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.
Slip Jigs and Reels
Fairport Convention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was barely a man in his grandfather's coat
Sewn into the lining a ten shilling note
Goodbye to the family
Farewell to the shore
‘Till I taste good fortune you'll see me no more
Now the boat on the ocean tossed like a cork
He stood on the gangplank and breathed in the air
A lowland aplenty I've come for my share
And he did like the ladies, their eyes and the fall
of their ankles and dresses down on the dance floor
Rollin' the dice, and spinnin' the wheels
But he took most delight in the slip jigs and reels
There's talk of a pistol, and some say a knife
But all have agreed there was somebody's wife
Dreadful commotion, a terrible fight
He left a man dead and ran into the night
On a train to St Louis, just one jump ahead
He slept one eye open, a sixgun in bed
He dreamt of the mountains and great fields of home
Crossing the plain where the buffalo roam
CHORUS
A bad reputation's a hard thing to bear
Mothers pour scorn, and children they stare
So he found consolation in flash company
Things ain't so bad with a girl on each knee
Oh, they called him The Kid, and by 21
All that he knew was the power of the gun
And by 23, he'd shot 5 men down
that got in his way as he rambled around
CHORUS
Theres bones on the desert and buzzards that fly
In the highest of circles, just wishing he'd die
But in manners of cruelty, it must be said
A landlord will pick your bones before you're dead
It was wild mescaleros I heard someone say
In the deadliest ambush near old Santa Fe
And the young buck was taken, dressed in a coat
And inside the lining a ten shilling note
CHORUS
The lyrics of "Slip Jigs and Reels" by Fairport Convention tell the story of a young man who leaves his family and home in search of fortune in America. He loves to dance and gamble, especially to the slip jigs and reels, and he also enjoys the company of women. However, his bad reputation catches up with him as he becomes involved in fights and shootings, leaving several men dead. Eventually, he meets his demise in an ambush in Santa Fe, but his legacy lives on through the stories told about him.
The song comments on the harsh realities of life for those who seek to make their fortunes in America, often resorting to violence and other means to get ahead. The theme of recklessness and the allure of excitement can be seen throughout the lyrics, as the young man's love of dancing and gambling ultimately leads to his downfall. The line "a bad reputation's a hard thing to bear" embodies this idea, as the singer's reputation follows him wherever he goes.
Despite the bleak narrative, the music of "Slip Jigs and Reels" is lively and upbeat, with an infectious energy that reflects the excitement and danger of the singer's journey. The song manages to seamlessly blend traditional Irish slip jigs and reels with a folk-rock sound, creating a unique sound that is both timeless and contemporary.
Line by Line Meaning
He was barely a man in his grandfather's coat
He was young, wearing old clothes passed down from his grandfather
Sewn into the lining a ten shilling note
There was money hidden in the coat's lining
Goodbye to the family
He was leaving his family behind
Farewell to the shore
He was leaving his home behind
‘Till I taste good fortune you'll see me no more
He will not return until he has found success
Now the boat on the ocean tossed like a cork
The boat was rocking on the sea
Then one fine mornin' they sighted New York
Finally, they arrived in New York
He stood on the gangplank and breathed in the air
He stood on the ship's ramp and took a deep breath
A lowland aplenty I've come for my share
He came to find his fortune in America
And he did like the ladies, their eyes and the fall
He enjoyed the company of women, especially the way they looked and moved
of their ankles and dresses down on the dance floor
He liked the way they dressed and danced
Rollin' the dice, and spinnin' the wheels
He enjoyed gambling
But he took most delight in the slip jigs and reels
He especially enjoyed Irish folk dances
There's talk of a pistol, and some say a knife
There are rumors that he carries weapons
But all have agreed there was somebody's wife
Everyone agrees that he was involved with another man's wife
Dreadful commotion, a terrible fight
There was a bad fight that occurred
He left a man dead and ran into the night
He killed a man and fled the scene
On a train to St Louis, just one jump ahead
He was fleeing from the authorities
He slept one eye open, a sixgun in bed
He slept with a gun under his pillow
He dreamt of the mountains and great fields of home
He dreamed of his childhood home
Crossing the plain where the buffalo roam
He imagined the Great Plains
A bad reputation's a hard thing to bear
Having a negative reputation is difficult to deal with
Mothers pour scorn, and children they stare
Women and children judge him harshly
So he found consolation in flash company
He sought comfort in the company of others
Things ain't so bad with a girl on each knee
He felt better with women around
Oh, they called him The Kid, and by 21
He was known as 'The Kid' and was only 21 years old
All that he knew was the power of the gun
His strength came from knowing how to use a gun
And by 23, he'd shot 5 men down
He had already killed five men by age 23
That got in his way as he rambled around
They tried to stop him as he traveled
There's bones on the desert and buzzards that fly
He has left a trail of death behind him
In the highest of circles, just wishing he'd die
Even those in high society want him dead
But in manners of cruelty, it must be said
Despite all this, the world is still cruel
A landlord will pick your bones before you're dead
Even landlords will take advantage of those who are down on their luck
It was wild mescaleros I heard someone say
Someone said that native Mescalero people captured him
In the deadliest ambush near old Santa Fe
He was attacked and ambushed near Santa Fe
And the young buck was taken, dressed in a coat
He was captured and taken captive while wearing his coat
And inside the lining a ten shilling note
His coat still had hidden money in it
Contributed by Kayla R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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...