Fairport Convention is often credited with being one of the first English f… Read Full Bio ↴Fairport Convention is often credited with being one of the first English folk rock bands. Formed in 1967, Fairport rapidly developed from playing cover versions of American 'west coast' music to an individual style which melded rock music with traditional English folk tunes and songs.

Like their peers The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and Jefferson Airplane they were blessed with several considerable individual talents and produced music that -at least initially- was eclectic, as well as exploratory. This side of the band may best be heard on Heyday, a collection of tracks broadcast by the BBC. The move to a more British form of folk rock came primarily as a result of the enthusiasm of bassist Ashley Hutchings and producer Joe Boyd. Original singer Judy Dyble was replaced on their second LP What We Did On Our Holidays by Sandy Denny, an experienced folk singer and excellent composer in her own right. Fiddle virtuoso Dave Swarbrick joined, initially as sessioneer, on their third, Unhalfbricking. That LP has arguably their first two bona fide masterpieces. One is their version of the Sandy Denny song, Who Knows Where the Time Goes, popularized by Judy Collins, but characterised on their version by a perfect balance between Denny's vocals and the exquisite support of the group as a whole, and lead guitarist Richard Thompson in particular. The other is A Sailor's Life, the first to demonstrate the potential power of folk rock, the song exploding in an improvised and sophisticated instrumental coda that reaches beyond the words through the impassioned interplay of the whole band, led by the virtuosity of Thompson and Swarbrick in particular. Thompson also soon showed that he could create his own distinctive songs, notably the anthemic Meet on the Ledge, on Holidays.

The following LP Liege and Lief is perhaps Fairport's finest hour. Liege and Lief is generally remembered for its virtuoso versions of traditional folk songs but it also contains beautiful originals by Thompson and Denny. However the next, Full House -deliberately rockier in tone- has its particular gems, most notably Sloth, for its extended guitar/ fiddle duel and Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman, a perfect expression of Thompson's mordant humour; along with the sleeve notes, surely amongst the strangest and funniest ever.

The band continued with a series of personnel changes and albums, all with at least some high points, until it was temporarily disbanded in 1979, but played annual reunion concerts until it reformed in 1985. Since then, it has enjoyed stability and continues to tour and record regularly.

In part, the continuing success of Fairport Convention is due to the annual music festival it organizes. Cropredy Festival has been held every year since 1974 near Cropredy, a village five miles north of Banbury, Oxfordshire and can attract upwards of 20,000 fans.

In 2002 the band was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. In 2006 Radio 2 listeners voted their 1969 album Liege & Lief as the Most Influential Folk Album of All Time. A mass reunion of living Fairport members performed at the ceremony.

Both Sides Now
Fairport Convention Lyrics

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Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds * that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done

But clouds got in my way
I've looked at clouds from both sides now

From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As ev'ry fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
Well something's lost, but something's gained
In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all
I've looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow

It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all

Overall Meaning

The song "Both Sides Now" by Fairport Convention talks about how life is seen and experienced from two different perspectives. The first verse talks about the beauty and wonder of clouds when the singer sees them as "angel hair" and "ice cream castles in the air" but now they only bring rain and snow. The clouds represent how our views and perceptions of life change over time. They used to be full of joy and wonder, but now, reality has set in, and they just block the sun. The singer admits that they do not entirely understand clouds.

The second verse talks about the singer's experience with love. When they were younger, they experienced it as a magical and mystical thing – like a "fairy tale," but now it is just another show. They have learned that love is not always permanent and can be painful. They admit that they do not fully understand love.

The third verse is about the singer's overall view of life. They admit that they once saw life as full of opportunities and excitement, but now they see it as a mixture of good and bad. As the singer has grown older, some of their friends have changed, and they feel a sense of loss. This loss is due to the singer's gained understanding of life.

Overall, the song shows how our perception of life changes as we grow older and how we can gain a better understanding of something through experiencing it from both sides.

Line by Line Meaning

Rows and flows of angel hair
Countless tangled blonde strands in the wind

And ice cream castles in the air
Majestic and grandiose structures made of frozen dessert

And feather canyons everywhere
Valleys and rifts lined with delicate, downy plumes

I've looked at clouds that way
I've witnessed the beauty and wonder of the sky's formations

But now they only block the sun
But now I see them as obstacles that prevent the light from shining through

They rain and snow on everyone
They bring precipitation that affects all people

So many things I would have done
I regret not being able to do many things due to the clouds' interference

But clouds got in my way
But the clouds impeded me from achieving my aspirations

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
I've seen the clouds from different perspectives

From up and down, and still somehow
From above and below, but still with uncertainty

It's cloud illusions I recall
It's the deceiving appearance of the clouds that I remember

I really don't know clouds at all
I admit to not comprehending the true nature of clouds

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
Different phases of the moon, months of the year, and carnival attractions

The dizzy dancing way you feel
The thrilling sensation of spinning and swaying

As ev'ry fairy tale comes real
As each storybook ending becomes a reality

I've looked at love that way
I've perceived love in a whimsical and fanciful manner

But now it's just another show
But now it seems like a theatrical performance

You leave 'em laughing when you go
You depart from relationships with laughter and notoriety

And if you care, don't let them know
And if you have feelings, conceal them so as not to appear vulnerable

I've looked at love from both sides now
I've experienced love from multiple viewpoints

From give and take, and still somehow
From both sharing and receiving, yet still with uncertainty

It's love's illusions I recall
It's the misconceptions and errors about love that I recollect

I really don't know love at all
I profess that I remain unaware of love's true meaning

Tears and fears and feeling proud
Expressions of sadness, anxiety, and self-esteem

To say "I love you" right out loud
To openly declare one's love without reservation

Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
Aspirations, plans, and gatherings of people for entertainment

I've looked at life that way
I've contemplated life as a series of mystical and fanciful illusions

But now old friends are acting strange
But now the people I once knew behave differently towards me

They shake their heads, they say I've changed
They disapprove of my alterations and developments

Well something's lost, but something's gained
Well, something is lost, but something else has been attained

In living every day
In experiencing each moment

I've looked at life from both sides now
I've assessed life from differing perspectives

From win and lose and still somehow
From victory and defeat, yet still with bewilderment

It's life's illusions I recall
It's the erroneous beliefs about life that I remember

I really don't know life at all
I acknowledge that I do not fully understand the true nature of life

Lyrics © Crazy Crow Music / Siquomb Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Joni Mitchell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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