Fotheringay was a short-lived British folk rock group, formed in 1970 by vo… Read Full Bio ↴Fotheringay was a short-lived British folk rock group, formed in 1970 by vocalist Sandy Denny on her departure from Fairport Convention. The band drew its name from Denny's 1968 composition "Fotheringay" about Fotheringhay Castle, in which Mary, Queen of Scots, had been imprisoned. The song originally appeared on the 1969 Fairport Convention album, What We Did on Our Holidays, Denny's first album with that group.

The band expressed Denny's vision of the potential of folk rock to express complex meaning and deep personal emotion, using traditional ballad forms, but with the power of a rock band. Their self-titled first album (Fotheringay) was also only one of two albums, as they broke up a year later, in January 1971, while working on their second (recently released). The cause appears to have been personal difficulties, made worse by lack of success and thus income! Oddly for such talented musicians the band were widely reported to have been poor in live performance, which may well have also contributed to their short life as a band. Tracks later surfaced on her three-disc compilation.

The rhythm section was formed by Gerry Conway and Pat Donaldson, lauded by Denny as the best in the business. In the absence of Richard Thompson, who was prepared to tour with her, and act as session musician but wanted to follow his own career, lead guitar was taken by Jerry Donahue, whose transatlantic country roots and softer personality brought a different, less edgy feel to the music. However he was a skilled technician, with great feel, as he showed on their album, and later Fairport Convention records. The group was completed by rhythm guitarist and second lead vocalist Australian Trevor Lucas, whom Denny was to marry, and who also later accompanied her back into Fairport.

Fotheringay contains a majority of tracks by Sandy Denny, with one each by Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot and Trevor Lucas, as well as the atmospheric trad arr. Fotheringay, The Banks of the Nile.

In 2007 the BBC announced that Donahue would be attempting to complete the abandoned project (which he accomplished using previously unheard takes from the original archived tapes). Permission had finally been granted and the work was completed by summer of the following year. The resulting album, titled Fotheringay 2, was released by Fledg'ling Records on 29 September 2008.

The Pond And The Stream
Fotheringay Lyrics

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Annie wanders on the land.
She loves the freedom of the air.
She finds a friend in every place she goes.
There's always a face she knows.
I wish that I was there.

She says, "I'm leaving here tomorrow
To find a new town far away."

She says, "Won't you come too? You need a break.
You love to wake up somewhere new
And find another day."

But I live in the city
And imagine country scenes.
For among the rich,
Within four walls and out of reach,
I live behind the screen.

She smiles as one who loves to smile,
To show that she is free.
But is she thinking now it's time
To wander back again,
To see her friends and me?

We all live in the city
And imagine country scenes,
For among the rich,

Within four walls and out of reach,
We live behind a screen.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Fotheringay's song, The Pond And The Stream, portray a sense of longing to escape the confinement of city life and connect with the freedom of the open air. Annie, the singer, is portrayed as a wanderlust, constantly moving from place to place, and finding comfort and familiarity everywhere she goes. She invites the singer to join her, acknowledging their shared desire to explore new places and embrace the unknown. The singer, however, feels trapped within the four walls of the city, unable to experience the beauty and tranquility of the countryside.

The song is melancholic and reflective, evoking a sense of disconnection from nature and a longing for something more authentic. The line "We all live in the city and imagine country scenes, for among the rich, within four walls and out of reach, we live behind a screen" highlights the idea that despite living in a world of abundance, material wealth, and comfort, individuals can still feel unfulfilled and disconnected. The lyrics suggest that true happiness and fulfillment are not found within the confines of city living, but rather in the simplicity of nature.

Line by Line Meaning

Annie wanders on the land.
Annie travels around and enjoys being in nature.

She loves the freedom of the air.
Annie enjoys the feeling of being unconfined and unrestricted in the open air.

She finds a friend in every place she goes.
Annie is sociable and enjoys making new friends whenever she travels.

There's always a face she knows.
Annie frequently meets familiar faces while traveling and exploring new places.

I wish that I was there.
The artist (or songwriter) wishes to be with Annie and share her experiences of travel and freedom.

She says, "I'm leaving here tomorrow
Annie informs someone that she is leaving soon to explore a different town.

To find a new town far away."
Annie has a desire to find faraway destinations that she hasn't yet explored.

She says, "Won't you come too? You need a break.
Annie encourages someone to join her on her travels, thinking that a break from their routine might benefit them.

You love to wake up somewhere new
Annie believes that this person enjoys the novelty of waking up in unfamiliar locations.

And find another day."
Annie believes that each day is an opportunity to explore, discover and experience new things.

But I live in the city
The singer (or songwriter) lives in an urban environment.

And imagine country scenes.
Despite living in the city, the artist likes to imagine and visualize rural landscapes.

For among the rich,
In a metaphorical sense, the singer believes that people from wealthy backgrounds can live behind figurative walls that block them from experiencing certain things.

Within four walls and out of reach,
The walls the singer refers to may be literal walls, in the sense of gated communities, mansions, and other exclusive places that the average person doesn't have access to.

I live behind the screen.
The singer spends a lot of time in front of a computer or phone screen, creating or consuming digital content.

She smiles as one who loves to smile,
Annie has a sunny and optimistic personality and likes to show it off by smiling a lot.

To show that she is free.
Annie's smile is also an expression of her feeling of freedom and joy when she travels.

But is she thinking now it's time
The songwriter wonders if Annie is experiencing conflicted feelings about her current adventures and is ready to move on.

To wander back again,
The songwriter thinks Annie may feel a sense of nostalgia and a longing to return home after a long period of traveling.

To see her friends and me?
The songwriter wonders if Annie misses her friends, including the artist, and is ready to reunite with them.

We all live in the city
The songwriter feels a sense of community and identification with everyone who lives in an urban environment.

And imagine country scenes,
The songwriter feels that many people dream of experiencing the peace, serenity, and natural beauty of rural settings.

For among the rich,
The songwriter repeats this line to emphasize that it applies to everyone, not just those who are wealthy.

Within four walls and out of reach,
People can create figurative walls that keep them away from things they are curious about or want to explore.

We live behind a screen.
Many people in our modern age spend most of their time in front of screens, missing out on daily, face-to-face interactions and experiences.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Sandy Denny

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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