Fairport Convention "Now Be Thankful"

[Andy34HN]

I know that Sandy was great, but I think she was the fantastic icing on an already amazing cake, if you like. This line-up of Swarb, Peggy, Simon, D.M. and R.T. was the best they ever had, I reckon. Mind you, 'Over The Next Hill' from a few years back was a brilliant album. Outstanding playing and singing.

[Noodelydoom]

Lol? This song has nothing to do with Thanksgiving!

[psycho21r]

This always makes my Thanksgiving day!

[olewnick]

My Thanksgiving Day theme song. Always beautiful.

[TheEdwardtheBooble]

I never tire of this.

[TheManuey1]

Swarbrick and Thompson - unbeatable!

[Harptree11]

This is such an evocative piece. I love the girl at 1/50 who is she? At the end of the song there is a distict pause when the audience is silent and Richard Thomson opens one eye to check that everybody is still there! Just perfect.

[rocktenniscat]

Wow, how YOUNG they all look. I first saw Richard Thompson in the 1980's, once again in the 1990's and about three years ago. He looks about 14 here! What a talented bunch.

[MrGoneTroppo]

Great music, and also what an incredibly lovely English summer's day - it's been bloody freezing in England for over six months now, including about two months of snow, and frankly we're not keen on it! Please God, give us another incredibly hot 1970s summer...

[RockHistoryTube]

Great song from the great album "Full House".

[grantg60]

@RockHistoryTube Great song, but wasn't on Full House, not the original release anyway. it was a single released about the same time. The B-side "Sir B Mackenzie's daughter's lament for the retreat of the 17th Lancers from the staits of Lock nomb in the year of her engagement to the laird of kinleakie" (I hope I've got that right!) is one of the longest song titles ever.

[PDSJohn]

Swarb you are a Prince

I always remember your happy style and incredible musicianship

during those days

Good Luck Mate

[t0msc0tcher]

hahaha 0.08 'oh piss off!'

[powellallan]

AndIi forgot to say there was of course Meet on the ledge with the same undertone (that was probably the word I was looking for) cheers allan

[powellallan]

yeah, cynical was the wrong word Iomarca you're right, surreptitious?, cowled?, shaded?, cloaked?. I did read somewhere that RT did a bit of a Nick Drake for a while, wandering around with pockets full of uncashed cheques, unwashed and insular, perhaps this was a recollection of that time, nice piece of contemporaneous setting there Iomarca cheers

[powellallan]

I cannot but think that this is a cynical song about a person being tortured and close to death, has anyone any thought on this .cheers to all allan

[Iomarca]

@powellallan, It's hardly cynical, but you might have a point about the torture. Richard Thompson's girlfriend (along with drummer Martin Lamble) had died in the car crash just a year previously, so he must have been through torture.

I suppose you could also relate it to the sleevenotes Thompson wrote for the album Full House -- strange-but-wonderful with elements of bloodthirstiness.

Anyway, a beautiful song, and performance. And the banter at the beginning is charming.

[neohip]

@powellallan

It could be interpreted as a song about faith.

In some tales,faith only comes from suffering,and those that don't suffer have benefited from huge sacrifice's that were made for us.

As I write this,it is ANZAC Day,April 15,a time when nations were born upon the deaths of young men who should of grown old like us,but gave there lives so we could have ours.

[caley956]

Just to flag up the fact that this is available on DVD - have a look on tony Palmer's DVD website. Tony made the original film in 1970 using early portable video technology, and the new version has been cleaned up a bit.

[BGthedrummer]

Swarbs got such a beautiful voice. Love this song so much.

[maclennan73]

They did alot of covers and traditional songs, Thompson and Denny wrote, Swarbrick didn't join till Liege and Leaf, although did play on Unhalfbricking, Lamble tragically died and the band had to re-group adding new members and then producing their distinctive sound.

[willstar665]

Makes the hair on my neck stand up every time. An English treasure of a song.

[raysteer]

A great song, and I love Swarbricks singing voice on it. I think these sort of semi-traditional songs by FC, Crazy Man Micheal, Farewell Farewell.....were/ are an interesting direction.

[sirhope]

One of my favorite UK folk groups. All albums. Since Sandy Denny and the beginning of Fairports till today. Simon Nicol and his "band" now, Swarbrick and Martin Carthy. Ian Campbell way back when. Richard Thompson... I'm not naming even1/5th of the great people who were in this group and then took off and have done great music and those that did wonderful things in their own way. And how! Pentangle, Steeleye Span, R & B Dransfield, the "Morris On" gang, Planxty, etc (See Cecil Sharpe House)

[anthonydansullivan]

imo What we did On Our Holidays, unhalfbricking & liege & liefe was their peak with full house and rising for the moon notable mentions. Just my view though, it's not important.

