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.
I Don't Know Where I Stand
Fairport Convention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sunny day, braiding white flowers and leaves in my hair
Picked up a pencil and wrote 'I love you' in my finest hand
Wanted to send it but I don't know where I stand
Telephone, even the sound of your voice is still new
All alone in Carolina and talking to you
And feeling too foolish and strange to say the words that I had planned
Guess it's too early ''cause I don't know where I stand
Crickets talk, until the morning comes up like a dream
All muted and misty, so drowsy now, I'll take what sleep I can
I know that I miss you but I don't know where I stand
Know that I miss you but I don't know where I stand
Fairport Convention’s “I Don’t Know Where I Stand” is a melancholic song that is a reflection of the emotional turmoil that comes with a newfound love. The song opens up with the singer looking for laughter and eventually finding it. Braiding white flowers and leaves in her hair, she picks up a pencil and writes ‘I love you’ but is too unsure of where she stands with the person she loves. She finds it difficult to express her love, even over the telephone. Alone in Carolina, she sits and contemplates her words, feeling foolish and strange. The singer, finally resigns to her current situation and with the sounds of the crickets chirping in the background; she confesses that she misses her lover but is uncertain of the status of their relationship.
The lyrics are relatable and showcase the insecurities that come with a blossoming romance. The song was written by Joni Mitchell and originally featured on her 1969 album “Clouds”. Fairport Convention’s version has a more folk-inspired sound and featured Sandy Denny’s soulful vocals. The song was released on Fairport Convention’s third studio album, “Unhalfbricking” in 1969. The song's structure features a unique time signature of 7/8 which is a deviation from the typical 4/4 time signature. The song's melancholic tone and honest lyrics have been praised by many, making it a favorite amongst Fairport Convention’s fans.
Line by Line Meaning
Funny day, looking for laughter and finding it there
It's a funny day and I am looking for laughter, and I have found it.
Sunny day, braiding white flowers and leaves in my hair
It's a sunny day, I am braiding white flowers and leaves in my hair.
Picked up a pencil and wrote 'I love you' in my finest hand
I picked up a pencil and wrote 'I love you' in my finest hand.
Wanted to send it but I don't know where I stand
I wanted to send it, but I am not sure where I stand.
Telephone, even the sound of your voice is still new
Even the sound of your voice on the telephone is still new to me.
All alone in Carolina and talking to you
I am all alone in Carolina and talking to you.
And feeling too foolish and strange to say the words that I had planned
I am feeling too foolish and strange to say the words that I had planned.
Guess it's too early ''cause I don't know where I stand
I guess it's too early because I am not sure where I stand.
Crickets talk, courting their ladies in star-dappled green
Crickets are talking, courting their ladies in star-dappled green.
Crickets talk, until the morning comes up like a dream
Crickets talk until the morning comes up like a dream.
All muted and misty, so drowsy now, I'll take what sleep I can
It's all muted and misty now, and I am feeling drowsy. I will take what sleep I can.
I know that I miss you but I don't know where I stand
I know that I miss you, but I am not sure where I stand.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Joni Mitchell
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...