What's Spinning, Vol. 27

Fairport Convention changes music..

Albums that had a huge impact on music that you may not know of.

This album by Fairport Convention changed the musical landscape of the UK. How do you ask? It opened the door to the English Folk rock scene.

Their fourth studio album was purely English and Celtic folk songs that the band brought to life with a then never used method, electric guitars. Previously British folk rock used traditional acoustic instruments.

It was so important that the album was voted as most influential folk album of all time in 2002 and 2006 by the BBC.

Liege and Lief gets it's name from the old English that translates to Loyal and Ready. But the inspiration came about when Ashley Hutchins discovered Cecil Sharp's collection that was maintained by the, English Folk Dance and Song Society.

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Tam Lim is a Scottish folk song that tells the story of Tam Lim who is saved by his true love, the queen of the fairies. The first recorded history of the song is from the mid 16th century.

The Deserter tells the tale of a man who deserted his post and is sentenced to death. Only at the last moment he's saved by Prince Albert who says he may make a good soldier for queen and country.

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Fairport Convention - Liege and Lief

A&M Records, 1969