Fairport Convention - Matty Groves

Subject: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 09 Mar 18 - 10:51 PM

Does it come any better?

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 04:11 AM

I daresay some purists might prefer the original melody line, rather than the American Shady Grove tune, and without the Flower of All Serving Men tune stitched on the end, but our favourite versions are not always the original, just like the films Casablanca and whatever that older version of Airplane was.

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: gillymor
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 04:45 AM

Fairport's version is devastatingly good but I wouldn't call better than Billy Ross' version:

Matty Groves

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 07:15 AM

It depends which version of Fairport plays it, I prefer Chris Leslie with RT, SN, AH & DM.

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: Reinhard
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 09:55 AM

To quote Bunnahabhain from one of the other two dozen Matty Groves threads:

I'm not sure if Mattie Groves has been done to death more times in song, or in Mudcat threads....

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: Brian Peters
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 10:16 AM

Nic Jones' arrangement of 'Little Musgrave' takes some beating - as covered by singers from Pete Morton to Will Noble!

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 10:40 AM

Very true, but then Nic Jones' arrangement of anything takes some beating!

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: gillymor
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 10:58 AM

Planxty also did a nice job on Little Musgrave.

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 11:12 AM

If you are talking about the version with Sandy singing

"How do you like my feather bed and how do you like my sheets?
And how do you like the fine curtains I bought in the sales last week?"

Then that is definitely the epitome of folk music :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 10 Mar 18 - 03:14 PM

When "in the cups" with headphones on I can't be bothered searching back through old threads so apologies that there are dozens of others about this tune, BUT in my defence I shall prove that this has served some purpose in that thanks to guest Jerry I now know what the tune is tagged on at the end as he says... Flower of All Serving Men. I've been trying to find that out for years..

I will also have to look up Billy Ross.

:-) to Dave the Gnome..

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: Brian Peters
Date: 11 Mar 18 - 09:29 AM

Mick, if you're really interested in the tune Fairport play at the end of 'Matty Groves', be aware that it doesn't belong originally to 'Famous FLower' but was used by Martin Carthy for his rewrite of that ballad, and was borrowed by him from Hedy West, who sang it to an American song called 'The Maid of Colchester'.

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: GUEST,Peter Cripps
Date: 11 Mar 18 - 11:39 AM

The Kippers have 'Fatty Groves' - that also takes some beating!

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 11 Mar 18 - 01:12 PM

Thanks Brian

Subject: RE: Fairport Convention - Matty Groves
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 11 Mar 18 - 06:15 PM

Yes, I learnt something there too, thanks, despite having Hedy West’s recordings somewhere.