Fairport Convention ~ Meet On The Ledge

[jimmyafan]

like to dedicate this to the late jimmy mcculloch-such a beautiful song.

[chironsynchronicity]

@NoRosesForMe That's fine.  No worries. :-) "If you really mean it, it all comes round again"

[chironsynchronicity]

A friend of mine chose this to be played at her funeral, which took place yesterday. It was an truly inspired choice, and brought home to me aspects of the song I had never appreciated before. R.I.P. Marion, and thank you. x

[NoRosesForMe]

@chironsynchronicity oh goodness xx Im so sorry to hear about yr friend. Truly am. This one is very hard for me to listen to nowadays. My best friend committed suicide last July (July 4th) Ive always loved this and it was always a good song to sing and feel free with but.......it seriously reminds me of him now. So........I can kind of relate....maybe...? I dunno....but you are most welcome and I truly do enjoy hearin from folks. Anytime ok? Some people still care. xx Peace

[NoRosesForMe]

@chironsynchronicity hope i wasnt too morbid in my last reply to ya. xx My sympathies and heart go to you ok? ♥ "Jenny"

[zzippyman1]

@chironsynchronicity That really WAS an inspired choice by your friend. Thank you Marion for giving me thoughts too. RIP.

[Nesgamer1991]

ocean colour scene brought me here

[beanerboyd]

Its nice to see that young people appreciate this music, which is the soundtrack of my life.

[NoRosesForMe]

@beanerboyd thank you so much and ..yea..I grew up with stuff like this myself. Good stuff that never gets old. I wish more younger people would dig it. Thanks for yr lovely comment and thanks for listening & tuning in to my vid. PEACE & blessings to ya. ~"Jenny"

[Belfreyite]

The smell of woodsmoke, The Old Dungeon Gill, The Hill Inn, The Hunters Lodge!!!!

[lookingforfitra]

Richard Thompson is simply one of the best song writers this country has ever produced...not to mention one of the best guitarists! He really means it!!

[KleingeistNumbahOne]

simply beautiful, peace & love from austria :) <3

[duncangray2011]

christ take faith in cicero. fools.

[lovelywelshgal]

i just split up with my boyfriend. He introduced me to this song, and now it makes me cry even more than it used to. Beautiful song

[dmg83]

Wonderful! This reminds me of amazing Hogmanays in Scotland in the 60's and 70'sbeing a bit bit sauced! The wonderful Sandy Denny,, RIP You can't get better than this in this genre.

[ProBurgess21]

thumbs up if you love this at cropredy festival :)



[Jarrahnut]

"Ethereal" ? You mean heavenly? Yeah ... too bloody right! Greetings from Western Australia! How wonderful they were ...

[TheBlindPig1]

Where shall the exiled meet. salam hal kalum

[TheBlindPig1]

in paradise there be but faires and in hell trails. or heaven trails and hell faires? oh eat of the fruit.

[midmodgal]

I used to love going to Cropredy back in the 80's. They always ended their set with this tune.

[SpyroLUVA]

Can someone clear something up for me? I'm doing a projec on British Folk music, and according to Wikipedia (yeah baw, I know, whatever) these guys pioneered electric folk. Is that true? Is this even called electric ffolk? It doesn't sound like folk to me, to be totally honest.

[m06een00]

@SpyroLUVA

The pioneers of "electric folk rock" were arguably the American band the Byrds in 1965, covering Bob Dylan songs, both of whom heavily influenced Fairport. In Britain FC and Pentangle both emerged at the same time and were considered pioneeers of the British folk rock scene, but they sounded very different in style..On FC's first 2 albums in 1967/68 they covered songs by Dylan and Joni Mitchell both at the time considered folk artists, as well as writing their own material.

[MITCHWILD]

@SpyroLUVA I would argue quite vociferously that Fairport Convention did indeed invent Folk Rock. The Byrds were not a Folk Rock band, an amazing band none the less, but not Folk Rock. This was indeed a British thing.

Fairport first started as a kind of English version of Jefferson Airplane. Their first album is not at all Folk Rock.

Richard Thompson was the driving force behind the direction change. He took folk and Rocked it up, just a bit.

Listen to "Tam Lin", very simple and powerfull.

[Putaspellonyou]

@SpyroLUVA 'doesn't sound like folk' is very much what some critics at the time said (mostly oldsters from the 1950s) but the very nature of folk is that it can change. in fact it is music that must change in order to live. it is important to distinguish between british and US folk-rock though, as they mine different traditions. a great biritsh writer named britta spears wrote a book called "electric folk" that is a must read. still in print i believe.

