The History of Fairport Convention

The History of Fairport Convention is the first compilation of tracks by Fairport Convention, released in 1972.

The History of Fairport Convention
Compilation album by
Released1972
Recorded1967–1972
GenreBritish folk rock
LabelIsland ICD 4
ProducerJoe Boyd, Trevor Lucas, Simon Nicol, John Wood, Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention chronology
The Manor Album
(1972)
The History of Fairport Convention
(1972)
Rosie
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

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

Track listing

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Side one

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  1. "Meet on the Ledge"
  2. "Fotheringay"
  3. "Mr Lacey"
  4. "Book Song"
  5. "A Sailor's Life"

Side two

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  1. "Si Tu Dois Partir"
  2. "Who Knows Where the Time Goes"
  3. "Matty Groves"
  4. "Crazy Man Michael"

Side three

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  1. "Medley: The Lark in the Morning / Rakish Paddy / Foxhunter's Jig / Toss The Feathers (instr)"
  2. "Now Be Thankful"
  3. "Walk Awhile"
  4. "Sloth"
  5. "The Bonny Black Hare"

Side four

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  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.

Certifications

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Certifications for The History of Fairport Convention
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[2] Silver 60,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Eder, Bruce (2011). "History of Fairport Convention - Fairport Convention | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  2. ^ "British album certifications – Fairport Convention – The History of Fairport Convention". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
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