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| Walhello -> Knowledge Base -> CDs -> F -> Fairport Convention Babbacombe Lee |
| Fairport Convention - Babbacombe Lee Band: Fairport Convention Tracks: - John's Reflections on His Boyhood, His Introduction to Miss Keyes and T - This Was the Happiest Period in His Life. All Looked Set Far for a Car - Tragedy Now Strikes Hard. the World's Imagination Is Caught by the Bru - John Was Hardly More Than a Bewildered Observer at His Own Trial, Not B - When It Comes, He Cannot Sleep, But When He Does, a Strage, Prophetic D a unique album and a real Sleeper This album has not been released on CD in the US; this British import will do nicely to introduce you or reintroduce to (IMHO) the best concept album ever done, the story of a man hanged three times for a murder he said he didn't commit; Fairport (no Sandy Denny on this one) create great songs (and also manage to rock out) while telling this story in a very coherent manner (compared to how most concept albums 'hang together' as concept albums); they throw in a great old sailor's tune (The Alphabet Song) to boot (John 'Babbacombe' Lee had been a sailor). Very enjoyable! A unique album and a real sleeper. Reviewer: A music fan from New Hampshire <BR>This album has not been released on CD in the US; this British import will do nicely to introduce you or reintroduce to (IMHO) the best concept album ever done, the story of a man hanged three times for a murder he said he didn't commit; Fairport (no Sandy Denny on this one) create great songs (and also manage to rock out) while telling this story in a very coherent manner (compared to how most concept albums 'hang together' as concept albums); they throw in a great old sailor's tune (The Alphabet Song) to boot (John 'Babbacombe' Lee had been a sailor). Very enjoyable! <BR>Note: This is my 1999 review now put under my own name. My opinion has not changed. This album still has no US release. Amazing! Fairport does a concept album--naturally it concerns hanging It was the 70s. Everyone was doing concept albums. So Fairport Convention, in the post-Sandy Denny/Richard Thompson period, did theirs about John "Babbacombe" Lee, a man Sentenced to hang for murder in Britain in 1885, whose sentence was changed to life because the gallows trap-door failed three times to open. Lee was apparently a famous figure in his day as "The Man They Could Not Hang". The original LP contained a newspaper-style insert that told Lee's story in great detail, including the contention that he was innocent--unfortunately, this is not included with the CD. This is overall a good album, though the second half sags with several songs about Lee in his cell awaiting execution. As on the original LP, the individual songs are not given titles. Highlights are the Traditional "The Sailor's Alphabet" (Lee originally intended to be a sailor, before being invalided out), "John Lee" ("you've been turning around your fate again"), and the closing "Hanging Song" (about the failed execution). Fairport die-hards will note that Simon Nicol's guitar playing was at a peak here, and bassist Dave Pegg gets to sing a lead. (1=poor 2=mediocre 3=pretty good 4=very good 5=phenomenal) Buy Fairport Convention Babbacombe Lee at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.comJamster - the latest ringtones for your phone! |
