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.
The Crowd
Fairport Convention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You watch the pleasant world go by and you listen to the sound
The sound of people singing and the sound of all their cheers
The sound of each and everyone, you come together here
Now lay aside your sadnesses and throw your troubles down
Live just for this fine moment, pick it up and pass it ′round
And it makes no difference who you are
And it makes no difference where you go
The crowd will always be with you
The sea reflects the universe, all the planets, stars and Мoon
A puddle holds these things as well, if I'm here then so are you
For look into your neighbour′s eyes and within you'll see the crowd
Everyone in everything, you are happy, you are loud
And it makes no difference who you are
It makes no difference what you do
And it makes no difference where you go
The crowd will always be with you
Stand up, stand up and follow me, sing the loudest you'll ever hear
And hold this in your memory and draw your loved ones near
Now wrap me up in voices that are always in my heart
And though I will be gone from here, we will never be apart
And it makes no difference who you are
It makes no difference what you do
And it makes no difference where you go
The crowd will always be with you
And it makes no difference who you are
It makes no difference what you do
And it makes no difference where you go
The crowd will always be with you
The crowd will always be with you
The crowd will always be with you
The lyrics to Fairport Convention's song "The Crowd" reflect on the idea of communal unity and how the crowd is always with you. In the first verse, the singer describes sitting on a field of green, observing the world around them and listening to the sound of people singing and cheering. The second verse refers to the vastness of the universe and how even a small puddle can contain multitudes. The idea is that everyone is connected and part of the crowd, which brings happiness and joy.
The chorus repeats the phrase "It makes no difference who you are, it makes no difference what you do, and it makes no difference where you go, the crowd will always be with you." This sentiment emphasizes the idea that no matter our differences or individual paths, we are all part of the same collective experience. The final verse is a call to action, encouraging the listener to stand up and sing loudly, to hold onto the memory of this unity and share it with loved ones.
Overall, "The Crowd" is a song about the power of togetherness and how we are never truly alone. It's a reminder to appreciate the present moment and embrace the joy and connection that comes from being part of a community.
Line by Line Meaning
You walk into this field of green and you sit upon the ground
As you enter this space of natural beauty, you rest on the earth with an open heart.
You watch the pleasant world go by and you listen to the sound
You observe the beauty around you while listening to the sound of life.
The sound of people singing and the sound of all their cheers
The melody of individuals singing and the mixed crowd cheering fill the air.
The sound of each and everyone, you come together here
Through the sounds of people, all of whom converge here, one becomes a part of something greater.
Now lay aside your sadnesses and throw your troubles down
Put your worries and sadness aside, and let go of your troubles at the moment.
Live just for this fine moment, pick it up and pass it ′round
Live in this wonderful moment, share it with others, and make it last.
And it makes no difference who you are
Irrespective of who you are,
It makes no difference what you do
No matter what you do,
And it makes no difference where you go
Regardless of where you go,
The crowd will always be with you
You will always be surrounded by the crowd and all its energy and diversity.
The sea reflects the universe, all the planets, stars and Мoon
The vast ocean mirrors the universe's marvels, including planets, stars, and the moon.
A puddle holds these things as well, if I'm here then so are you
Even an unremarkable puddle reflects these wonders, so you are here with me.
For look into your neighbour′s eyes and within you'll see the crowd
As you gaze into your neighbor's eyes, you will find the wholeness of the crowd in you.
Everyone in everything, you are happy, you are loud
In everyone and everything, you discover joy and loudness.
Stand up, stand up and follow me, sing the loudest you'll ever hear
Stand tall and join me,
And hold this in your memory and draw your loved ones near
Bookmark this in your memory, and bring your loved ones nearer.
Now wrap me up in voices that are always in my heart
Envelop me in the voices that always stay with me.
And though I will be gone from here, we will never be apart
While I will be departing, we shall forever stay connected.
The crowd will always be with you
You will always be surrounded by the crowd and all its energy and diversity.
The crowd will always be with you
You will always be surrounded by the crowd and all its energy and diversity.
The crowd will always be with you
You will always be surrounded by the crowd and all its energy and diversity.
Writer(s): Anna Mary Ryder
Contributed by Ruby D. 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...