Fairport Convention, Babbacombe Lee, LP UK Island Records (November 1971) - ILPS 9176

A formidable album in which Swarbrick, author of most of the arrangements, provides a sample of his skill; the sounds of the violin still possess great strength and originality today. In the absence of Sandy Danny, the three male voices (Swarbrick, Nicol and Pegg) perform their task excellently. Roberta Nicol's B/W cover takes us back to the album's inspirational source: the story of John Lee, a man who was not hanged for the failure of the gallows.

Un album formidabile nel quale Swarbrick, autore di gran parte degli arrangiamenti, fornisce un saggio della sua bravura; le sonorità del violino possiedono ancora oggi grande forza e originalità. In assenza di Sandy Danny, le tre voci maschili (Swarbrick, Nicol e Pegg) svolgono ottimamente il loro compito. La copertina in B/N di Roberta Nicol ci riporta alla fonte ispiratrice del disco: la storia di John Lee, un uomo che non fu impiccato per il mancato funzionamento della forca.

Tracks Side A: (The Verdict) 0'28" - Little Did I Think (Dave Swarbrick) 2'19" - I Was Sixteen (Simon Nicol / Dave Pegg) / John My Son (Simon Nicol / Dave Pegg) 3'30" - Instrumental 1'14" - Sailor's Alphabet (Trad. Arr. A.L. Lloyd) 5'42" - John Lee (Dave Swarbrick) 3'07" - (Newspaper Reading) 0'46" - Breakfast In Mayfair (Simon Nicol) 3'07"

Tracks Side B: Trial Song (Dave Swarbrick, Dave Swarbrick / Dave Pegg) 3'55" - Cell Song (Dave Swarbrick) 3'34" - The Time Is Near (Dave Pegg) 2'33" - Dream Song (Dave Swarbrick, Dave Swarbrick/ Dave Pegg) 5'25" - Wake Up John (Dave Swarbrick / Dave Pegg) 5'23"

Musicians: Dave Swarbrick: Vocals, Fiddle, Viola, Mandolin - Simon Nicol: Vocals, Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Electric Dulcimer - Dave Pegg: Vocals, Bass Guitar, Mandolin - Dave Mattacks: Drums, Harmonium, Electric Piano, Tambourine Recorded:August - September 1971 at Sound Techniques, London - Produced by:John Wood & Simon Nicol - Sound Engineer:John Wood - Complex Sleeve Design:Roberta Nicol