Fairport Convention - What We Did On Our Holidays (1969) 24-bit/96kHz Vinyl Rip

Sandy Denny's haunting, ethereal vocals gave Fairport a big boost on her debut with the group. A more folk-based album than their initial effort, What We Did on Our Holidays was divided between original material and a few well-chosen covers. This contains several of their greatest moments: Denny's "Fotheringay," Richard Thompson's "Meet on the Ledge," the obscure Joni Mitchell composition "Eastern Rain," the traditional "She Moves Through the Fair," and their version of Bob Dylan's "I'll Keep It With Mine." And more than simply being a collection of good songs, it allowed Fairport to achieve its greatest internal balance, and indeed one of the finest balances of any major folk-rock group. The strong original material, covers of little-known songs by major contemporary songwriters such as Dylan and Mitchell, and updates of traditional material were reminiscent of the blend achieved by the Byrds on their early albums, with Fairport Convention giving a British slant to the idiom. The slant would become much more British by the end of the 1960s, though, both gaining and losing something in the process. Richie Unterberger, allmusic.

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Track listing:

01. Fotheringay
02. Mr. Lacey
03. Book Song
04. The Lord Is This Place…How Dreadful Is This Place
05. No Man’s Land
06. I’ll Keep It With Mine
07. Eastern Rain
08. Nottamun Town
09. Tale In Hard Time
10. She Moves Through The Fair
11. Meet On The Ledge
12. End of a Holiday

Personnel:

Sandy Denny: Vocals, 6 & 12-String Acoustic Guitars, Organ, Piano, Harpsichord
Ian Matthews: Vocals, Congas
Richard Thompson: Electric, 6 & 12-String Acoustic Guitars, Piano Accordion, Vocals
Simon Nicol: Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Electric Autoharp, Electric Dulcimer, Backing Vocals
Martin Lamble: Drums, Percussion, Violin, Tabla & Footsteps
Ashley Hutchings: Bass, Backing Vocals
With: Prof. Bruce Lacey & his machines on Mr. Lacey
Clare Lowther Cello on Book Song
Recorded at Sound Techniques, Olympic & Morgan Studios, London, June-October 1968.
Except A.4 recorded at St. Peter’s Church, Westbourne Grove, London.
Produced by Joe Boyd, Witchseason Productions Ltd.