What is important is that I love this band, I think they're still relevant and what they're doing now is still fresh - new songs and embracing back catalogue. There is nothing wrong in this, if it makes people feel good then it it is good. Lighten up folks & enjoy.

[DaChBlog]

"FULL HOUSE" is still their BEST album.

Great band.

[drumbo2002]

No It's NOT

See I can use caps as well.

All of the albums have good and bad points..

[desertedshore]

sorry,sleakitweasel,that you sound so disillusioned..i attend many fairport gigs and constantly feel their continuing passion in what they do,encouraged not only by the loyalty of the older fans(me included)but by the ever increasing numbers of new and much younger followers....anyone who has recently 'found' fairport,get to see them live,you will not be disappointed!...P.S..simon nicol is a founder member and obviously in the current line-up.

[sleakitweasel]

Bands should stop dead before it gets to the sad drudgery of the nostalgia circuit; it demeans the spirit of their early work.

Fairport Convention (what's left of them -yr right about Nicol) are OLD now; now way can they have the fire of their youth. They're playing all the old songs to a crowd who are over-familiar with the material. . A big nostalgia rut.

It's just natural and happens to all bands. Only a few of them realise and get out whilst the going is good; never to return.

[desertedshore]

anyone who takes pleasure from this song and or swarb's voice etc should check out 'TO ALTHEA FROM PRISON' on 'FAIRPORT NINE'....a 17th century(i think) poem by RICHARD LOVELACE.

[AnnihilatingAngel]

Absolutely magnificent in every way. What a beautiful voice Swarbrick had!

That era had so many true musicians that would blow today's clowns clean off the stage. I was only about 5 when this show took place, and in Baltimore - but God, how I wish I'd been there....

Bet you do, too.....;o)

[charliebrockett]

Stoned Immaculate

[scragger07]

Since when has British music ever copied anything from the US. The Byrds were gr8 but they were probably influenced by Brit Folk and the Mersey sound .

[Gooseberry51]

They actually were.. Roger McG often said that the Byrds sound was based upon traditional songs with a 'Beatly beat'..

[bookishmuch]

You are really out of it, my friend. Ask Paul McCartney what the main Beatles influences were, and he'd tell you: Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Elvis and 50s skiffle bands.

[bibs5]

they can't stay in tune, byrd wannabes

[coramunroe]

When the stone is grown too cold to kneel,

In crystal waters I'll be bound

Cold as stone, weary to the sounds upon the wheel

Now be thankful for good things we love

Now be thankful to your maker

For the rose, the red rose blooms for all to know

[lsdmadman]

gods we was beautiful once........

[icepickmikey]

One of FC's very best songs. What a gem of a video this is. Thanks for posting

[Frosting60]

Every time I hear this song, I`m thankful I`m old enough to know and enjoy this incredible band!!! Working hard to pass it on to my kids... :-)

[somaditya75]

my hair stands....wow...my fav after Who Knows Where The Time Goes...what a voice....

[audun3788]

A few moments of joy. This is really lovely - thanks for posting this. Most people forget how well Dave could sing.

[hardrockunderpants]

Very happy to see a video of these guys! This is one of my favourite songs of theirs! Ive seen them in concert a fair few times, and Richard Thompson! Dad used to take me when I was a kid! Love live good folk music!

[Cielamouroux]

What a great band, so underappreciated, at least in America. In retrospect, much better than most of the more famous bands of that era.

[neohip]

Retrospect is a great thing.Nobody ,least of all Fairport, would have believed someone would be getting teary eyed over something they did 40 years ago!.

Most musicians of the time thought it would last 5 years Max,before it was back to the cabaret circuit.Or the coal mine.

The great thing is we have a document such as this,and the records themselves, to prove that they were once young,vital,talented,and that Richard Thompson used to have hair!.

[sleakitweasel]

Totally agree.

trouble is that after the realisation sets in that they have escaped the cabaret circuit and/or the coal mine, then it REALLY goes downhill.

All the fire and passion: PHUT

The punk rock spirit: bysy bye now

and suddenly they are playing 40 yr anniversary concerts when they have NO original members left.

lol

[ciano417]

fantastic melody,great chorus

[chrisharro]

Fairport's harvest hymn!

