Released December 1988 Release date December 1988 Label Rough Trade America | Artist Fairport Convention Producer Simon Nicol Genre Folk rock | |
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Recorded September to November 1988 at Woodworm Studios, Barford St. Michael, Oxfordshire Red & Gold
(1988) The Five Seasons
(1990) Similar Jewel in the Crown, The Five Seasons, Expletive Delighted!, Over the Next Hill, Gladys' Leap | ||
Red & Gold is the 16th studio album by folk rock band Fairport Convention.
Contents
The album was released on the Rough Trade label, leading David Fricke, Rolling Stone's reviewer to comment
"Britain's oldest surviving folk-rock band allied to the archetypal indie punk record label! Even for Fairport Convention, which has defied time, tide and trauma in its pursuit of the electric folk dream, that's pushing it."
The title track was written by Ralph McTell, and tells the story of the Battle of Cropredy Bridge, which occurred in 1644 during the English Civil War. The location has strong links with Fairport Convention, being the venue of their annual music festival; the story is told from the perspective of a farm worker, Will Timms, who describes "red and gold" as "royal colours", while the red itself represents the spilled blood of combatants and the gold the wheat fields in which the battle took place.
The album entered the UK album chart on 28 January 1989, spending one week at No. 74.
Track listing
- "Set Me Up" (Dave Whetstone) - 4:23
- "The Noise Club" (Maartin Allcock) - 3:12
- "Red and Gold" (Ralph McTell) - 6:44
- "The Beggar's Song" (Trad. arr. Allcock) - 3:33
- "The Battle" (Ric Sanders) - 1:09
- "Dark Eyed Molly" (Archie Fisher) - 4:34
- "The Rose Hip" (Sanders) - 4:24
- "London River" (Rod Shearman) - 2:59
- "Summer Before the War" (Huw Williams) - 4:33
- "Open the Door Richard" (Bob Dylan) - 4:57
- "Close to the Wind" (live) (Marson) - 6:09
Release history
Personnel
Songs
1Set Me Up4:23
2The Noise Club3:13
3Red and Gold6:45