TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

In her intro to  her rendition of one of the Sandy songs at Cropredy, Beth Nielson Chapman said that there should be a tribute album to Sandy.  I think such a thing could be a very wonderful way to bring attention back to Sandy's original material and expose people who've never heard her work to her many excellent songs.  I wondered who people would like to hear sing some of the Sandy songs on such an album if they could choose.  It would be okay to suggest artists matched to songs, or just pick artists that you think would put a new spin on any Sandy song they might choose to do for such a project.

Of course, there have been many wonderful artists who have tackled the Sandy song spots at various Cropredys, and it would be a shame for some of them not to be included, but I'd still like to suggest some people I've not heard doing any Sandy material previously.  With that in mind, I'll say that I would enjoy hearing Kate Rusby, Bill Jones, Eliza Carthy each doing a track.

Anyone want to pick a song you'd like to hear any of these fine vocalists tackle, or add a different
choice (beyond those who have already done some Sandy songs in the past)?

I would like artists of today with a mass audience around the world to cover Sandy´s songs so that they get more spread. How about Martha Wainwright take on "It Suits Me Well". What can The White Stripes do with "John The Gun"? I´d love to hear daring versions that appeal to today´s audiences who have never heard of Sandy Denny. In a few days I might have thought up some new names....
Staffan

I'm right with you there staFCarin! 

Having folks with more mass appeal would give Sandy's legacy a much deserved boost. 

Talents who are closer to the Fairport niche would only be heard by that circle's audience and while I'm sure it would be nice, it couldn't be nearly as effective.

CSN - Old Fashioned Waltz
Crazy Horse  - Wretched Wilbur
Nanci Griffith - Sweet Rosemary
 

I'd like to hear an Oysterband take on John the Gun, but I'm sure that's still not far enough away from the circle of artists whose fans would already be familiar with Sandy's material to suit you.

Maybe ;) Should the rest of the album contain artists that we spontaneously might question in connection with Sandy´s songs (Costello/Krall take on Sandy´s jazzy side, Green Day on Stranger to himself etc.) it would be nice for a wider audience to be able to meet the Oyster´s for the first time. I´m wholeheartedly for musical meetings or clashes, surprisingly mixes etc. With a thought tribute album like this I want it to get as wide audience as possible :)
Staffan

So long as Beth gets to sing at least one song, I really don't mind.

Agree that  getting "unexpected" artists/bands to cover songs could be very exciting.  I'm sure the songs themselves would stand up very well to all kinds of interpretation, and I'd be interested to hear a new take on the old material.  And it would remove the feeling that everyone doing Sandy's songs should be a Sandy impressionist.

I really don't think most vocalists do try to mimic Sandy's vocals, because I think most of them know they will fall far short.  I think that sometimes it is impossible for them to get Sandy's unique phrasing and sense of timing out of their heads in the Cropredy setting with some of her former bandmates playing the instruments, and sometimes it comes out wonderfully, sometimes it is a bit strained.  Vicki Clayton might be the exception, in that I do feel like she tries to inhabit the same vocal space/range as Sandy, and sometimes she comes quite close.  When it isn't working for her, it seems as though maybe she is trying too hard.  That's my take on it, I'm up for hearing other views on the "impressionist" thought.  I actually like the whole Sandy tribute CD that Vicki did a few years back, apart from a few odd choices of small changes to lyric.

I really do think BNC  did quite nicely on Bushes and Briars, and would love to hear her take on other songs as well.  I started this thread because I felt like her comment re: "there should be a tribute album to Sandy" seemed a bit too casual, and I would love it if she was more serious about being involved in making one happen than I think she probably really is.

Please include one lovely voice which doesn't need to mimic anybody, namely Chris While.

It would, wouldn't it?

However, after hearing the wonderful Christine Collister cover it earlier this year, my vote would have to go to her for that song.

How about Madonna doing "The Lady"?

Or even "Solo" ? (Can I share your taxi KH?)

Madonna is an interesting choice but not singing 'Solo' for me!  That's definitely Beth N-C's after her stunning performance of it at Cropredy.

I'd like to hear Bjork singing 'It Suits Me Well' in her own inimitable way - Now that would be fun!