[nigusberries]

@Putaspellonyou folk is a very subjective terms.. with a bit of thought and perspective, late 70s Punk rock is also folk, by the genre standards.. this song is just damn good!!

[TheBlindPig1]

People who say they are so awe inspired by atoms and the size of the universe, deluded. It all comes round again, there is no such thing as human history. The power of delusion is mans greatest gift from evolution. Christ was stuck between the mob and the man in blue.

[mink61]

@TheBlindPig1 Thank goodness there are people like you around to show us the error of our ways.

[TheBlindPig1]

@mink61 The truth is not appetizing.The modern world everything is made to be easily digestible. Those who claim a love for the intangible, see how many live like, Diogenes ofSinop. I am a pagan. I am jealous of my gods and vice of my truth.And maybe its treacherous old age comming on, threatening the worst. Not much musich left inside us for life to dance to. You must choose, death or lies. Ive never been able to kill myself. Blessed are those who can content themselves with whorehouses!

[MrWhoswho1]

How the hell can anyone dislike this. Such a beautiful song.

[FENNYMAN]

One of the few songs that works sung like this - achingly, beautifully sad - and by a large crowd. Anyone who was at The 25th Cropredy Festival.... lump in throat.

[ecnalubma696969]

None of Fairport's songs is long enough.

[lucasam29]

still looking for JACK XXXXXX

[jack86835]

Another Fairport masterpiece. Great we still have them and with Simon still in the band!

[jack86835]

Another Fairport masterpiece. Great we still have them!

[68blues]

1969........in the townhall next to the bank. It's a Monday night and the band play this.

Never ever heard the song again, sometimes whistled the tune, sometimes sang the song with my own words. (we've all done it)

2011.....go to the bank at six in the morning, get back in the car, suddenly this comes on the radio, never heard it since '69.

I'm sitting at the same place many years later.....severe nostalgia.

Never new the meaning of the song in '69, know it now.....magnificent.

[progressivedave]

Dedicated to our friend the late Pete Wilkins by the crew and volunteers at Cambridge Rock Festival.

[TheBlindPig1]

Who is the liege? He leaps from state to another being alone to togetherness, from freedom to servitude. If everyone's making songs, who's listening? liege = anit christ, "then you can do the work for me". Why do they climb the mountain? Existence needs a force driving it. The force that drives the water through the rocks Drives my red blood; that dries the mouthing streams

Turns mine to wax. And I am dumb to mouth unto my veins How at the mountain spring the same mouth sucks.(D thomas)

[GeoStratocaster]

One of my favs from long long ago, still love it.

[30FLOOR]

As an atheist I find it strange that when I listen to this song I want to offer it as a prayer to my friend Mark who, like many others, died too young

[econoroller]

I want this played at my funeral...

[Pentalpha5]

Mal chose this for you today Lil..bye, and God bless your peaceful soul.

[vonroon23]

"If you really mean it, it all comes around again" sounds like it was inspired by Nietzsche's idea of the eternal recurrence. This song means a lot more to me now than it did in the 60s.

[powellallan]

Richard Thompson and Nick Drake, there was not the width of a cigarette paper between them at one stage I'd say. The anthem for all dead and unfulfilled youth. Cheers to all.

[Ptrgamb]

Everything about this song is chilling, but the moment when Sandy's voice emerges above the mix near the end shakes me up every single time.

[jackal59]

@Ptrgamb Absolutely.

[mensamoo]

Question!!! are Fairport the ONLY band to have a compete change of members????

[Isa0vana]

@mensamoo Simon Nicol , a founder member, is still in the band.

[mensamoo]

@Isa0vana but I believe at one point even he took a respite. Saw them on Cropredy. Brill.

[pedrofinia]

this song means a hell of a lot to me and my buddies were only late 30's but all the stuff we realy love is 60's 70's

[NoRosesForMe]

@pedrofinia This song means a lot to me too. Its special and reminds me of special people Ive known. Some of whom are no longer here. Its just one of the most amazing songs ever. Im really glad you enjoy it and thank you for listening. Peace to ya. ♥

[Messozhay]

@NoRosesForMe Thanks a lot from Russia))))!!!!

