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Fairport Convention — Farewell Farewell
Album: Liege & Lief
Avg rating:
6.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 967









Released: 1970
Length: 2:35
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Farewell, farewell to you who would hear
You lonely travelers all
The cold north wind will blow again
The winding road does call

And will you never return to see
Your bruised and beaten sons?
"Oh, I would, I would, if welcome I were
For they loathe me, every one"

And will you never cut the cloth
Or drink the light to be?
And can you never swear a year
To any one of we?

"No, I will never cut the cloth
Or drink the light to be
But I'll swear a year to one who lies
Asleep along side of me"

Farewell, farewell to you who would hear
You lonely travelers all
The cold north wind will blow again
The winding road does call
Comments (60)add comment
Sandy Denny was a troubled soul with an exquisite angelic voice.  

Her many gifts left for us to ponder are the stuff of life..  Rest in peace my dear, we all remain in your debt.
Posted 2 years ago by DW4554    [ Reply ]
10
Posted 2 years ago by tm    [ Reply ]
This is wonderful. Solid 9.
c.
Posted 3 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
 Boy_Wonder wrote:
The sound of folk rock being invented by a handful of people in a small studio... can't believe the ranking is only 6.7
 
Yes, a solid 10 from me.
Posted 4 years ago by gpvos    [ Reply ]
Sandy Denny....a voice from heaven. Such a sad loss. A quintessentially  English sound.
Posted 4 years ago by WilliDoc    [ Reply ]
 Boy_Wonder wrote:
The sound of folk rock being invented by a handful of people in a small studio... can't believe the ranking is only 6.7
I agree. Totally underrated. Lying on my sofa. Dreaming of times long ago

10
Posted 4 years ago by norbertZ    [ Reply ]
 AbileneTexas wrote:


Yes it is.  Soulful and gorgeous.   
 I love the Medieval sound to it.

Posted 4 years ago by khardog145    [ Reply ]
Gosh...I wish we had bands today that wanted to experiment like this. 

Is that what drugs are for? 
Posted 4 years ago by idiot_wind    [ Reply ]
 onerb wrote:
God, that is gorgeous!
 

Yes it is.  Soulful and gorgeous.   
Posted 4 years ago by AbileneTexas    [ Reply ]
Thought this was Judy Collins before I looked at the info. Gorgeous.
Posted 4 years ago by TLynneHenry    [ Reply ]
 onerb wrote:
God, that is gorgeous!
 
Yes it is.  
Posted 5 years ago by AbileneTexas    [ Reply ]
10   
Posted 5 years ago by norbertZ    [ Reply ]
 Boy_Wonder wrote:
The sound of folk rock being invented by a handful of people in a small studio... can't believe the ranking is only 6.7
 

Agreed!  Beautiful piece. 
Posted 5 years ago by AbileneTexas    [ Reply ]
God, that is gorgeous!
Posted 5 years ago by onerb    [ Reply ]
 dc_zee wrote:

Well, there WERE a few groups back then who were interested in Folk meets Renaissance (note sp).  Some music still stands up and some sound rather overly floral or pulpy.  (Hmmm "Overly Floral or Pulpy" as a band name anyone?)


I (otherwise a Rock/proto-Punk fan at the time) developed a penchant for Pentangle that annoyed most of my friends. Still, there were fun times, tunes and good results.  Example given: Richard Thompson.


 

Richard Thompson. Still actual still brilliant. Salford Sunday pure genius
Posted 5 years ago by sandymcp    [ Reply ]
 westslope wrote:

Funny.  I suppose I would rather listen to Celtic influenced music than reggae too.

 
So would I. Any day, anytime.
Posted 6 years ago by ianmoff    [ Reply ]

In a BBC interview producer Joe Boyd said that when Sandy Denny joined Fairport Convention he tought she would “eat them for breakfast” as “Sandy was a hard drinking, hard smoking, hard cursing girl who could hold up the bar till 4am and Fairport were very well behaved shy boys from Muswell Hill”. He then explained it all worked out because “when she opened her mouth with Richard Thompson playing guitar behind her she was happy and loved working with Richard”.


Posted 7 years ago by ScottishWillie    [ Reply ]
 curtisls wrote:
Fairport Convention, The Pentangle, et al, are wonderful modern day(from the 60s on, lol) interpreters of ages old Celtic influenced music. Every time you think that you might play reggae, please play some of this instead ;)
 
Funny.  I suppose I would rather listen to Celtic influenced music than reggae too.
Posted 7 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
Beautiful song.  Achingly beautiful.  Thanks, RP, for introducing me to to this artist.
Posted 7 years ago by AbileneTexas    [ Reply ]
 MinMan wrote:

Clearly this Zep fan is unaware of who is singing harmonies on "The Battle of Evermore" which he rated a 10.

