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.
To Althea
Fairport Convention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And my divine ALTHEA brings to whisper at my grates
When I lie tangled in her hair and fettered with her eye
Birds that wanton in the air know no such liberty
When flowing cups run swiftly round with no allaying THAMES
Our careless heads with roses crowned, our hearts with royal flames
When first decreeth in wine we steep when healths and rafts run free
Fishes that tipple in the deep know no such liberty
Minds innocent and quiet take that as a hermitage
If I have freedom in my love and in my soul am free
Angels alone that soar above enjoy such liberty
Fairport Convention's song "To Althea From Prison" is a beautiful expression of love and independence. The singer is imprisoned, but in his mind, he is free because of his love for Althea. The song describes how love can make a person feel truly free even in the most confining of situations. The first verse describes the feeling of being in the presence of Althea, with love "hovers within [the singer's] gates" and the mention of the divine Althea. The second verse describes moments of happiness and celebration, with flowing cups and roses, and how the singer and Althea are free in those moments. The final verse is the most powerful, with the line "stone walls do not a prison make not iron bars a gate." The singer explains that a person can be mentally free even in a physical prison, with a quiet mind and innocent soul. The last line is particularly beautiful, comparing the freedom the singer feels to that of the angels in the sky.
Overall, "To Althea From Prison" is a tribute to the power of love and the ability of the human spirit to find freedom even in the most oppressive of circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
When love, with unconfined wings, hovers within my gates
When unrestricted love fills my heart
And my divine ALTHEA brings to whisper at my grates
And my beloved Althea visits me to talk through my cell bars
When I lie tangled in her hair and fettered with her eye
When I am lost in her hair and captivated by her gaze
Birds that wanton in the air know no such liberty
Even birds flying freely do not enjoy the freedom I have to love Althea
When flowing cups run swiftly round with no allaying THAMES
When we drink and celebrate without any care or worry
Our careless heads with roses crowned, our hearts with royal flames
Our minds filled with happiness and passion
When first decreeth in wine we steep when healths and rafts run free
When we first start drinking and are merry
Fishes that tipple in the deep know no such liberty
Even fish swimming freely do not have the liberty to drink like we do
Stone walls do not a prison make not iron bars a gate
Physical confinement does not make a prison, as freedom can be found within oneself
Minds innocent and quiet take that as a hermitage
A peaceful mind can find solitude even within a prison
If I have freedom in my love and in my soul am free
If I can be free to love and free within myself
Angels alone that soar above enjoy such liberty
Only angels flying above could know a similar freedom and peace
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DP, David Swarbrick
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
andretchaikowskycom
When love with unconfined wings
Hovers within my gates,
And my divine Althea brings
To whisper at the grates;
When I lie tangled in her hair
And fettered to her eye,
The gods that wanton in the air
Know no such liberty.
When flowing cups run swiftly round,
With no allaying Thames,
Our careless heads with roses bound,
Our hearts with loyal flames;
When thirsty grief in wine we steep,
When healths and draughts go free,
Fishes that tipple in the deep
Know no such liberty.
When like committed linnets I
With shriller throat shall sing
The sweetness, mercy, majesty,
And glories of my King:
When I shall voice aloud how good
He is, how great should be,
Enlarged winds, that curl the flood,
Know no such liberty.
Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage:
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage.
If I have freedom in my love,
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone, that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty.
Frank Haney
The very definition of beautiful. His voice is and his playing are a marvel. Love the ending at 4:06-sends you mind off into dreamland.
TheRarebird12
Thanks for this gem. RIP to Swarb, who left us this morning - Goddess rest his merry soul.
Roger Thompson
That's sad, I didn't realise that he had gone - what amazing talent he had. I first saw him fifty years ago at Jug O' Punch in Birmingham, he lived not far away from me in Blue Mountains, Oz for some years. Liege & Lief is alltime favourite album of which I still have original vinyl ! Happy to say that at 70+ years I can still sing Matty Groves from memory.
graham donachie
He will live in our memories...God Bless you Dave..
math done
it is beautiful! The poem of Richard Lovelace is so nicely put in song. Too bad the opening is soooooo long... because the voice is heavenly!
Brian May
It's called 'anticipation' ;o)
Peter Pozman
This is the song that came to my mind when I heard the sad news.. "Angels alone that soar above know such liberty...
NeilThompson30
My fave Fairports track - I only saw them live once (in 1978) and Swarb was incredible RIP
John Casewell UK
RIP Swarb. You and The Fairports. well what can I say. Astounding!!!
andretchaikowskycom
When love with unconfined wings
Hovers within my gates,
And my divine Althea brings
To whisper at the grates;
When I lie tangled in her hair
And fettered to her eye,
The gods that wanton in the air
Know no such liberty.
When flowing cups run swiftly round,
With no allaying Thames,
Our careless heads with roses bound,
Our hearts with loyal flames;
When thirsty grief in wine we steep,
When healths and draughts go free,
Fishes that tipple in the deep
Know no such liberty.
When like committed linnets I
With shriller throat shall sing
The sweetness, mercy, majesty,
And glories of my King:
When I shall voice aloud how good
He is, how great should be,
Enlarged winds, that curl the flood,
Know no such liberty.
Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage:
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage.
If I have freedom in my love,
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone, that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty.