Matty Groves crosses the pond - but which way?

[Joss]

Here's one for the learned amongst you: I've just listened to the Elektra records compilation CD which accompanies the November issue of Mojo. The first track is 'O Love is Teasin' by Jean Ritchie from 1952. At the end of the song is an instrumental which is so similar (but delightfully diffferent) to Matty Groves it is uncanny - so does anyone know if this tune crossed from the UK to USA, or from USA to UK?

[folkfreak (Alexander)]

Hi,

all that I know is that Fairport did not use the original melody but mixed two songs (from one the words, from the other the melody).
On Planxtys "The woman I love so well" is a version with the original melody (although it is called Little Musgrave there).

Alex

[Bob Barrows]

Here's more than you ever wanted to know:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=9276

[Edthefolkie]

Blimey Joss, that's a can of worms innit!

I think the Fairport version of the lyrics come from Jean Ritchie via (again, I think, don't quote me) Bert Lloyd. So it's west-east, Appalachia to North London and Farley Chamberlayne (where Fairport got it together, man).

But the song went over to the States from Great Britain in the first place, maybe as "Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard" or something similar. Just to add to the fun, Little Musgrave and Great Musgrave are villages near Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria and of course there's Barnard Castle as well.

Loads of info on the Web, here's one - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matty_Groves        
 
Then we get to the tune! Errr, I hereby nominate "Shady Grove", well known American folk song - here's Doc Watson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-kaG1NuLZM

Good job I kept off the Mudcat thread cos Bob has beaten me to it.

[Joss]

Goodness !! many thanks chaps, hours of reading & fun to be had here!  The Mudcats site is extraordinary, found more about Jean Ritchie on there too.

In the meantime I've listened to the rest of this Elektra CD, well worth getting hold of, particularly as it gives a mini soundtrack to accompany the Jac Holzman serial on Radio 2 and the Mojo magazine feature.

I discovered the Elektra label in 1967/8 via The Doors & Love: I wonder if anyone else used interest in this Label to explore the variety of genres they championed? I remember getting hold of an Elektra catalogue in 1968 and using it to find interesting records at Musicland (the import record shop) in Berwick Street.  Happy days!!      

[Dr Clive]

Elektra for me is the Paul Butterfield Blues Band (1965), the cover of which is adorned with the instruction: "We suggest that you play this record at the highest possible volume in order to fully appreciate the sound of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band."! The FC connection is that our very own Joe Boyd was instrumental in getting the Paul Butterfield Blues Band to back Bob Dylan the first time he went electric.

I think Elektra were also the label which produced a great sampler called "What's Shakin'?, which included a couple of tracks from each of their main bands at the time (eg the Lovin' Spoonful). Sadly I don't have a copy of that record.

DC

[Dr Clive]

Additionally, I seem to recall that FC did a version of "East-West", which is the title track of the second Butterfield album, also on Elektra.

DC

[Jules Gray]

Additionally, I seem to recall that FC did a version of "East-West", which is the title track of the second Butterfield album, also on Elektra.

Indeed.  It was RT's soloing on said cover version that grabbed Joe Boyd's attention and lead to their record deal, if memory serves.

Jules

[jude]

Additionally, I seem to recall that FC did a version of "East-West", which is the title track of the second Butterfield album, also on Elektra.

DC

Indeed.  It was RT's soloing on said cover version that grabbed Joe Boyd's attention and lead to their record deal, if memory serves.

Jules
[/quote]

Richard played so many extraordinary solos, sometimes based on things like East-West or Spanish Lady (John Handy) but never exact covers/copies as he took the solos to somewhere else. It was a 4am in the morning slot at UFO - I can't remember exactly what was being played, and I would be amazed if anyone else remembered exactly

Elektra was a great record label..always had the most interesting albums released on it..

As for Matty Groves, I would think it has being travelling backwards and forwards across the Atlantic since it was written...

[Jules Gray]

Lots of articles on Elektra and Jac Holzman doing the rounds now as it's Elektra's 60th birthday this year.  Nice big article, including a round up of some of Elektra's best ever albums from the Holzman era, in this month's Mojo magazine.

Jules

[Nick]

Lots of articles on Elektra and Jac Holzman doing the rounds now as it's Elektra's 60th birthday this year.  Nice big article, including a round up of some of Elektra's best ever albums from the Holzman era, in this month's Mojo magazine.

Jules

There's been a series on Radio 2 covering the Elektra story. Very interesting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00v6gm9


Cheers

Nick

[Joss]

And there's a brand new website, launched two days ago, celebrating Elektra's 60th anniversary:

http://www.elektra60.com/

Now what did I do with my old vinyl?

[Andy Tuck]

And there's a brand new website, launched two days ago, celebrating Elektra's 60th anniversary:

http://www.elektra60.com/

Now what did I do with my old vinyl?

The 5 CD limited edition history of Elektra is available on Amazon for £35.29, looking at the track lists plus the extras this seems pretty good value to me.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forever-Changing-Elektra-1963-1973-Limited/dp/tracks/B000HWZ5YC/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1

[Joss]

That's amazing value as it includes a really good book. I paid a lot more for that box set when it came out two or three years ago.  There is a similar set of 5 CDs (but perhaps without a box) on offer through MOJO magazine, a bargain £20 including the next six issues of the magazine!!

[Dr Clive]

The track by "Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse" was on the aforementioned "What's Shakin'" sampler - if I recall correctly it was basically John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (or "Jacob Matthews" as he was credited) and the vocal was by "Steve Anglo" - unmistakeably Steve Winwood (presaging the later formation of Blind Faith). The use of pseudonyms was necessary for "contractual reasons" (ie they were signed to other labels at the time). Also if my memory serves me well, Paul Butterfield guested (on harp) on a John Mayall EP at around the same time (...but then it was all in the sixties, so my memory may be at fault...).

DC

[PaulT]

Somewhere at home I have, on a fROOTS sampler CD, a track by a Moroccan band that sounds very like FC's Matty... so perhaps young Master Groves also crossed the straits from Gibraltar to Tangier. I wonder if he "took off his shoes and he swam"?  

Sheikh Yamunni Maiker

[Big Dave]

C'mon guys, I know all about swimming the broad mill stream but this is  getting silly........