Fairport - the singles

[Phil Perry]

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.

 

[davidmjs]

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?

[Jim]

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)

[davidmjs]

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

[GubGub (Al)]

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

[quodlibet (Ian)]

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

[davidmjs]

"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...?

[quodlibet (Ian)]

"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.  

[PaulT]

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?)

[Peter H-K]

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.

[bassline (Mike)]

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

[Simon Withers]

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.

[PaulT]

That rings a few bells, Simon...

[jonmuse]

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

[davidmjs]

"Quazi-Be-Goode"/"Where Would You Rather Be Tonight?" – August 1986

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

[davidmjs]

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....

[davidmjs]

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

[Jamie73]

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....

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

[Nick]

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.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

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....

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

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