[5rtu]

@NoRosesForMe  I concur. Pax

[BillMinworth]

@pedrofinia I think you'll find the female singer is judy dyble not sandy denny. Try and find fairport convention 67-72 for a great introduction. Means a lot more now!

[MrFranklloydwright]

@BillMinworth Definitely Sandy on this album and song. Judy was in the band for the first album only. This has been the single most meaningful song in my life over the past 41 years. I'm glad Fairport continue to perform it, but nothing will compare to the combined vocals of Sandy, Ian, and RT.

[MsAdriana1969]

outstanding 60´s nostalgia

[naddypuss]

one of the best songs ever!

[dmstyle7]

:))

[twismuk]

Tuuuuuuuunnnnnneeeee!!!! Fairport convention will live on forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mangosunsplash]

I play this BEAUTIFUL song on my old guitar....usually makes me cry...But actually I thou ght J.McCarthy wrote it...it's on his live /acoustic /solo album..

[ChomFa]

I had forgotten how ethereal and sublime this band could be. This song.... that'll do me for "so long".

[NoRosesForMe]

@ChomFa So glad it means that much to ya. And thanks to everyone else.

Best wishes for all. This song means a lot to me as well. Truly does. ♥Peace

[TheChrisrg]

just started listening to this band, outstanding.

[Cynhafal1]

remembering Tim

see you soon, light of my life :)

[Vasyla]

I first listened to this track as an eleven year old when goin thro my dads lp collection. I'm 33 now and still love this track, great to listen too when having a 'smoke'!

[JohnVasco]

@Vasyla Glad you took  notice of SOMETHING I said. And keep off the weed - it's bad shit at your age!!!

[econoroller]

This song typifies the sadness the music world felt in dealing with the losses of so many greats at such a young age, too. For me it's the dirge for Hendrix, Jim, Janice, and every other rocker who pushed the envelope in those times. Thank you for posting this. it is a sobering song that helps remind us how fragile and short life really is.

[JoelGallob]

I still have the album, schlepped back and forth across America. Some things one does not give up. One of the great bands of all time.

[chicagojeff]

My favorite Fairport song..

[westpalmscott]

My favorite early Fairport song and to think that Richard Thompson was only 17 when he wrote it

[HansKerr]

Fairport Convention, one of the finest groups of England in the late '60's

[relentlessneurotoxin]

This song is truly amazing!

[fredbro6022]

Amazing. True class. Sniffle.

[ignoranttwat]

Don't they get bored of this?

[Fairport70]

I don't call meself Fairport70 by accident.

Iian or Ian Matthews is with his best possible lineup he'll ever witness/play with. But that doesn't stop or end the greatness he'd become.

[ecnalubma696969]

Sandy was such a cutie.

[nostalgiahistoria67]

Been into this band since I was about 13 or 14, discovered them quite by accident and they are FAB! A great discovery. All their early recordings- both studio and BBC sessions are all amazing!

[flyboysky]

Wow where have i been?!?! I just found out about this band today. Extremely good music!

[wa0000]

Please advise.. Who sings the first verse, before Sandy comes in? Iain Matthews?

[ngiyaxolisa]

Yes, although it's credited on the US album as Ian MacDonald.

[pleutman]

Reminds me of karma in the realm of the inevitable;whatever you have do once in time has happened forever in time;if the end is like the beginning of time you will do again what you did last time.

[PHAEDRIDER]

i'd say it comes in aroung number one or two in my favorite songs .. and i like alot lots of songs ..

[ecnalubma696969]

@PHAEDRIDER So what's number one then?

[PHAEDRIDER]

i dont know.. maybe this song .. maybe spiritualized version of "any way that you want me" maybe 13th floor elevators version of "baby blue".. maybe any of scores of others.. this one stands out

[PHAEDRIDER]

aw F*ck it . i cant think of a song i like more .. this song .

[cinnamonbrandylite]

meat on the ledge, when i am meat on the ledge

bite me

i do after all carry a donor card.

[eastmorton]

this is maybe the best song ever written about friends who die young

[Thorsson64]

Possibly one of the best songs ever written about anything...

[oixor387]

@eastmorton And that's exactly what happened to Martin Lamble, Fairport's brilliant drummer on this track. He was killed in that horrible car accident that also took the life of Richard Thompson's girlfriend. This song was about horror and truth.  It makes listening to it all that more a gut-wrenching experience.

