Liege and Lief at 45

[johncorrigan]

I'd worry that Sandy sounded a bit high pitched then - think I'll stick to thirty three and a third - I like it like that.

Anyway, BBC4 are marking it with an evening of Fairport related merchandise starting off with this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mmw5v

[cloughie]

I'd worry that Sandy sounded a bit high pitched then - think I'll stick to thirty three and a third - I like it like that.

Anyway, BBC4 are marking it with an evening of Fairport related merchandise starting off with this.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mmw5v

Richard Thompson would sound high-pitched also! I have the Friday programmes earmrked for recording.

[gurnemanz]

Thanks for that hint. Liege and Lief was part of my LP collection when it was of a manageable size and was one of the most played. I went to Germany to teach English in the early 70s and the students were always very interested in British and US pop music and understanding the texts. I found it worked very well to use them as part of my conversation "lessons" - Dylan, the Beatles and others - American Pie, Streets of London, Steppenwolf's classic Monster (what on earth happened to them? In those pre-internet and photocopying days I usually had to transcribe the lyrics from the turntable because they weren't included with the albums, then type them onto a roneo for copying. I can remember doing this with Matty Groves which is an exciting tale, beautifully performed. As a result of repeated playing I can still sing lots of it by heart 40 years later.

Richard Thompson (born in the same year as me - 1949) is one of the few performers from that period who I have stuck with over the decades, buying most of his albums. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight with his wife, Linda, is a masterpiece. We have seen him once live, also his son Teddy, who we saw at a great solo gig in a small venue a few years ago.

[johncorrigan]

I went to Germany to teach English in the early 70s and the students were always very interested in British and US pop music and understanding the texts. I found it worked very well to use them as part of my conversation "lessons" - Dylan, the Beatles and others - American Pie, Streets of London, Steppenwolf's classic Monster (what on earth happened to them?

I have this theory, gurnemanz, that part of the reason that we were rubbish at learning languages was that we had no reason - my German pals in the early 70s also devoured Beatles, Dylan and Cohen and the Dubliners and watched American Movies - they had loads of reason to learn and speak English and me being a lazy git let them get on with it.

In those pre-internet and photocopying days I usually had to transcribe the lyrics from the turntable because they weren't included with the albums, then type them onto a roneo for copying. I can remember doing this with Matty Groves which is an exciting tale, beautifully performed.

What a job gurnemanz! - amazing song, amazing performance - no wonder our vinyl got knacked trying to work out the lyrics to songs - I recall a drunken night where me and my pal spent two hours trying to decipher the lyrics of Toots and the Maytals 'Sweet and Dandy' - scratched like crazy.

I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight with his wife, Linda, is a masterpiece.

Masterpiece indeed, and remains so - there's the doc about him 'Solitary Man' on at 11pm that same evening.

[cloughie]

Thanks for that hint. Liege and Lief was part of my LP collection when it was of a manageable size and was one of the most played. I went to Germany to teach English in the early 70s and the students were always very interested in British and US pop music and understanding the texts. I found it worked very well to use them as part of my conversation "lessons" - Dylan, the Beatles and others - American Pie, Streets of London, Steppenwolf's classic Monster (what on earth happened to them? In those pre-internet and photocopying days I usually had to transcribe the lyrics from the turntable because they weren't included with the albums, then type them onto a roneo for copying. I can remember doing this with Matty Groves which is an exciting tale, beautifully performed. As a result of repeated playing I can still sing lots of it by heart 40 years later.

Richard Thompson (born in the same year as me - 1949) is one of the few performers from that period who I have stuck with over the decades, buying most of his albums. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight with his wife, Linda, is a masterpiece. We have seen him once live, also his son Teddy, who we saw at a great solo gig in a small venue a few years ago.

I remember listening through Dylan's 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' several times to write the lyrics down. Richard & Linda Thomson's 4 albums were all good - the blend of their voices!

[gurnemanz]

As is well-known, transcribing lyrics can be tricky and fraught with mis-hearing. Eventually Dylan lyrics appeared in a book which I snapped up. Not so much of a problem with the internet.

[Globaltruth]

As is well-known, transcribing lyrics can be tricky and fraught with mis-hearing. Eventually Dylan lyrics appeared in a book which I snapped up. Not so much of a problem with the internet.

Actually I think it may be one of the pleasurable activities the Internet has stolen from us - that debate with friends about what lyrics actually were. A classic being Desmond Dekker & the Aces singing

me ears are alight

They really were.

[johncorrigan]

Actually I think it may be one of the pleasurable activities the Internet has stolen from us - that debate with friends about what lyrics actually were. A classic being Desmond Dekker & the Aces singing.

Though the other evening my daughter and I were heading home in the car and Hard Day's Night came on. Over the last forty-odd years I must have heard it hundreds of times and I suddenly worked out one of the lines which I think I must just have mumbled through but never gave a toss what it was - just in case you wondered it was 'So why on earth should I moan' - brain-free, I know.

[johncorrigan]

<<Me ears are alight>>

Hey G, sounds like you're not alone - Victoria Coren told me tonight on 'Only Connect' that there's a name for them - Mondegreens. One example given was 'Ireland Industry'* - you need to sing it out loud and think of Kenny and Dolly.


*(that is what we are!)

[Globaltruth]

<<Me ears are alight>>

Hey G, sounds like you're not alone - Victoria Coren told me tonight on 'Only Connect' that there's a name for them - Mondegreens. One example given was 'Ireland Industry'* - you need to sing it out loud and think of Kenny and Dolly.


*(that is what we are!)

We're meant to be used to this synchronicity but it still surprises me. Yes, fan of Only Connect & V.Coren is another Twitter stalwart who mainly tweets about her adventures in the world of poker...
A classic mondegreen?

Excuse me, while I kiss this guy ..

Cue killer riff.

[cloughie]

The diction of many singers doesn't help - I remember many years ago before R5L when Danny Baker did the Breakfast Programme on the old Radio 5 and he asked listeners to try to work out what Chrissie Hynde was singing on 'Brass in Pocket'. Do you remember Herman's Hermits - She's a Muscular Boy a complete impossibility - or Jose Feliciano's interpretation of Gerry Marsden's Liverpool accent-borne lyrics in 'Don't let the sun catch you crying'?

[Paul Sherratt]

Cry for help here cloughie. I'm hoping our JC can help with the words sung by Dick Gaughan in last Friday's Wo3, because I'm sorry, I haven't a clue !

So if Liege & Lief is 45, that must mean I'm, no, can't work it out.

Saw R Thompson 3 times. Always been struck by his audience ... apart from at New Orleans Jazz Fest where he was the only Brit contender and completely unkown.
He was quite magnificent and the crowd in the tent almost dumbstruck ( a word virtually unused in the USA )

[johncorrigan]

Cry for help here cloughie. I'm hoping our JC can help with the words sung by Dick Gaughan in last Friday's Wo3, because I'm sorry, I haven't a clue !

Wonder what a New Orleans buncha jazzers would make of the DG, Paul.

In the meantime here's Dick from his website - what a crackin' song but I'm sure he sang a couple of extra verses 'cos I don't think that's the end of the song.
http://www.dickgaughan.co.uk/songs/texts/cruelbro.html

[Paul Sherratt]

Thanks John ( I think ! ) It was a great selection by M-A and I suspect its impenetrable nature for southerners
was a bonus for our fine dj

[eighthobstruction]

Did every other person play the flute ref 1968....just listening to a lot of old stuff around that time ....blaa blaa .....flutes....flutes!!!