The History of Fairport Convention is the first compilation of tracks by Fairport Convention

Fairport Convention

Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...

, released in 1972.

At the time it was released, it appeared that the band had folded. The cover had a "family tree" by Pete Frame

Pete Frame

Peter 'Pete' Frame is a music journalist, who produced outlines of the history of rock bands for various magazines . He founded the English Alternative rock magazine ZigZag in April 1969 and acted as its editor, from its beginning until February 1973, and again from March 1976 until July 1977...

 on the front. Another unusual aspect of the album was that a piece of ribbon was glued to the sleeve, making it look as if a royal seal had been embossed on it. Different reissues had blue ribbons, or red or green. Later reissues of the album had no ribbon, but the central seal was shown in a larger size, and the family tree was missing.

Side one

1. "Meet on the Ledge
   Meet on the Ledge
   "Meet on the Ledge" was Fairport Convention's second single.The song was taken from the album What We Did on Our Holidays. BBC Radio 2's Sold On Song TOP 100 songs as voted for by Radio 2 listeners put their early song "Meet On The Ledge" at Number 17...
   
   "
2. "Fotheringay"
3. "Mr Lacey"
4. "Book Song"
5. "A Sailor's Life
   A Sailor's Life
   "A Sailor’s Life" is an English language folk song which describes the attempt of a young woman to find her lover, a sailor. Eventually she hears that he has drowned and mourns him.-History:...
   
   "

Side two

1. "Si Tu Dois Partir"
2. "Who Knows Where the Time Goes
   Who Knows Where the Time Goes
   "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" is a song written by the English folk-rock singer and songwriter Sandy Denny. Denny originally recorded the song as a demo in 1967, singing and playing guitar on the track...
   
   "
3. "Matty Groves
   Matty Groves
   "Matty Groves" is an English folk ballad that describes an adulterous tryst between a man and a woman that is ended when the woman's husband discovers and kills them. It dates to at least the 17th century, and is one of the Child Ballads collected by 19th-century American scholar Francis James Child...
   
   "
4. "Crazy Man Michael"

Side three

1. "Medley: The Lark in the Morning / Rakish Paddy / Foxhunter's Jig / Toss The Feathers
   Toss The Feathers
   "Toss the Feathers" is a traditional Irish folk tune, typically played with a tin whistle and fiddle. It has existed in several variations, each in a different key, the two more common being D and E minor...
   
   (instr)"
2. "Now Be Thankful"
3. "Walk Awhile"
4. "Sloth"
5. "The Bonny Black Hare"

Side four

1. "Angel Delight"
2. "Bridge Over the River Ash (instr)"
3. "John Lee"
4. "Breakfast in Mayfair"
5. "Hanging Song"
6. "The Hen's March / The Four Poster Bed (instr)"

One cassette version of the album had sides 1 and 2 in the same order on the "A" side, and side 3 and 4 on the "B" side. Another version had the tracks "Si Tu Dois Partir" and "The Hen's March Through The Midden / The Four Poster Bed" switched.

In 1988 a CD version was released. It omitted ""Crazy Man Michael" and "Medley". The family tree was not on the cover, but appeared on an insert. Although the album never reached the charts it was steadfastly in print, and probably their best-selling compilation.

External links

• Informatik