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.
Flowers Of The Forest
Fairport Convention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
?At are? you milking
And I've heard them lilting
Before light a-day
Now they are mourning
For all time a-lilting
The flowers of the forest
Are all ?wean? away
That sent them to the border
The English by guile
For once won the day
Now they are mourning
For all time a-lilting
The flowers of the forest
Are all ?wean? away
I've heard them lilting
?At are? you milking
And I've heard them lilting
Before light a-day
Now they are mourning
For all time a-lilting
The flowers of the forest
Are all ?wean? away
The Flowers Of The Forest is a Scottish folk ballad that has been popularized in recent years as an instrumental lament played on bagpipes. The song tells the story of the Battle of Flodden, which took place on September 9, 1513, in Northumberland, England. The Battle of Flodden was fought between the invading Scottish army and the English army led by King Henry VIII. The Scottish army was defeated, and the flower of Scottish manhood was lost. The song is sung from the perspective of mourners for the dead who were killed in the battle.
The first verse of the song features the lilting sound of bagpipes, which the singer has heard before light a-day. The lilting sound was reminiscent of happier times when the Scottish soldiers would sing and dance before battle. However, now they mourn the loss of their comrades, all of whom have been killed in battle. The Flowers of the Forest refers to the great warriors who were killed in battle, and the singer laments that they are all wean away or gone. The song also mentions that the English army won the day by guile or deceitful means, leading to the death of so many Scottish soldiers. The final verse repeats the first verse, emphasizing the sense of loss and the sadness felt by those left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
I've heard them lilting
I have heard the sound of their songs and melodies
?At are? you milking
What tune are you playing on your musical instrument
And I've heard them lilting
Repeatedly, I have heard the soft, gentle voice of their music
Before light a-day
In the wee hours before the dawn breaks
Now they are mourning
They are now grieving, lamenting their loss
For all time a-lilting
For eternity, the beautiful melody of their music shall lament and ache
The flowers of the forest
The soldiers who had lost their lives in battle
Are all ?wean? away
Now they have been cruelly snatched away, taken too early from their lives and loved ones
Sad they for the order
They are grieved because of their strict obedience to the authority
That sent them to the border
The order that directed them to the front lines, to fight in the war
The English by guile
The English army won the war by trickery and cunning strategy
For once won the day
They emerged victorious for this battle on this day
Now they are mourning
Still, they are grieving and lamenting the loss of their fellow soldiers
For all time a-lilting
For all eternity, the melody of their music will lament the loss of the soldiers
The flowers of the forest
The brave soldiers who fought and died in the war
Are all ?wean? away
They have been prematurely taken away from their loved ones, gone forever
I've heard them lilting
Their voices continue to echo in my ears, haunting me with their memories
?At are? you milking
What tone of music are you producing with your musical instrument?
And I've heard them lilting
I've continued hearing the songs and melodies of the soldiers, day after day
Before light a-day
During the early hours of the morning, before the sun rises
Now they are mourning
Presently, the soldiers' families and loved ones are lamenting their loss
For all time a-lilting
For eternity, their songs will be heard as a lament for the loss of the brave soldiers
The flowers of the forest
All the valiant and courageous soldiers who lost their lives in the battle
Are all ?wean? away
They were taken from the world too early, leaving behind their loved ones and families to mourn their loss
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DP, David Mattacks, David Swarbrick, Richard John (Gb1) Thompson, Simon Nicol
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ronno
on Book Song
Beautiful song, even if I can't understand what's going on: she's reading a book, he's writing one (and playing) .. I wanted it to be abouth former FC singer Judy Dyble , who would knit on stage if she wasn't singing. The girlfriend theory makes some sense, but if Ian said it was about his daughter...