Lyr Req: Farewell Farewell (Fairport Convention)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Sep 06 - 10:26 PM

Sorry I misread that, Howie (and Malcolm).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From: GUEST,howie
Date: 17 Sep 06 - 03:03 PM

thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 16 Sep 06 - 09:22 PM

The tune isn't really 'Willie O'Winsbury' at all, though nowadays everybody thinks it is. What happened was that Andy Irvine accidentally copied out the wrong tune from the appendix to Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads; it was 'Fause Foodrage', not 'Willie' (which was on the next page and completely different). He didn't realise his mistake, apparently, until after Anne Briggs had recorded it.

The DT file can easily be found by running a search here for farewell farewell today, just as it could be when the original question was asked six years ago.

Thompson's official website is at  http://www.richardthompson-music.com/

Lyrics are quoted at  Farewell Farewell.

If these are accurate (and of course the site wasn't there when this old thread was new), then my hearing "ever swear" was wrong; but it's "loathe", not "love".

Howie didn't need the lyric, but wanted to know what it meant. I recall somebody from Fairport saying, a while after Richard had left the band, that he had never told them what any of his songs meant. This would be a case for making up a "meaning" that has some significance to you if you need one; but keeping it to yourself. You're unlikely to get one from the horse's mouth, far less from any of us.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From: Bernard
Date: 16 Sep 06 - 08:02 PM

The words were written by Richard Thompson, but the tune is 'Willie O'Winsbury', a version of which is to be found on Anne Briggs' A Collection  CD.

Subject: Lyr Add: FAREWELL FAREWELL (Richard Thompson)
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Sep 06 - 07:22 PM

I guess you can't get them from the links above or the DT, so here they are, Howie.

Farewell, farewell to you who would hear
You lonely travellers all
The cold north wind will blow again
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 love 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 of 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

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Sep 06 - 07:28 AM

hi, does anyone know what these lyrics are about, any info would be appreciated.

Thanx
Howie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From: Karolina
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 04:32 PM

Maybe we should have a link here to the Digitrad version of the "Farewell, Farewell", for those who are both curious and lazy. Or maybe it's just because I'm a bit ashamed that I have been so lazy :^)

Karolina

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 02:52 PM

Sorry for doubting you, Arne!  Searching for farewell farewell works for me, so you must just have been unlucky; it does happen sometimes.  You're right about those two details in the transcription; there are also these:

"never swear" should be "ever swear"
"nor drink" should be "or drink"
"he who lies" should be "one who lies"

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From:
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 01:19 PM

Thanks. That's it.

The version you posted fit my recollection (and parsing).

I also found it in Digitrad. Seems I searched for "wind" rather than "winds".

The Digitrad version seems to have Mary Black's "he" for "me", and possibly(?) an inversion of a couple of words: "you will" for "will you". . . .

Once again, thanks.

Cheers,

-- Arne Langsetmo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From: Karolina
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 12:37 PM

Sorry, I'm too lazy to check, but here (click) it is anyway. With chords. Enjoy!

Karolina

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From:
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 12:26 PM

I did. It ain't there, apparently. Did "farewell" and got thousands of hits, but I didn't see it. I added "travellers", "north" and "wind", and came up empty. Did I mispell something, or is it not there?

Thanks,

-- Arne Langsetmo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farew
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 12:16 PM

Simply type farewell farewell in the "Digitrad and Forum Search" box on the main Forum page.  That's what it's for!

Malcolm

Subject: Fairport Convention 'Farewell, farewell'
From:
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 12:07 PM

Hi!

Anyone have lyrics for Fairport Convention's "Farewell, farewell" (off their "Liege and Lief" album, also done on Sandy Denny and Mary Black albums)? There's a few words I can't decipher.

Thanks,

-- Arne Langsetmo