport Bootleg anyone has heard ?

[davidmjs]

Well, there's a very interesting jingle featuring a certain lady of this parish, in duet with a whisperer of some renown    

I'm going to need more clues than that, Nick!

Jules

'twas a genuine advert jingle for a very unlikely product (unlikely unless you know the background).

I shall say no more, except that it is a very pleasant, if somewhat surprising ditty  

Cheers

Nick

From Jude's website (the reviews page).  Is this what you mean?

In the period between the 70s and the early 80s, Jude worked with her husband, Simon Stable, on their tape-duplication business in Oxfordshire, producing everything from cassettes for examination boards to radio commercials. One of these was a remarkable advertisement for Mirror Master chrome cassettes, on which Jude sang a version of ‘Amazing Grace’ in which she extolled the virtues of the said tapes in a voice which made one wish to hear her singing the original song

[Nick]

That'll be it...

...with the final surreal touch being a voiceover from Bob Harris!

[Jules Gray]

Amaaaaaaaazi-iiiiing taaaaapes......!!!!

[Jules Gray]

I like it.  I'm also glad that Fairport didn't ultimately go down that route (although to be frank the late '72-'75 material they did put out is very far from my favourite music the band has produced), but the results are anything but a total failure.....

You don't rate the Lucas/Donahue lineup?!?!  

Jules

[davidmjs]

I like it.  I'm also glad that Fairport didn't ultimately go down that route (although to be frank the late '72-'75 material they did put out is very far from my favourite music the band has produced), but the results are anything but a total failure.....

You don't rate the Lucas/Donahue lineup?!?!  

Jules

Oh I rate them hugely, but not greatly on record.  Rosie has some great songs, Nine is a fab album, but the material is a load better live (there's some great 'Boots' about   ).  RftM has never hit my spot....it just doesn't gel in any shape or form for me.

[Jules Gray]

Nine is a fab album, but the material is a load better live (there's some great 'Boots' about   ).

Ahh, glad you rate Nine.  As for the b@@ts, I've never heard any.  Would love to hear that lineup do Trevor's songs from Rosie live - The Plainsman and Kinghts of the Road.  Did they ever play those songs live?

Jules

[davidmjs]

Nine is a fab album, but the material is a load better live (there's some great 'Boots' about   ).

Ahh, glad you rate Nine.  As for the b@@ts, I've never heard any.  Would love to hear that lineup do Trevor's songs from Rosie live - The Plainsman and Kinghts of the Road.  Did they ever play those songs live?

Jules

Don't know is the honest answer, but if they did I haven't heard them (at least I don't think so off the top of my head).  There's a fantastic double CD called Nine Live but together by someone who is (or was) a member of this list with (I think) the tacit approval of at least some of the members involved.  It includes tracks from US Radio '72-'73, the Rainbow 15 Dec '73, Fairfield Croydon 16 Dec '73, UCLA 10 May '73, Dublin 25 Jan '73 and Japanese TV '74.

[Jamie73]

Japanese TV 1974???

Anyone know the name of the show (a long shot I know)?

Still to be investigated but thanks to Philip Ward it seems that in the Aussie TV archives there is an interview with both Sandy and Trevor talking for 2 minutes about touring, etc.

Jamie

[davidmjs]

Japanese TV 1974???

Anyone know the name of the show (a long shot I know)?

Still to be investigated but thanks to Philip Ward it seems that in the Aussie TV archives there is an interview with both Sandy and Trevor talking for 2 minutes about touring, etc.

Jamie

All I (and seemingly the compiler) knows is this: NHK TV, Japan Jan 1974

The tracks from it are:

Hexhamshire Lass
Rosie
Possibly Parsons Green
Interview
The Brilliancy Medley & Cherokee Shuffle
Cell Song
Pleasure & Pain

[Jules Gray]

There's a fantastic double CD called Nine Live but together by someone who is (or was) a member of this list with (I think) the tacit approval of at least some of the members involved.  It includes tracks from US Radio '72-'73, the Rainbow 15 Dec '73, Fairfield Croydon 16 Dec '73, UCLA 10 May '73, Dublin 25 Jan '73 and Japanese TV '74.

Ooh, Lordy.  I hope I come across that one on my travels on of these days!

Jules

[Shankly (Peter)]

It's not an oddbootleg as such and I don't know if this is well known, but I was listening to the 1997 Cropredy warm up at Banbury (6th August 1997) and in Matty Groves Vicky Clayton sings 'How do you like my feather bed and how do like my sheets and how do you like my curtains I bought in the sale last week" - this is sung completely deadpan and no comment is made afterwards - I've never heard those lyrics sung anywhere else. Did she sing it like that often?

[clive]

Hi Shankly and welcome to this weird and wonderful place

I've heard it sung by Simon a couple of times.