[bermudadog]

This song is just about as close to PURE BLISS as it is possible to get on this earth.

[elbo33]

I can't believe I've missed this for 38 years! Incredible.

[neohip]

@elbo33 It's never too late!.

[IridescentEye]

Swarbrick is an utter legend ..... no need to say anything else

[lauredean]

Thanks once again checotahkid for an other super share.

[epistrophy68]

Who's the lead singer? Ian Matthews? I'm not that familiar with all the incarnations of Fairport Convention but I'm trying to learn more.

[neohip]

Dave Swarbrick.long suffering violinist,mandolinist,guitaris­t and sadly underused lead singer!.It's neat to see him here so young and vital!.He has had major health problems for many years now,leading to a double lung transplant in 2004.but is still 'up for it' when he is well enough.

[raysteer]

@neohip I can't agree more, his voice is so clear and bright here, It's a great song too, I believe the words are original ( by them), do you know anything about the tune?

[neohip]

@raysteer From memory,the lyrics were written by Richard Thompson.the young guitarist with the dark curly hair,with input from Dave Swarbrick,the singer,who I think wrote much of the actual music.

The written lyrics you can find on the net have differences to what was sung here, but yes it is an original work.

I do not wish to comment on the meaning,as that should be left open to the listener.You can make of them what you will.

[raysteer]

@neohip Thanks.

[mfbwargrave]

@neohip When I saw him in Birmingham at a concert in his honour, he was chuffed to have read his obituary in the Daily Telegraph a few days before !

[neohip]

@mfbwargrave

As anyone would!

12 years later, he is thankfully still among us, but I would expect his real obituary, hopefully not before at least 2041, to be even better to compensate!

[neohip]

I hope you have found the answer by now,but if you haven't,it is Dave Swarbrick,The erstwhile and legendary fiddler.

In 1999,He had the dubious but (to some sad souls) hilarious distinction of having an obituary printed in a major newspaper while he was still alive!.

He is still with us today,and doing well, despite chronic bad health and having to use someone else's lungs.

[Rasperdan]

Fantastic....great harmonys.... sry for bad spelling :( but I find this totally fantastic great stuff

[signalnorth]

Just discovered this song. Goosebumps! Wow!

[iagobroxado]

Does somebody has the Polly on The Shore video from the 70's?? I'd be relly glad to see that again on UT.

[lsdmadman]

naw there are still a coupla human americans,,they're just very well hidden,,,when this video was shot my fine countrymen were dropping chemical weapons on villagers from helicopters not unlike these in the vid

[milkgodnl]

.. so why **were** the RAF at that gorgeous and sweet concert? .. Was it part of a Peace Gathering? .. or was it just a few 'Blokes' from Swindon who insist on crashing concerts .. I wonder which one was more likely?

[aarfeld]

Well, he did say it was the Army, not the RAF (maybe on one of the other clips of this event). Perhaps Chuck was a fan and pulled a few strings.

[kintoreloon]

Michty me fit rare to heer 'n' see this wonderous piece o'work

[ffairlane57]

This seems like England's answer to Crosby, Stills & Nash's performance at Woodstock.

[rubileno]

Just beautiful

[folkmusicgirl]

I love this song; the lyrics are beautiful!

Wow, Richard Thompson had such lovely long curly hair, such a cute guy & sooooo talented. I know he doesn't look like that anymore but sadly none of us do. One of my favourite early Fairport songs!

[Stacela]

I've never heard any of their music on any of the oldie stations. I wonder why they never play their music?

[rogthedodger]

a good question. It's the same in the UK (assuming you're elsewhere). I think English folk and folk rock gets a bad rep and many never get to hear it. Bizarre hen RT and Simpson are so big in the US

[050261mellost]

I agree. I think in the UK, (in England anyway), its seen as okay to knock English folk music. The Scots and the Welsh have no problems celebrating, preserving and taking their musical heritage forward. Its a pity we English don't do it in so readily. Thank goodness for FC etc.

[StuC5]

Maybe they were like a lot of bands that, while brilliant musically, were either ahead of their time or out just beyond the fringes of mainstream appeal ('Great album but I don't hear a single.') The only hit single I recall of theirs was a French version of Dylan's 'If You Gotta Go, Go Now'. Novelty value. They deserved much better.

[marcibeauku]

This video has given me endless enjoyment over recent days. Richard Thompson is the living end but I had no idea about his early days and now I have discovered the genius of Dave Swarbrick and the humor of Simon Nicol. Just adore this video, thank you!

