Fairport Convention: Sir Patrick Spens

Sir Patrick Spens

The king sat in Dunfermline town
Drinking of the blood red wine
"Where can I get a good sea captain
To sail this mighty ship of mine?"

Then up there spoke a bonny boy
Sitting at the king's right knee
"Sir Patrick Spens is the very best seaman
That ever sailed upon the sea"

The king has written a broad letter
And sealed it up with his own right hand
Sending word unto Sir Patrick
To come to him at his command

"An enemy then this must be
Who told a lie concerning me
For I was never a very good seaman
Nor ever do intend to be"

"Last night I saw the new, new moon
With the old moon in her arm
And that is the sign since we were born
That means there'll be a deadly storm"

They had not sailed upon the sea
A day, a day, but barely three
When loud and boisterous grew the wind
And loud and stormy grew the sea

Then up there came a mermaiden
A comb and glass, all in her hand
"Here's a health to you, my merry young men
For you'll not see dry land again"

"Oh, long may my lady look
With a lantern in her hand
Before she sees my bonny ship
Come sailing home wards to dry land"

Forty miles off Aberdeen
The water's fifty fathoms deep
There lies good Sir Patrick Spens
With the Scots lords at his feet

• Writer(s): David Swarbrick, Ashley Stephen Hutchings, Herbert Howells, Simon John Nicol, Simon Nicol, David Mattacks, Sandy Denny, Richard John Thompson, Richard John, Ashley Hutchings

Sir Patrick Spens es una balada tradicional escocesa que cuenta la historia de un barco que va de  Escocia a  Noruega para trasladar a la hija de un rey, y del naufragio en el viaje de retorno. Esta balada posee numerosas versiones.

Fairport Convention es un grupo de folk-rock inglés, pionero en el uso de instrumentos eléctricos. La banda se formó en abril de 1967 y pasó rápidamente de hacer versiones de grupos americanos de la Costa Oeste a un estilo peculiar que combinaba el rock con melodías y canciones tradicionales inglesas. En su disco más importante, Liege and Lief, el grupo estaba formado por Sandy Denny, Ashley Hutchings, Dave Mattacks, Simon Nicol, Dave Swarbrick y Richard Thompson.

Tras numerosos cambios en la formación durante su primera década de existencia, Fairport Convention se disolvió temporalmente en 1979, pero siguió reuniéndose cada año para un concierto conmemorativo, hasta que retomó la actividad en 1985. Desde entonces, el grupo se ha mantenido activo y sigue tocando en directo y grabando discos de forma regular.