[ulli120252]

too bad I dont understand what "meet on the ledge " meens- but its such a great song! ulli from germany

[PHAEDRIDER]

like the edge of a cliff, but more precisely like a little shelf on the face of a cliff, to meet on the ledge i would think they mean the jumping off point from this life ..

[Thorsson64]

Well, what I've always taken it to mean is that you'll get to meet all of those friends, taken early, again.

The image I have, probably because I was in the middle of reading LotR when I first bought the album, is of the Fellowship on Caradhras. Somehow that section of the book and this song gelled in my mind.

[raysteer]

Such a great part of the book.....and a great song....no surprise the two came together!!!

[raysteer]

@raysteer That doesn't make sense anymore.

[christoddur]

IAIN MATTHEWS is a GOD!!!!

[NoRosesForMe]

oh ok. cool. Thanks Dog.

Dunno why its not playin here. Just the swirly thing now. Last night it just showed the other vids on the little screen, Hard to explain. Oh well.

TC c ya =))

[Jarrahnut]

Who wrote this number?

[SwedishCherryPie]

Richard Thompson

[gaspode18]

And he was just 17 when he wrote it!

[PHAEDRIDER]

richard thompson

[jonno52]

So glad this is still up: thanks a million for posting it. Superb.

[xoxFantasyFanaticxox]

:'( This song reminds me of my mum....

She died when I was 8, and #I really miss her. We played this song at her funeral, and ever since I can't listen to it without crying :'(

This is such A beautiful song......

-Rhiannon

[IridescentEye]

She still lives in you.

[xoxFantasyFanaticxox]

Yeah, I know. :)

[Gazontheraz]

Heres to yor mam.She'd be glad to know you've got good taste in music.

GAZ

[whimirsper]

It makes me think and realise just how lucky I am as more than a handfull of mates have already gone - accidents, suicides, cancer ...

[whimirsper]

God I remember when this first came out! I must be old. Come to think of it, I am old! An outstanding song ...

[NoRosesForMe]

ahww nah yr not old! Hehe! You were just around to experience good stuff when the rest of us werent.

Lucky you. Thank you tho. This song kinda makes me cry sometimes hehe!

[harryf200]

I want this one played at my funeral! It gets to me in the pit of my stomach. Fantastic. And if you listen to it on the album, it's followed by "Fotheringay", a combination guaranteed to invoke a delicious sense of melancholy ... Just listen and you'll know what I mean.

[NoRosesForMe]

Hey Ive thought about that too! Funeral.

Fotheringay is great. Oh! And "Autopsy"! OMG Its like they did so many songs that get to you ...in that sense.

Am I making sense? hehe!

Thank so much. Good to know Im not the only one who thinks about these kinda things.

[spudcustardx1]

I met Fairport on the Isle of White Ferry , 68 I think, I was an art student from Bournemouth , embarrassingly I didnt recognise them, it gets worse I told them I could play guitar. I watched them when it was really cold, everything was running late, they were introduced by Peele wrapped in blankets some people were burning the fence to keep warm.

I have spent the last 30 years becoming less relevant, but what the hell

Spud Custard

not to mention "what we did on our hollidays"

[harryf200]

I have a fairly sim' story. Mate and me used 2 play the Norfolk & Cambs folk circuit bak in the 70's. We got booked to open for a then unknwn (in the UK group) @ Bridlington. It was Clannad! Watching was a local lass up to visit home from London - Harvey Goldsmith's g/friend. She liked us better than Clannad (must have had cloth ears...) and was going to tell Harvey all about us. I'm still waiting 4 him 2 call! (All though, it was so long ago I've forgotten how to play guitar ... )

[9496tull]

awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!1

[NoRosesForMe]

Hehe! Thanks Tully. I got yr PMs. Glad you were havin a good time. ...with my vids. ....and ...Maker's Mark this time was it? Haha! Im into the gin this mornin myself. =P

[irishthankgod]

another great one, whats with ytube , i have lost loadsa favs , guess they couldnt agree on the money lol XD Cathy

[NoRosesForMe]

Hey thanks Cathy! Ive lst a lotta faves too. YT is a total bitch. Capitalist fuckers. haha im sorry had to say it.

[the60man]

wow great song

[NoRosesForMe]

Thanks you! They were an awesome band.

[alargedog]

great song hope it stays up yt took both my fc songs #####

[NoRosesForMe]

Ahww yea. YT is barely worth the effort these days. But thanks tho Dog. Appreciate it. ;)