Clive
(ex-pat Evertonian btw)

[Goaty]

Vikki sings various versions.  I've also heard Simon sing do you like my curtains I bought in Ikea last week (I think...).

[Shankly (Peter)]

OK thanks for that...

[Neil Morrell]

I saw Simon do the doggy-bottom song with Swarb at the Half Moon in 2003.  Very entertaining.  Never heard him do it before or since.

[Jack O Diamonds]

In the early 1980's in those great, far-off days when Simon and Swarb used to do their truly memorable double act, Simon used to do the "Dogs" song (Hymns Ancient & Modern... Addendum) quite regularly. An excellent song which explains so much canine behaviour... never heard it on a bootleg or anywhere else for that matter. Of course Simon was also doing his "Goodnight Vienna Hello Helen Reddy" tribute in those days... the "She Is Woman" song. I think there was some reason or other why he was never able to record this terrific song but live it remains one of the great performances!

About that time I remember a gig in Hampstead at which (Heavens forfend) Swarb was on the cadge for fags and whisky and someone sent up a very large Brandy... Now DM had (I think) just been playing lucrartive sessions for Elton John or Paul McCartney and Swarb gratefully accepts the brandy and peers out into the audience saying "Oh... is DM in the house?" Correct in one Swarb!

Time you did a double A-side (or whatever passes for same in the mp3 world) of Dogs and Woman, Simon!!

[Sir Martin]

It's not an oddbootleg as such and I don't know if this is well known, but I was listening to the 1997 Cropredy warm up at Banbury (6th August 1997) and in Matty Groves Vicky Clayton sings 'How do you like my feather bed and how do like my sheets and how do you like my curtains I bought in the sale last week" - this is sung completely deadpan and no comment is made afterwards - I've never heard those lyrics sung anywhere else. Did she sing it like that often?

That line is a variation from 'Fatty Groves' by the Kipper Family of course.

I would love to hear FC do the Kipper version one year for a laugh. Indeed, I wilsh I had a recording of the Kippers version.
The Kippers played Darlington beer festival one year, supporting Whippersnapper. Half way through 'Fatty Groves', Swarbs head appeared around the curtain and gave them 'a look'.

[Goaty]

I've never heard that.  A quick google dredged up the following, is this the one ?  It would certainly be amusing to be taken unawares by it at Cropredy.


A holiday, a holiday, and all the people dozed
Lord Ormsby's wife went into the town, but everything was closed

She couldn't get no shopping done, and so she looked around
And there she saw big Fatty Groves a-lying on the ground

"Go home, go home, you Fatty Groves, you are a drunken lout;
Go home, go home, you Fatty Groves, you shouldn't be let out."

"Oh I can't go home, and I won't go home, and I can't go home for my life
For the ring off my finger I have lost, I'll be murdered by me wife

"Well if I am quite frank with you, your wife is not at home,
For she is in my husband's bed, and she is not alone.

So as I've nothing else to do - no really not a thing -
I might as well come back with you and help you find the ring."

A servant who was standing there, just why nobody knows,
He swore his cronies they should know before the pub was closed.

And when he come to the broad mill stream he did not see the plank
And in his hurry to carry the news he fell on his belly and sank.

Big Fatty and Lord Ormsby's wife they hunted high and wide,
Till Fatty fell upon his bed and she fell by his side.

Big Fatty Groves he got up to go and wash his face,
When he returned Lady Ormsby's husband lay there in his place.

Saying "Well, I like your feather bed and well, I like your sheets,
And well, to be frank, I like your wife who lies in my arms asleep.

"Stay there, stay there," said Fatty Groves, "I shall not rant and curse
For you have got the better of me and I have got the worse."

"Stout fellow," said Lady Ormsby's husband, "Taken like a man."
But in then come Mrs. Fatty Groves and in amazement stands.

Saying "How do you like my feather bed, and how do you like my sheet
And how do you like my curtains that I got in the sale last week?"

And then up spoke Mrs. Fatty Groves, never heard to speak so cheap,
"You told me you didn't like your wife, and now with her you sleep.

Lady Ormsby's husband he jumped up and ran right out the door,
"I didn't know it was her", he cried, and was never seen no more.

Fatty fainted clean away at the closeness of the call,
The ladies picked him up, and they leant him against the wall.

They leant him up against the wall, and that was a disaster,
For Fatty weighed full twenty stone and the wall just lathe and plaster.

The wall gave way and Fatty fell, oh Fatty fell outside,
And when he came to the broad pavement he fell on his head and he died.
"A grave, a grave," the ladies cried "To bury Fatty in,
But better you make it extra large, or you won't get him all in."

"Now isn't that just typical," these ladies they did say,
"The men can be relied upon to spoil a holiday."

[Jules Gray]

Thanks for that, Goats.  Excellent fooling, i' faith!

Jules

[Big Dave]

Well done Goaty, just been splitting my sides at that! Never in my FC life have i heard that performed , over to you Simon!