St. James Infirmary Blues.
This traditional American folk song has been interpreted under various guises and is represented in various genres from Louis Armstrong, who first made it famous in 1928, to The White Stripes, on their 1999 self-titled debut.
Below we have sifted and shifted through to pick four different tracks that deserve some mention or distinction. After sampling each song and carefully analysing it's merits you need to go to the sidebar to vote for whichever incarnation you believe to be best...
Here's what to do:
1) click 'Read More'
2) listen to the tracks
3) vote for your bestest
Showing posts with label traditional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label traditional. Show all posts
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Song Of The Day No.33
Matty Groves
by Fairport Convention (Liege & Lief, 1969)
The band's fourth album often receives credit for defining the British folk rock genre and for creating more awareness of traditional compositions and music. On the group's third release of the year a conscious move was made away from interpreting contemporary artists such as Bob Dylan or Joni Mitchell, to discovering an electrified roots sound with versions of traditional British folk songs like 'Reynardine' or 'Matty Groves'.
'Matty Groves' is the story of an adulterous tryst between the wife of a nobleman and a servant that dates from at least the 17th century and which ends in the death of the young lover at the hands of his boss. Much of the song is dominated by Sandy Denny's shrill but not unpleasant vocals as she recounts the tale. The rhythm section bounds along while the violin adds folk flavour along with a complementing electric guitar. As if to break the eight minute monotony a fairly random and extravagant folk breakdown takes place mid-way through involving violin-drum combinations and goes on to include longish guitar and violin solos which take us full turn to the original melody as the outro. Recently Tom Waits, Alela Diane, James Yorkston have released versions of the song.
by Fairport Convention (Liege & Lief, 1969)
The band's fourth album often receives credit for defining the British folk rock genre and for creating more awareness of traditional compositions and music. On the group's third release of the year a conscious move was made away from interpreting contemporary artists such as Bob Dylan or Joni Mitchell, to discovering an electrified roots sound with versions of traditional British folk songs like 'Reynardine' or 'Matty Groves'.
'Matty Groves' is the story of an adulterous tryst between the wife of a nobleman and a servant that dates from at least the 17th century and which ends in the death of the young lover at the hands of his boss. Much of the song is dominated by Sandy Denny's shrill but not unpleasant vocals as she recounts the tale. The rhythm section bounds along while the violin adds folk flavour along with a complementing electric guitar. As if to break the eight minute monotony a fairly random and extravagant folk breakdown takes place mid-way through involving violin-drum combinations and goes on to include longish guitar and violin solos which take us full turn to the original melody as the outro. Recently Tom Waits, Alela Diane, James Yorkston have released versions of the song.
AR
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