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Richard Thompson : Misc: Fairport Convention


  1. A Sailor's Life
  2. Banks Of The Nile (Sandy Denny)
  3. Crazy Man Michael
  4. Farewell, Farewell
  5. Genesis Hall
  6. I'm A Dreamer (Sandy Denny)
  7. Matty Groves
  8. Meet On The Ledge
  9. Now Be Thankful
  10. Reynardine
  11. She Moves Through The Fair
  12. Tam Lin
  13. Who Knows Where The Time Goes (Sandy Denny)

A Sailor's Life

<Trad; Roud 273>
D
C
D
A sailor's life, it is a merry life
D
He robs young girls of their hearts' delight
D
G
Leaving them behind to weep and mourn
D
C
D
They never know when they will return
Well, there's four and twenty all in a row My true love he makes the finest show He's proper tall, genteel and all And if I don't have him, I'll have none at all Oh father, build for me a bonny boat That on the wide ocean I may float And every Queen's ship that we pass by There I'll enquire for my sailor boy They had not sailed long on the deep When a Queen's ship they chanced to meet "You sailors all, pray tell me true Does my sweet William sail among your crew?" "Oh no, fair maiden, he is not here For he's been drownded we greatly fear On yon green island as we passed it by There we lost sight of your sailor boy" Well, she wrung her hands and she tore her hair She was like a young girl in great despair And her little boat against a rock did run "How can I live now my sweet William is gone?"


Banks Of The Nile (Sandy Denny)

<Trad; Roud 950>
Capo:
III
Am
D/a
Am7
D/a
|-0-------0----|-2-------2----|-3-------3----|-2-------2----|
|---1---1---1--|---3---3---3--|---5---5---5--|---3---3---3--|
|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
|-0---0---0----|-0---0---0----|-0---0---0----|-0---0---0----|
|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
Am7
D/a
G
D/f#
Em
Am7
D/a
Oh hark! the drums do beat, my love, no longer can we stay
Am7
D/a
Am7
G
C
D/a
Em7
The bugle-horns are sounding clear, and we must march away
Am7
D/a
Am7
G
C
D/a
Em7
We're ordered down to Portsmouth, and it's many the weary mile
Am7
D/a
Am7
G
Am7
G
Am7
To join the British Army on the banks of the Nile
Oh Willie, dearest Willie, don't leave me here to mourn Don't make me curse and rue the day that ever I was born For the parting of our love would be like parting with my life So stay at home, my dearest love, and I will be your wife Oh my Nancy, dearest Nancy, sure that will never do The government has ordered, and we are bound to go The government has ordered, and the Queen she gives command And I am bound on oath, my love, to serve in a foreign land Oh, but I'll cut off my yellow hair, and I'll go along with you I'll dress myself in uniform, and I'll see Egypt too I'll march beneath your banner while fortune it do smile And we'll comfort one another on the banks of the Nile But your waist it is too slender, and your fingers they are too small In the sultry suns of Egypt your rosy cheeks would spoil Where the cannons they do rattle, when the bullets they do fly And the silver trumpets sound so loud to hide the dismal cries Oh, cursed be those cruel wars, that ever they began For they have robbed our country of many the handsome men They've robbed us of our sweethearts while their bodies they feed the lions On the dry and sandy deserts which are the banks of the Nile


