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Rating: Damn, the Fairport Convention and I definitely have two things in common—first, that we were both born in the legendary 1968, only two months separate me from the birth of this album, and we straddle '68 and '69, and second, 38 years and not feeling them! Already?
How beautiful is "Unhalfbricking" that I can listen to it over and over and never get bored, it's fantastic, I love it! The charismatic Sandy Denny was fundamental for the Fairport Convention, she even managed to get her parents' photo printed on this cover. It's said that the group's guys fell hopelessly in love with her extraordinary angelic voice when at the audition she started with a Tim Buckley song, but later, in 1978 at just 31 years old, that angelic voice unfortunately truly became an eternal angel. A troubled life, misguided loves for everything "transgressive" that inevitably led to excesses "source" of many devastating dependencies and early deaths, or "The Tormented Love Is The Killer Of All". An outstanding folk-rock band, at the time composed of Simon Nicol, Richard Thompson, Martin Lamble (who unfortunately also died the following year) Ashley Hutchings, and the violinist and mandolin tamer Dave Swarbrick. In this work, the main vocalist Ian Matthews exits the scene to make room for the enchanting Denny, and so all happily together passionately, they took off becoming one of the most popular bands that in the same year (1969) produced three extraordinary albums, "What We Did On Our Holidays"-"Unhalfbricking", and "Liege And Lief", after which followed a chain of departures from the group members, primarily Denny.
The instruments are soft and imprisoned in the dazzling voice. Eight tracks with remakes of Bob Dylan and Roger McGuinn and also featuring Trevor Lucas, Marc Ellington, and Dave Mattacks.
"Genesis Hall" - a melodic refrain, a voice so gentle and an electric guitar that does not influence the folk essence - "Si Tu Dois Partir" French version of « If You Gotta Go, Go Now » by Bob Dylan, accordion, violin, and hand claps leading the dances of a magical party - "Autopsy" by Sandy Denny, melancholy and extraordinary track - "A Sailor's Life" a mystical and hypnotic eleven-minute journey - "Cajun Woman" a small cheerful interlude of violin and electric guitar - "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" by Sandy Denny, so sweet, I’d say the most beautiful track - "Percy's Song" by Bob Dylan, a typical American folk filled with choruses, "Million Dollar Bash" by Bob Dylan with The Band, Sandy blends into a conversation with Richard Thompson, and to conclude, two previously unreleased bonus tracks "Dear Landlord" by Bob Dylan and "The Ballad Of Easy Rider" by Roger McGuinn.
It is simply an album to listen to because words could not suffice to describe the dreamy and floating atmosphere of an era illuminated by the "flower children" who invoked and preached "make love, not war" as an ideal and lifestyle.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Genesis Hall (03:41)
My father he rides with your sheriffs
And I know he would never mean harm
But to see both sides of a quarrel
Is to judge without hate or love
Oh, oh, helpless and slow
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 begs 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
T’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
02 Si tu dois partir (02:25)
C'est pas que je te demande
Que faire que tu ne jamais fais
C'est seulement qu'il fait trop tard
Et il fait trop noir pour trouver la porte
Mais si tu dois partir, va t'en
Mais si tu dois partir, va t'en
Si non, tu dois rester la nuit
C'est pas que je te demande
De prendre part dans ce jeu
C'est seulement je n'ai pas de montre
Comme toujours faire le par contre
Mais si tu dois partir, va t'en
Mais si tu dois partir, va t'en
Si non, tu dois rester la nuit
Tu sais j'aurais des cauchemars
Et aussi mauvaise conscience
Si je t'emp�che de faire
Ce que vraiment tu esp�re
Mais si tu dois partir, va t'en
Mais si tu dois partir, va t'en
Si non, tu dois rester la nuit
03 Autopsy (04:27)
You must philosophise
But why must you bore me to tears?
You're red around the eyes
You tell me things no one else hears
You spend all your time crying
Crying the hours in tears
Crying the hours in tears
Come lend your time to me
And you will know that you are free
And when you look at me
Don't think you're owning what you see
For remember that you're free
And that's what you want to be
So just lend your time to me
You must philosophise
But why must you bore me to tears?
You're red around the eyes
You tell me things no one else hears
You spend all your time crying
Crying the hours in tears
Crying the hours in to ears
04 A Sailor's Life (11:20)
A sailor's life, it is a merry life
He robs young girls of their heart's delight
Leaving them behind to weep and mourn
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 withal
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 inquire for my sailor boy"
They had not sailed long upon 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 sailing boy"
Well, she rung 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"
05 Cajun Woman (02:45)
The baby that the preacher gave you in the Spring
Spent the winter with his finger in the undertaker's ring
Oh Cajun woman, some people still call you a queen
I don’t believe you’re sinking but look at all the trouble you’ve been
He grew up in the bayou with a bible ‘round his neck
He never loved a woman the way you would expect
Oh Cajun woman, some people still call you a queen
I don’t believe you’re sinking but look at all the trouble you’ve been
Don't tell him 'bout his Father, don't tell him 'bout his name
The Gods won't get to Heaven if you crucify his brain
Oh Cajun woman, some people still call you a queen
I don’t believe you’re sinking but look at all the trouble you’ve been
Well it’s welcome to the graveyard and welcome to the throne
Welcome to the orphanage where your family sit and moan
Welcome to the liquor stile and welcome to the poor
Your momma never told you how lucky you are
Oh Cajun woman, some people still call you a queen
06 Who Knows Where the Time Goes (05:13)
Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving
But how can they know it's time for them to go?
Before the winter fire, I will still be dreaming
I have no thought of time
For who knows where the time goes?
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 in spring again
I have no fear of time
For who knows how my love grows?
And who knows where the time goes?
08 Million Dollar Bash (02:56)
Well, that big dumb blonde with Gorgeous George
And Turtle, a friend of theirs, with his cheques all forged
And his cheeks in a trunk with a cheese in the cash
You're all gonna be there at that million dollar bash, and it's
(Chorus)
Ooh baby, ooh-ee
Ooh baby, ooh-ee
It's that million dollar bash
Everybody from right now go over there and back
The louder they come, well the bigger they crack
Come now, ?sweet pea?, and don't forget the flash
We're all gonna meet at that million dollar bash
(Chorus)
Well, I took my counsellor out to the barn
Silly Nelly was there, she told him a yarn
Then along came Jones and emptied the trash
Everybody went down to that million dollar bash
(Chorus)
Well, I been hittin' it too hard, you know, my ?sloes? won't take
I get up in the morning, bit too early to wake
First it's "Hello", then "Goodbye", they push and they crash
But everybody's gonna make it to that million dollar bash
(Chorus)
Well, I looked at my watch then I looked at my wrists
Punched myself in my face with my fists and I
Took my taters back a-home to be mashed
But then I made it right on to that million dollar bash
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
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Other reviews
By bubu7
"Unhalfbricking is a quiet revolution, stillyoung and carefree, full of compromises and slight imperfections."
"Sandy Denny’s voice is a whisper that caresses the low tones, and as it rises, it gains body, becoming dense and thick, while swaying, it tells of despair, empathy, and hope."
