897. Pack Up Your Sorrows (Richard Fariña and Pauline Marden)

Richard Fariña (1937-66) was an active member of the Greenwich Village folk scene in the late fifties and early sixties and was briefly married to folk singer Carolyn Hester. They divorced after Fariña became involved with Joan Baezs teenage sister Mimi. The two married in 1963 and their debut album, Celebrations For A Grey Day, was released on Vanguard in 1965, followed by their second and final album, Reflections In A Crystal Wind.

With Richard playing dulcimer and Mimi autoharp, their voices sounded very natural together. Mimis was like an earthier version of Joans with Richards tenor blending perfectly.

Their music obviously had great potential, but on April 30th, 1966, on Mimi's 21st birthday, and two days after the publication of Richards novel Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me, he hitched a ride on the back of a friends motorbike. It crashed, allegedly at 90 mph, and Richard was thrown off the back, dying instantly.

At the time of his death, Richard Fariña was producing an album for his sister-in-law, Joan Baez, which was never released. One of the songs, released as a single in 1966, was a cover of "Pack up Your Sorrows", which he co-wrote with another of Joan's sisters, Pauline Marden. This song and Birmingham Sunday are Fariña's two most successful songs.

It has also been recorded by Judy Collins, Peter, Paul and Mary and Johnny Cash with June Carter.

[Information is from Wikipedia]

Category:

Music

Tags:

• folk
• song
• mimi
• joan
• baez

[CurtisMateer]

He was quite the rennaisance man wasn't he? The supposedly greatest songwriter of his time, Dylan, and greatest novelist, Thomas Pynchon, both were impressed. Fresh and clean this take. Nice job.

[raymondcrooke]

He wrote some great songs, which deserve to be better known. Thanks for your comment.

[mktmic7]

great job******

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks again, Mike.

[garibelon]

Such a lovely rendition, Raymond.

Al lthe stars... :)

Best wishes

gari

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks, Gari. I like your video of this one. Thanks for the response

[garibelon]

Thank you for accept my respone. :)

All the best

gari

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks for watching.

[RandyHaddock]

I love this song... great rendition.

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks for reminding me. i've added that information to the box on the right.