Genesis Hall
Fairport Convention Lyrics
My father he rides with your sheriffs
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
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)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RICHARD THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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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. Read Full BioFairport 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.
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. Read Full BioFairport 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.
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Dartmoor Drifter
Great track that's rarely heard these days.
Roberto Burton
There never has been a voice like Sandy Denny's to make your backbone shiver. Such a beautiful beautiful voice and song.
Wim van Gorp
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.
Keith Bate
As much as I love Sandy D, I loved Thompson's live performance of this great and largely unknown song on the BBC4 Old grey whistle 30 year anniversary programme last Friday (23/02/18)
gresach
And I love that cover photo so much: a poignant glimpse of post-war suburban Britain
sam stainer
@bellinghammond Utter bollocks
paul benson
Sandy Denny's parents.
bellinghammond
aye. a culture marked for destruction by Britain's political Left
The Infiltrator
Somehow majestic, sublime, melancholy & sweet at once. One of my favorite Fairport tracks.