 
Touche.

He got one thing (accidentally right).  Joni Mitchell is indeed a musical genius.

Ya gotta feel compassion for people that just can't hear it.  Or not.
Posted 7 years ago by buddy    [ Reply ]
One could segue into Jackson C. Frank's "Milk and Honey" right here! Frank inspired Sandy Denny to quit her nursing job to pursue music full time. Quite a story to be discovered. Jackson C. Frank was a genius and would love to hear him on Radio Paradise!
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSVtjkU7f4E
Posted 7 years ago by Buffalocarl    [ Reply ]
 MinMan wrote:

Clearly this Zep fan is unaware of who is singing harmonies on "The Battle of Evermore" which he rated a 10.

 
And, you know, I had listed to that song for years not knowing that fact until someone here at RP mentioned it in a comment. It's what makes these comments worth reading. Thanks to everyone who passes along such knowledge.
Posted 9 years ago by nagsheadlocal    [ Reply ]
 reindeer wrote:
Apparently my potty break wasn't long enough to miss this terrible song.
And please, Joni Mitchell was a musical genius compared to this person.
 
Clearly this Zep fan is unaware of who is singing harmonies on "The Battle of Evermore" which he rated a 10.
Posted 9 years ago by MinMan    [ Reply ]
One of the greatest bands ever. Every time I see them getting playtime, my heart goes all warm and fuzzy.
Posted 9 years ago by Mireletion    [ Reply ]

I’m a huge Fairport fan and I’m ashamed to say I’d completely forgotten this magnificent song exists. The problem with iPod type devices is you tend to create playlists by cherry picking songs and sometimes brilliant album tracks fall between the cracks and get lost. I’m going to put this album, in its entirety, on my phone when I get home tonight and make it my album of the week!


Posted 10 years ago by ScottishWillie    [ Reply ]
I'm shocked by the rating too. I played the heck out of their LPs back in the day.
Posted 10 years ago by gatorade    [ Reply ]
Help me out here. Does Sandy Denny sound like Joan Baez, or does Joan Baez sound like Sandy Denny?
Posted 11 years ago by Grammarcop    [ Reply ]
The sound of folk rock being invented by a handful of people in a small studio... can't believe the ranking is only 6.7
Posted 11 years ago by Boy_Wonder    [ Reply ]
 GarageDragon wrote:
This song makes me want to break things.
 
I'm sorry to laugh here...but that comment was just really funny. Thanks GarageDragon! 
Posted 11 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
This song makes me want to break things.
Posted 11 years ago by GarageDragon    [ Reply ]

Sublime!


Posted 12 years ago by ScottishWillie    [ Reply ]
Not a fan.
Posted 12 years ago by Hodgatola    [ Reply ]

Apparently my potty break wasn't long enough to miss this terrible song.
And please, Joni Mitchell was a musical genius compared to this person.
Posted 12 years ago by reindeer    [ Reply ]
 sirdroseph wrote:
Sounds like a Renassaince Fair or worse, Joni Mitchell!{#Lol}

 
Well, there WERE a few groups back then who were interested in Folk meets Renaissance (note sp).  Some music still stands up and some sound rather overly floral or pulpy.  (Hmmm "Overly Floral or Pulpy" as a band name anyone?)


I (otherwise a Rock/proto-Punk fan at the time) developed a penchant for Pentangle that annoyed most of my friends. Still, there were fun times, tunes and good results.  Example given: Richard Thompson.


Posted 12 years ago by dc_zee    [ Reply ]

Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention - Farewell Farewell:

Montage mixing footage of Sandy Denny singing with Fotheringay on "Too Much Of Nothing" (1970), with rare footage of Fairport Convention in 1970, just after Sandy Denny departed. Farewell Farewell.

As somweone who lived through Sandy's carrier and was lucky enough to have seen her performe live not to mention her numerous albums and contrbutions along the way there was something about this lady's voice that was compelling that made you listen.

