# The Magic of Fairport Convention



## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

A bit in reference to and teasing Strange Magic, I'll admit.

But listen to this album from start to finish if you don't know it. One of the best albums I know. It doesn't need searching for that one strange 'magic' song amidst a lot of ..... All of these songs and the music are great. And Sandy can bring you to tears without cheap tricks. She's incredible. We should talk more about her to keep her memory alive.


----------



## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

A fine album. Sandy Denny brings to mind Joan Baez and Judy Collins--the same somewhat ethereal voices singing often of things far away or long ago.


----------



## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Yup, like What we Did on Holidays, and Unhalfbricking. Who Knows Where the Time Goes is great. Never understood why a lot of critics like Liege and Leaf, not my cup of tea. Does anyone like the group Clannad? i thought some of their stuff is interesting


----------



## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Big Richard Thompson fan here.


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Love all their albums from _What We Did on Our Holidays_ through to _Babbacombe Lee_ - even during their heyday they suffered from the law of diminishing returns after key personnel left one after the other but the six albums they shoehorned in between 69-71 is an excellent body of work.


----------



## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Phil loves classical said:


> Yup, like What we Did on Holidays, and Unhalfbricking. Who Knows Where the Time Goes is great. Never understood why a lot of critics like Liege and Leaf, not my cup of tea. Does anyone like the group Clannad? i thought some of their stuff is interesting


Interesting. Liege and Leaf is the only Fairport stuff I like. Interesting that Ashley Hutchings went from there to Steeleye Span and Sandy Denny to Fotheringay.

One of my favourite Sandy Denny songs is this from her time with Fotheringay:






Clannad are a fascinating group. They come from Gweedore and played in a local pub in Meenaleck owned by the Leo Brennan, the father of two of the band. It's a Gaeltacht area and people come there to learn Irish.

There's a tremendous local tradition as well. Their second album was produced by Planxty and Bothy Band founder Dónal Lunny whose mother came from Ranafast just up from Meenaleck. Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, also of the Bothy Band, spent his summers in Ranafast. In Donegal, Mícheál spent time with his aunt Neilí, a renowned singer who had a vast repertoire of Irish and English songs. He formed lifelong friendships with Pól and Ciarán Brennan (future members of Clannad) and Dáithí Sproule (future member of Skara Brae and Altan).

What is known as a small world.


----------



## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

More traditional in it's approach maybe than Fairport's songs but a very beautiful song, Taggart. 

You're probably better at home with English and Scottish folk inspired music than the rest of us, so I would be curious why you don't like most of Fairport's albums. I love Unhalfbricking, Liege and Leaf and Babbacombe Lee (which are the ones I know).


----------



## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Casebearer said:


> More traditional in it's approach maybe than Fairport's songs but a very beautiful song, Taggart.
> 
> You're probably better at home with English and Scottish folk inspired music than the rest of us, so I would be curious why you don't like most of Fairport's albums. I love Unhalfbricking, Liege and Leaf and Babbacombe Lee (which are the ones I know).


I'm better at home with English and Scottish folk music. I don't mind a bit of rock. I don't mind something like _Si Tu Dois Partir_ or Steeleye Span's a capella _Rave On_. Ultimately, I'm looking for traditional music rather than the more modern American folk rock of the Byrds or later Dylan. Hence I prefer Liege and Lief despite the two Thompson tracks. It's got some absolute belters in Reynardine, Matty Groves and Tam Lin and there's a lovely set of jigs from Swarbrick.


----------