Crazy Man Michael

Capo:
III
Bm
D
A
F#m
Within the fire and out upon the sea
Bm
A
Bm
Crazy Man Michael was walking
Bm
D
A
F#m
He met with a raven with eyes black as coals
Bm
A
Bm
And shortly they were a-talking
F#m
Bm
"Your future, your future, I would tell to you
F#m
A
Your future, you often have asked me
Bm
A
Bm
F#m
Your true love will die by your own right hand
Bm
A
Bm
And Crazy Man Michael will cursed be"
Michael he ranted and Michael he raved And beat at the four winds with his fists, oh He laughed and he cried, he shouted and he swore For his mad mind had trapped him with a kiss, oh "You speak with an evil, you speak with a hate You speak for the devil that haunts me For is she not the fairest in all the broad land? Your sorcerer's words are to taunt me" He took out his dagger of fire and of steel And struck down the raven through the heart, oh The bird fluttered long and the sky it did spin And the cold earth did wonder and start, oh "Oh, where is the raven that I struck down dead That here did lie on the ground, oh? I see but my true love with a wound so red" Her lover's heart it did pound, oh Crazy Man Michael, he wanders and walks And talks to the night and the day, oh But his eyes they are sane and his speech it is clear And he longs to be far away, oh Michael he whistles the simplest of tunes And asks the wild woods their pardon For his true love is flown into every flower grown And he must be keeper of the garden


Farewell, Farewell

G
C
G
D
Farewell, farewell to you who'd hear
C
D
C
You lonely travellers all
G
C
G
Em
The cold north wind will blow again
C
D
C
The winding road does call
And will you never return to see Your bruised and beaten sons Oh I would, I would if welcome I were For they loathe me, every one And will you never cut the cloth Or drink the light to be And can you never swear a year To anyone but we No I will never cut the cloth Or drink the light to be But I'll swear a year to one who lies Asleep along side of me Farewell, farewell to you who would hear You lonely travellers all The cold north wind will blow again The winding road does call


Genesis Hall

Capo:
III
Bsus2
/f#
/g
/f#
Em7
A
Bm
My father he rides with your sheriffs
Em7
G
A
And I know he would never mean harm
D
G
A
But to see both sides of a quarrel
Em7
Bm
/b
/a
/f#
Is to judge without hate or alarm
D
Em
G
Oh-oh, helpless and slow
D
Em7
Bm
And you don't have anywhere to go
You take away homes from the homeless And leave them to die in the cold The gypsy who begged for your presents He will laugh in your face when you're old Oh-oh, helpless and slow And you don't have anywhere to go Well, one man he drinks up his whiskey Another he drinks up his wine And they'll drink till their eyes are red with hate For those of a different kind Oh-oh, helpless and slow And you don't have anywhere to go When the rivers run thicker than trouble I'll be there at your side in the flood It was all I could do to keep myself From taking revenge on your blood Oh-oh, helpless and slow And you don't have anywhere to go Oh-oh, helpless and slow And you don't have anywhere to go


I'm A Dreamer (Sandy Denny)

<Sandy Denny>
D
A
You make me nervous when I see you
G
D
Em
I can't imagine what it's like to be you
F#m
G
A
It's a mystery to me everyday
G
D
Em
A
And I've got to get away
D
A
I put a bet on with a bookie
G
D
Em
For the race they put on over in Kentucky
F#m
G
A
It's lovely at this time of year, so they say
G
D
Em
A
And I've got to get away
Em
D
But I'm a dreamer and you know
Em
G
D
I'm a schemer with an eye for a show
G
D
It's my imagination when I get low
Em
G
A
And the truth is I don't think I'll ever go


