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.
Genesis Hall
Fairport Convention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I know he would never mean harm,
But to see both sides of a quarrel
Is to judge without haste or alarm
Chorus:
Oh, oh, helpless and slow,
And you don't have anywhere to go
You take away homes from the homeless
And leave them to die in the cold
The gypsy who begged for your presents
He will laugh in your face when you're old
(Chorus)
Well, one man he drinks up his whiskey
Another he drinks up his wine
And they'll drink till their eyes are red with hate
For those of a different kind
(Chorus)
When the rivers run quicker than trouble
I'll be there at your side in the flood
It was all I could do to keep myself
From taking revenge on your blood
(2x Chorus)
The lyrics of Fairport Convention's song Genesis Hall speak to the theme of social injustice and the consequences of taking away people's homes and possessions. The singer highlights the fact that his or her father is aligned with the authorities, but still sees the importance of considering all sides of an issue before making a judgment. This implies that the singer has been affected by a particular issue, presumably the eviction and forced relocation of people from their homes. Even though his father is the opposite of the evicted, the singer recognizes the problem with both sides of the issue, while advocating for objective assessment to solve the problem.
Additionally, the singer also highlights how the poor, homeless, and marginalized are typically ignored and left to die in the cold. The line in the chorus, "helpless and slow, and you don't have anywhere to go" portrays the distress of those evicted or dispossessed. The third verse of the song speaks to how alcohol can create irrational feelings of hatred and animosity, even for those who are different - this is seen when one man drinks his whiskey while another drinks his wine.
In the final verse, the singer takes a higher moral ground by emphasizing that he or she will be present at the time of trouble and flood, offering assistance instead of hostility. In other words, the singer portrays empathy and solidarity with those who might be affected by a natural calamity or an aggressive act, instead of taking revenge. This song presents a critique of social injustices and offers a perspective of hope, urging people to see reason and work together towards equitable solutions.
Line by Line Meaning
My father he rides with your sheriffs
My father is a law enforcer, he works closely with your sheriffs to maintain peace and order.
And I know he would never mean harm,
Despite his job, I know he doesn't intend to cause harm to anyone.
But to see both sides of a quarrel
To be able to understand and empathize with both conflicting parties in a dispute.
Is to judge without haste or alarm
It helps us to make fair judgments without being overly worried or quick to act.
Chorus:
Refrain/chorus of the song
Oh, oh, helpless and slow,
Feeling powerless and stagnated with nowhere to go, hopeless.
And you don't have anywhere to go
They have been stripped of their homes and have nowhere to go, no place to call their own.
You take away homes from the homeless
They take away shelters and homes from the less fortunate, causing them to be homeless.
And leave them to die in the cold
As a result, they're left to perish in the harsh weather without any care from society.
The gypsy who begged for your presents
The gypsy who kindly requests for your help and support.
He will laugh in your face when you're old
Years later, after being treated poorly, the gypsy will take pleasure in your misfortunes.
(Chorus)
Refrain/chorus of the song
Well, one man he drinks up his whiskey
One man turns to drinking whiskey to escape reality and cope with his problems.
Another he drinks up his wine
Another drinks wine for the same reasons.
And they'll drink till their eyes are red with hate
They'll drink excessively until they feel hatred and bitterness toward those who are different from them.
For those of a different kind
People who have different races, personalities, beliefs, or circumstances than they do.
(Chorus)
Refrain/chorus of the song
When the rivers run quicker than trouble
During difficult times, I'll be there for you to help and support you.
I'll be there at your side in the flood
I'll stand by your side and come to your help in times of difficulty.
It was all I could do to keep myself
I had to exert all my self-control and reserve myself.
From taking revenge on your blood
I had to prevent myself from seeking vengeance against your family.
(2x Chorus)
Refrain/chorus of the song repeated twice
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RICHARD THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@branislavnadas539
I've been listening to this song for 50 years and it' s always the same feeling - fabulous. And it will stay until I die - just fabulous.
@robertoburton9558
There never has been a voice like Sandy Denny's to make your backbone shiver. Such a beautiful beautiful voice and song.
@thetruemusichead
I like how the instruments seem to flow over each other like a stream of creativity
@christopherheinig5590
Marvellous magical timeless song for any age epoch or century. A stroke of genius that made me fall in love with Fairport Convention. Thank you
@paveleremeichev9135
Невероятная песня. Игра 19-летнего барабанщика просто потрясающая. Навеки 19-летнего.
@MarieProvost77
Somehow majestic, sublime, melancholy & sweet at once. One of my favorite Fairport tracks.
@Maury62
Bellissima!!! Wonderful!! 💐🙏
@wimvangorp8108
Martin's drumming gives me goosebumps. So sad he has to die that early. Martin Francis Lamble (28 August 1949 – 12 May 1969); the rest of this group is great too, by the way
@pentangle4444
great to have Martin Lamble remembered... such a horrible auto crash in 1969.. . Genesis Hall was where the squattors were removed forcibly from this former hotel on Drury Lane and where Richard Thompson's father was one of those policeman there during this incident.
@christopherheinig5590
Masterpiece