[050261mellost]

Love the name! And Dankesehr to you too.

I'm 109.

[MrDD1978]

If you hate hippies NUKE BRITAIN.

[31stevieP]

Let me guess....You are american.....28 years old and into the Simpsons! At least you have good taste watching a fantastic part of musical history being made. Please dont get a passport!

[KRAKHAUS]

That's great! And I'm a yank as well, just a bit less ignorant.

[31stevieP]

Sorry, it seems I offended you (KRAKHAUS) however: what I didn't understand was your comment about nuking hippies? Maybe it upset me! (Even if it was a joke)

I try so hard not to think of your countrymen as war mongers but with this type of comment on a music site it reinforces a stereotype.

Maybe you can make me think differently?

Glad to see you like Fairport though. (Smiles)

[rogthedodger]

Err this WAS recorded a long, long time ago, you figured that out right? At the time there were more hippies in the US than in the UK.

If you really are so stupid why not do yourself a favour and keep it to yourself?

[britishcavalry]

This is just so beautiful.

[chestertouristcom]

Thanks for sharing...

[Lemjok]

This reminds me of car journeys when I was five... I'd listen to this over and over again for hours.

Precious, watching Richard Thompson play and looking so stoned, not getting his eyes open. Can't wait to see him live/solo when he next comes to Berlin!

[Mazurka9]

So beautiful

[PeoplesPalace]

I love this song, in fact i'm going to sing it next time I go to may favourite pub in deepest Derbyshire... Thanks!

[adammannus]

Awesome. Thank you.

[m06een00]

This is like a modern day hymn really. What a brilliant band the Fairports were, although once RT quit the band (as he soon did that year), they never were quite as good.

[thirdfloorit]

fantastic more please!

[lgrrpp]

How great an ear Swarbrick had.How great his voice in this performance.

[Arielash]

Simon aint changed a bit !! - awesome - thanks for the posting.

[escrog]

This is Fairport as I will always remember them. I saw this line-up about the same time as this video at the "Bath" festival at Shepton Mallet. As here, they were great. Was anyone else there?

[FranksLad]

Yes, I was at Bath! If I remember correctly, Fairport came on early evening in the sunlight, following a day of heavey rain. I mainly remember everybody leaping around to the jigs and reels. As I recall they were followed on stage by Coliseum, who were playing when the sun went down - very atmospheric.

[jcvalencia]

If you were there, you must have many great memories. (Yes, they did follow a day of rain, and Swarb asked the Hells Angels to take him home on their motorbikes). What a festival. I remember a very electric Hot Tuna at night too, and a discarding of clothes on stage...(formerly Escrog)

[mfluckiger]

Thanks for posting this great tune

[MountainOaf]

This is marvellous - a sublime performance of one of my favourite Fairport tracks. Many thanks for putting it up.

[maltesenosher]

thanks a million for posting this!! song written 1970. this performance broadcast in 1982/3..(i've original show on video and i did not have a recorder until 1981; judging by tape it's on it has to be 1982 at least.) it was a live broadcast on an early evening news/magazine show broadcast in south east england (i was living in tunbridge wells at the time). there were other songs; if anyone can tell me how to transfer vidtape to utube i'll post them!!

[mthivier]

Great performance of this song. Also, unbelievably good sound and video quality for a thirty-six-year old clip! Thanks for posting this.

[arbogast456]

Indeed, nifty dissolves, scratch free and steady camerawork too.

[ottotext]

Precious indeed. Brings me out in goosebumps, thanks.

[wlgordon]

Precious. Thanks for posting this.

[Jesuskrishna]

Such a beautiful song. I wish there was more Richard Thompson footage available, I'll never tire of watching him sing or play guitar.

[vernonjoseph]

great name u have! i love fairport, what a band! hare om

[iagobroxado]

I`m kind new to Fairport..loved this song! I`ll look for their CDs... check the Polly on the Shore video too...amazing solos.

[qoquaq]

Great song. This was filmed at Maidstone in 1970. The full set has been released on video but it's pretty hard to find.

[magpieblog]

one of the very best -- and least known -- songs that fairport ever did, sadly omitted from the 'full house' lp. also one of the relatively few richard thompson-dave swarbrick collaborations. ('crazy man michael' and 'sloth' are others.

as the song ends, look for a sweet and pensive expression that crosses thompson's face as he finishes his vocal.

the clip comes from the 1987 fairport documentary, 'it all comes round again.' i don't think it's on dvd.