I think we might need a mini-bus.  ;D

Well, if you are just looking for someone who is very different from Sandy but has a pretty big following, I'd think you could do much worse than Kate Bush.  It was from listening to one of Kate's albums while in college that I first learned that Sandy had gone on to that big band in the sky, so I'm sure she's a fan.

Kylie.  Why not?

Doesn't have to be female voices though, does it?

A few off the wall suggestions for vocalists:

Will Young
Robbie Williams
David Gilmour
Art Garfunkel
Daniel O'Donnell or Foster & Allen (if you want to shift CDs by the shedload to the Woolies contingent)

meant in the tongue in cheek sense Dunc!!! ;D Agree with you about BNC by the way  ;)

Now don't be silly ;)

Robbie Williams?  Yes .... why not - did an excellent job on the swing material (so that now everyone from Westlife to Rod Stewart is copying him).  Yes .... that could be interesting.

this is too grotesque for words





Edit: Careful, Jim - you'll be accused of being narrow minded  ;)  Barry

I know it's supposed to be people who haven't sung Sandy's songs, and I don't know whether this lady has or not. I would very much like to hear Judy Dyble singing WKWTTG.

Mic

"Listen Listen" - The Sandy Denny Tribute
Might sell a few copies...

Listen, Listen - Sting
The Lady - Madonna
It'll Take a Long Time -  Coldplay
Late November - Eric Clapton
Rising For the Moon - Rod Stewart & the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Band
Solo - Mariah Carey
Down in the Flood - Will Young and Kylie Minogue
John the Gun - Oasis
Next Time Around - Paul McCartney
Stranger to Himself - Dido
I'm a Dreamer - Robbie Williams
One More Chance - Eminem and Norah Jones
Who Knows Where the Time Goes? - Mick Jagger & Van Morrison

well heres one sandy fan who wouldnt buy one
 i hope she haunts you

I don't think I'd buy it either, Jim, although I might give it a sneaky listen in HMV. But as I said, it would sell a few copies....the combined fanbase is pretty big!

And as for being haunted, well I hope she'd see the funny side.

Actually I think the main difficulty with doing a Sandy tribute is that her songs seem so personal and the music is really written for her phrasing (if that makes any sense!) - so maybe difficult for other singers to cover, outside the folk-rcok genre. Maybe.

John

I agree. 

Personally I can't stand the Vikki Clayton album.  However "No Grey Faith: Secrets All Told... The Songs of Sandy Denny" is magnificent.

http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/sandy.denny/records/secretsalltold.html (http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/sandy.denny/records/secretsalltold.html)

I do think the No Grey Faith album is excellent, and would recommend it highly as well.  I'm curious as to the strong statement of dislike for the VC album, and wonder if there is a particular aspect that bothers you (i.e., do you think Vicki's voice is ever suitable for the Sandy material, but just can't take a whole album of her doing those songs, or do you fault the arrangements, etc)?

This whole discussion reminds me that I have absolute faith that a tribute album of different artists covering Sandy's songs could be a wonderful thing, simply based on knowing how much I've enjoyed hearing Mary Black's version of By the Time It Gets Dark, RT's take on John the Gun from "Georgia On My Mind", Whippersnapper's "One Way Donkey Ride" and others.  I'm not sure such a tribute album should get as far afield as some of the suggestions on this thread, but I do find the dscussion interesting, and hope others have as well.

So I do reject the theory that the Sandy songs are too personal/idiosyncratic to hold up to various treatments, even as I acknowledge these alternate versions probably never would/could/should best the most definitive Sandy versions.  They certainly can rise to the great heights of their intrinsic lyric strengths under various musical and vocal interpretations, as I've seen/heard many times in the past and hope to see happen many times in the future.

Being a bit conventional when it comes to cover versions of songs i love ,i would personally prefer Sandy's songs to be covered by women ....would love to hear Miranda Sykes cover a song or Chris While  :) :)

Haunted by Sandy Denny?  I highly recommend it!!!!

I have to agree with an inclusion of Chris While.  She could (can) belt out Sandy tune better the most that I've heard!