Matty Groves

<Trad; Child 81; Roud 52>
Dm
A holiday, A holiday
F
And the first one of the year
C
Lord Darnell's wife came into the church
Dm
C
Dm
The gospel for to hear
And when the meeting it was done She cast her eyes about And there she saw little Matty Groves Walking in the crowd "Come home with me, little Matty Groves Come home with me tonight Come home with me, little Matty Groves And sleep with me 'til light" "Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home And sleep with you tonight By the rings on your fingers I can tell You are Lord Darnell's wife" "But if I am Lord Darnell's wife Lord Darnell's not at home He is out in the far cornfields Bringing the yearlings home" And a servant who was standing by And hearing what was said He swore Lord Darnell he would know Before the sun would set And in his hurry to carry the news He bent his breast and ran And when he came to the broad mill stream He took off his shoes and swam Little Matty Groves, he lay down And took a little sleep When he awoke Lord Darnell Was standing at his feet Saying "How do you like my feather bed And how do you like my sheets How do you like my lady Who lies in your arms asleep?" "Oh well, I like your feather bed And well, I like your sheets But better I like your lady gay Who lies in my arms asleep" "Well, get up, get up", Lord Darnell cried "Get up as quick as you can It'll never be said in fair England I slew a naked man" "Oh I can't get up, I won't get up I can't get up for my life For you have two long beaten swords And I not a pocket knife" "Well it's true I have two beaten swords They cost me deep in the purse But you will have the better of them And I will have the worse" "And you will strike the very first blow And strike it like a man I will strike the very next blow And I'll kill you if I can" So Matty struck the very first blow And he hurt Lord Darnell sore Lord Darnell struck the very next blow And Matty struck no more And then Lord Darnell he took his wife And he sat her on his knee Saying, "Who do like the best of us Matty Groves or me?" And then up spoke his own dear wife Never heard to speak so free "I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips Than you and your finery" Lord Darnell he jumped up And loudly he did bawl He stuck his wife right through the heart And pinned her against the wall "A grave, a grave", Lord Darnell cried "To put these lovers in But bury my lady at the top For she was of noble kin"


Meet On The Ledge

D
Em
We used to say
D
/g
Em
That come the day
D
/c#
Bm
Bm7
Am
Am7
We'd all be making songs
C
G
Or finding better words
C
G
D
These ideas never lasted long
The way is up Along the road The air is growing thin Too many friends who tried Were blown off this mountain with the wind
D
Am
Meet on the ledge, we're gonna meet on the ledge
C
G
When my time is up I'm gonna see all my friends
D
Am
Meet on the ledge, we're gonna meet on the ledge
C
G
If you really mean it, it all comes round again
Yet now I see I'm all alone But that's the only way to be You'll have your chance again Then you can do the work for me Meet on the ledge, we're gonna meet on the ledge When my time is up I'm gonna see all my friends Meet on the ledge, we're gonna meet on the ledge If you really mean it, it all comes round again


Now Be Thankful

G
D
C
/b
Am
When the stone is grown too cold to kneel
G
Bm
C
D
In crystal waters I'll be bound
G
D
C
/b
Am
G
D
Cold as stone, weary to the sounds upon the wheel
G
D
C
/b
Am
Now be thankful for good things below
G
Bm
C
D
Now be thankful to your maker
G
D
C
/b
Am
Em
D
For the rose, the red rose blooms for all to know
Am
G
D/f#
Em
D
Em
D
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-1-0-1-0---0-|-------------|-------------|-3-----------|
|-2-----0-0---|-2---2-0---0-|-2--2--0---0-|-0h2-0-------|
|-2-----0-----|-0-4---2-2---|-0-4---2-3---|-------4-2-0-|
|-0-----2-----|-------2-----|-0-----2-----|-------------|
|-------3-----|-2-----0-----|-------0-----|-------------|
When the fire is grown too fierce to breathe In burning irons I'll be bound Fierce as fire, weary to the sounds upon the wheel Now be thankful for good things below Now be thankful to your maker For the rose, the red rose blooms for all to know


Reynardine

<Trad; Roud 397>
C
G
D
D
D
One evening as I rambled
G
C
Among the leaves so green
D
I overheard a young woman
C
G
D
Converse with Reynardine
Her hair was black, her eyes were blue Her lips were red as wine And he smiled to gaze upon her Did sly bold Reynardine She said, "Kind sir be civil My company forsake For to my own opinion I fear you are some rake" "Oh no," he said "no rake am I Brought up in Venus train But I'm searching for concealment All on the lonesome plain" "Your beauty so enticed me I could not pass it by So it's with my gun I'll guide you All on the mountains high" And if perchance you look for me Perhaps you'll no me find For I'll be in my castle Inquire for Reynardine Sun and dark she followed him His teeth so white did shine And he led over the mountains Did sly bold Reynardine