A real privalage God be good to her    saoirseterri

"The understated work of the Fairport musicians helps, too, in creating a rich tapestry to ground that ethereal voice". Excuse my giving your words the royal quote treatment, but you say it so well. The voice really was of a mystical perfection. And the band has a way but is never in the way.    written12

Posted 13 years ago by calypsus_1    [ Reply ]
Where have I been - never heard of them and I was around then! Very nice. Caught my ear so I looked it up expecting some new indie band. 1970? wow.
Posted 13 years ago by emmidad    [ Reply ]
This song breaks my heart, every time I hear it.  
Posted 13 years ago by dingusbother    [ Reply ]
Sounds like a Renassaince Fair or worse, Joni Mitchell!{#Lol}
Posted 13 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
Good for you Bill!

It's great to have a station that plays Fairport Convention and Sandy Denny instead of the mindless teen drivel that you hear elsewhere. 

Posted 13 years ago by medoras    [ Reply ]
40 years later and this still moves me.
Posted 14 years ago by MinMan    [ Reply ]
Sandy sang like an angel.  Gorgeous.  (Very pretty guitar from Richard to boot).
Posted 14 years ago by CamLwalk    [ Reply ]
 cosinus wrote:

 
Me three!  {#Yes}

Posted 14 years ago by spindrift    [ Reply ]
Posted 17 years ago by petercroob    [ Reply ]
Dig it. especially when Richard gets some leads in there.
Posted 17 years ago by mjaded    [ Reply ]
bev wrote:
Sandy Dennis...that voice. That voice !
Posted 17 years ago by cosinus    [ Reply ]
Farewell Sandy -- I miss you as much today as the day you left us. --Shari
Posted 20 years ago by shari    [ Reply ]
AI-in-Japan wrote:
Sandy Dennys voice is simply the most evocative female voice in English folk music. It has the power of a conjurer.
Yes, 30 years later and Sandy almost 30 years dead and still the only person to come close in my estimation is the new Patty Griffin. This is the saddest song I know. Exquisite sadness.
Posted 20 years ago by samiyam    [ Reply ]
Hannio wrote:
Wow, heavy metal for deaf people. Who'd of thought it...
Well, I'M laughing.
Posted 20 years ago by rsfc_carp    [ Reply ]
Frawg wrote:
Awwwww - start your own radio station and quit yer bitching. s
Yeah quit your bitching you poopy head!
Posted 20 years ago by JokesandJokesandJokes    [ Reply ]
For a few minutes a voice and song like this can make everything seem to have some sense, as yet, when you stopped believing. At least, to me. I must add that I'm not always receptive to it.
Posted 20 years ago by Johray63    [ Reply ]
Sandy Dennys voice is simply the most evocative female voice in English folk music. It has the power of a conjurer.
Posted 20 years ago by AI-in-Japan    [ Reply ]
Awwwww - start your own radio station and quit yer bitching. s Platypus wrote:
this stuff makes my skin crawl, personally. just sounds silly.
Posted 20 years ago by Frawg    [ Reply ]
DrFoo wrote:
I note that Sandy Denny also signs backup on Led Zeppelin's "The Battle of Evermore".
Wow, heavy metal for deaf people. Who'd of thought it...
Posted 20 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
curtisls wrote:
Every time you think that you might play reggae, please play some of this instead ;)
this stuff makes my skin crawl, personally. just sounds silly.
Posted 20 years ago by Platypus    [ Reply ]
I found this very interesting as Pentagle did a lovely song called Willy O' Winsbury that has the exact same melody but different words. Willy is also on Pentangle guitarist John Renborn's Faro Annie album. Now I'll have to dig that one out. Gorgeous and haunting.
Posted 20 years ago by soulhealer    [ Reply ]
I note that Sandy Denny also signs backup on Led Zeppelin's "The Battle of Evermore" (on Led Zeppelin 4, not LZ 3 as listed in the RP database).
Posted 20 years ago by DrFoo    [ Reply ]
Sandy Dennis...that voice. That voice !
Posted 20 years ago by bev    [ Reply ]
Fairport Convention, The Pentangle, et al, are wonderful modern day(from the 60s on, lol) interpreters of ages old Celtic influenced music. Every time you think that you might play reggae, please play some of this instead ;)
Posted 22 years ago by curtisls    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by utahbob: This band has held up incredibly well. Still one of my very favorite albums (showing my age with the word "album" :D )
I don't think I've ever heard this before (showing my age -- I think I might be the youngest RP listener) but I really like this. It's soothing on the ears.
Posted 22 years ago by phiagurl    [ Reply ]
This band has held up incredibly well. Still one of my very favorite albums (showing my age with the word \"album\" :D )
Posted 22 years ago by utahbob    [ Reply ]