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.
Summer Before The War
Fairport Convention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bright as a Bell
Early, and just for the ride
We took a trip
Cycling down to the sea
You and your lady, and I
Oh what a summer
Oh what a sun
(Chorus:
One day at whitsun
The sea and the shore
The summer before the war)
All summer places where
You could taste the country air
Racing our shadows we'd fly
Down through the narrow lanes
Chasing the slow trains
The last of an age going by
We had a good time
We had some fun
There was time then and we all were young
(Chorus)
Young hearts and young souls
Young minds to unfold
Knowing the untold somehow
(Chorus)
Young hearts and young souls
Young minds to unfold
Knowing the untold somehow
(Chorus)
We found a small cove
By the sand and the water
Salt air brushing our skin
Your hand in her mind
Her hand in mine
Watching the sea rushing in
Oh what a moment
Oh what a day
We held it, and it never slipped away
(Chorus)
The song Summer Before the War by Fairport Convention recounts joyful nostalgic memories of the summer before World War I. The lyrics describe the beauty of a Saturday morning, with a vivid imagery of a sunny day, clear blue skies, and the sound of bells ringing. The singer recalls a trip taken with two companions, cycling to the sea, and racing down narrow lanes, trying to catch slow trains. The nostalgic feeling of that summer is accentuated by the fact that it was the last of an age, and everyone knew it was coming to an end.
The chorus "One day at Whitsun, the sea and the shore, the summer before the war" is a reference to the religious holiday of Whitsun, which was traditionally celebrated in England in late May or early June, marking the beginning of summer. The day referred to is a day spent by the sea, contributing to the overall relaxed and carefree feeling of the lyrics. The coda of the song expresses the fondness of the writer for a specific moment they shared with two companions, standing in a small cove, feeling the sea brush against their skin, and holding on to the moment as it slips away.
This song has a strong theme of nostalgia running through it, inspired by the author's own experiences of summer in England. With this song, the authors, Richard Thompson and Trevor Lucas, portrayed an ideal England from a bygone era. The song, through its lyrics, makes the listener long for those idyllic times and those feelings of youthful freedom. It brings forward a sense of longing, not only for the time when the events described took place, but also for the time when England was not engulfed by war.
Line by Line Meaning
All on a Saturday
The events described in this song take place on a Saturday.
Bright as a Bell
It was a clear and sunny day.
Early, and just for the ride
They left early in the day just for the fun of it.
We took a trip
They embarked on a cycling trip.
Cycling down to the sea
They were going towards the coast on their bicycles.
You and your lady, and I
The group consists of two men and a woman, one of whom is romantically linked with the woman.
Oh what a summer
It was a memorable summer for them.
Oh what a sun
The sun was shining brightly.
Bright in the blue sky it clung
The sun was visible against the blue sky.
(Chorus:
The chorus reminisces the events of the day of the trip.
One day at whitsun
The cycling trip took place on Whit Sunday.
The sea and the shore
They rode their cycles to the coast.
The summer before the war)
The trip happened just before the onset of the Second World War.
All summer places where
They visited several country places during the summer.
You could taste the country air
The country air was fresh and invigorating to the senses.
Racing our shadows we'd fly
They would pedal their bicycles fast enough for the shadows of their bodies to race alongside them.
Down through the narrow lanes
They rode their bicycles down the narrow country lanes.
Chasing the slow trains
They would ride beside the trains that passed alongside the country lanes.
The last of an age going by
This happened in a period of time when travelling by train across the country was becoming less common.
We had a good time
They enjoyed themselves during the trip.
We had some fun
They had some laughs and generally had an enjoyable time.
There was time then and we all were young
They were all younger at the time and had a lot of time to spare.
(Chorus)
Another chorus reminisces about the events of the day.
Young hearts and young souls
They were young individuals with exuberance and love for life.
Young minds to unfold
They had potential and were still discovering their true abilities.
Knowing the untold somehow
They instinctively felt that their future was bright and their life's journey had a vast array of possibilities.
(Chorus)
The song ends with another chorus, summarising the memory of the day.
We found a small cove
They stumbled upon a small bay.
By the sand and the water
The cove had sandy shores and was by the water.
Salt air brushing our skin
They could feel the salty air washing over their skin.
Your hand in her mind
One of the men had his hand in the mind of the woman.
Her hand in mine
The other man had his hand in the hand of the woman.
Watching the sea rushing in
The trio enjoyed the sight of waves crashing on the shore.
Oh what a moment
It was a special moment for them.
Oh what a day
It was an unforgettable day of their lives.
We held it, and it never slipped away
They treasured this memory and felt it would never fade away.
Contributed by Alice Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@stevebarker624
This is a magnificent evocative song, you can almost feel the salt air touching your skin.
@chriscarter5720
Oh what a summer
Oh what a sun
Bright in the blue sky it clung
One day at Whitsun
The sea and the shore
The summer before the war
These are the words Simon sings - 'Bright in' and 'The sea and'. Even so, thank you for posting this version of a beautiful song.
@ReallyJillRogoff
Such a beautiful, haunting song. Thanks for posting this version.
@malcolmdrums
Thank you,,,nice song from a good album. Unique band.
@keithkeller4156
Thanks LaMax and your posts have been of the greatest help for, "Induct Fairport Convention into, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" on Facebook.,Keith
@LaMax61auc
I have done copy & paste directly from the records. May be Simon changes some world singing. I control. Thank You.
@greenhouseceltic1903
it should be "The sea and the shore."
@maiqueashworth
Love this song. Takes me back to a time I didn't exist. Does anyone know when this was written? I wouldn't have thought the band members would be more than young children before the war.
@LaMax61auc
If you join the Fairporters Facebook group you can ask HUW WILLIAM, the author of the song, all the clarifications you want. hi
@MrPattick
your lyrics are wrong ,different to to the song being sung