She Moves Through The Fair

<Trad; Roud 861>
D
C
G
x4
D
C
D
My young love said to me, my mother don't mind
C
D
C
D
And my father won't slight you for your lack of kind
C
D
C
D
And she laid her hand on me and this is she did say
C
D
C
D
It will not be long love till our wedding day
D
C
D
x2
And she went away from me and moves through the fair And fondly I watched her move here and move there And then she went homeward, just one star awake Like a swan in the evening moves over the lake
D
C
D
x2
Last night she came to me, my dead love came in So softly she came that her feet made no din And she laid her hand on me and this she did say Oh, it will not be long love till our wedding day
D
C
G
D


Tam Lin

<Trad; Child 39; Roud 35>
Capo:
II
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------| (Riff played
G|-0--2--0-----------------| between all
D|----------2--0-----0--2--| verses)
A|----------------2--------|
E|-------------------------|
Em
D
G
Em
D
Em
I forbid you maidens all that wear gold in your hair
Em
D
G
Em
D
Dsus4
Dsus2
D
Em
To travel to Carterhaugh for young Tam Lin is there
None that go by Carterhaugh but they leave him a pledge Either their mantles of green or else their maidenhead Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee And she's gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she She'd not pulled a double rose, a rose but only two When up there came young Tam Lin, says "Lady, pull no more" "And why come you to Carterhaugh without command from me?" "I'll come and go", young Janet said, "and ask no leave of thee" Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee And she's gone to her father as fast as go can she Well, up then spoke her father dear and he spoke meek and mild "Oh, and alas, Janet," he said, "I think you go with child" "Well, if that be so," Janet said, "myself shall bear the blame There's not a knight in all your hall shall get the baby's name" For if my love were an earthly knight as he is an elfin grey I'd not change my own true love for any knight you have" Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee And she's gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she "Oh, tell to me, Tam Lin," she said, "why came you here to dwell?" "The Queen of Faeries caught me when from my horse I fell And at the end of seven years she pays a tithe to Hell I so fair and full of flesh and feared it be myself But tonight is Halloween and the faerie folk ride Those that would their true love win at Miles Cross they must hide First let past the horses black and then let past the brown Quickly run to the white steed and pull the rider down For I'll ride on the white steed, the nearest to the town For I was an earthly knight, they give me that renown Oh, they will turn me in your arms to a newt or a snake But hold me tight and fear not, I am your baby's father And they will turn me in your arms into a lion bold But hold me tight and fear not and you will love your child And they will turn me in your arms into a naked knight But cloak me in your mantle and keep me out of sight" In the middle of the night she heard the bridle ring She heeded what he did say and young Tam Lin did win Then up spoke the Faerie Queen, an angry queen was she "Woe betide her ill-fought face, an I'll death may she die" "Oh, had I known, Tam Lin," she said, "what this night I did see I have looked him in the eyes and turn him to a tree


Who Knows Where The Time Goes (Sandy Denny)

<Sandy Denny>
F#m11/E 044200
Badd11 799800
Emaj7 066400
Aadd9 577600
E
F#m11/e
E
F#m11/e
E
F#m11/e
Across the evening sky
Emaj7
F#m11/e
All the birds are leaving
E
F#m11/e
But how can they know
Emaj7
F#m11/e
It's time for them to go?
F#m
G#m
Before the winter fire
Am
G#m
I will still be dreaming
A
E
I have no thought of time
Badd11
Aadd9
For who knows where the time goes?
E
F#m7
A
F#m7
Who knows where the time goes?
Sad deserted shore Your fickle friends are leaving Ah, but then you know It's time for them to go But I will still be here I have no thought of leaving I do not count the time For who knows where the time goes? Who knows where the time goes? And I am not alone While my love is near me I know it will be so Until it's time to go! So come the storms of winter And then the birds of spring again I have no fear of time For who knows how my love grows? And who knows where the time goes?
E
F#m11/e
Emaj7
F#m11/e
E