Plate section
Neil Denny, Edna Denny, Sandy aged 5, Sandy and David on a family holiday, Sandy and David at Worple Road and Sandy in Trafalgar Square, and later Sandy and David, courtesy of Neil Denny, with thanks to Colin Davies.
Early Sandy promo, Fairport Convention in concert, Sandy and Trevor at Cambridge Folk Festival and Sandy live in the 70s, courtesy of Phillippa Clare.
Sandy in Denver and wedding photos, courtesy of Miranda Ward.
Sandy A&M promo shot courtesy of Linda Fitzgerald-Moore.
Final photo courtesy of Keith Morris.
Other illustrations
Photographs in Chapter 1, courtesy of Neil Denny, with thanks to Colin Davies.
All Sandy Denny’s drawings, doodles and hand-written extracts are copyright the Sandy Denny estate and are reproduced by kind permission.
Sandy Denny’s letter to Miranda Ward is reprinted with kind permission of Miranda Ward.
Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holders of photographs used in this book, but one or two were unreachable. We would be grateful if the photographers concerned would contact us.
Bibliography
Published information about Sandy Denny and her music remains all too limited, but the below should provide a good starting point:
Davies, Colin [ed.] – Hokey Pokey fanzine, various issues [1989–92].
Heylin, Clinton – Sad Refrains: The Recordings of Sandy Denny [pp, 1988].
Humphries, Patrick – Meet On The Ledge [Eel Pie, 1982 – reissued Virgin, 1997].
Humphries, Patrick – Richard Thompson: Strange Affair [Virgin, 1996].
Irvin, Jim – ‘Angel of Avalon’: Mojo June 1998.
Kenney, Martyn – Unscrapbooking: Another History of Fairport Convention [pp, 1988].
I have drawn on as many interviews with Sandy Denny as I have been able to locate. The published ones are as follows, in some approximation of chronological order by publication:
28/1/67 – Karl Dallas, Melody Maker.
23/9/67 – Karl Dallas, Melody Maker.
27/7/68 – Tony Wilson, Melody Maker.
16/9/69 – Nick Logan, New Musical Express.
17/1/70 – Penny Valentine, Disc & Music Echo.
14/2/70 – ???, Music Now.
3/70 – Karl Dallas, Melody Maker.
20/6/70 – ???, Disc & Music Echo.
12/9/70 – David Hughes, Disc & Music Echo.
19/9/70 – Michael Watts, Melody Maker.
24/10/70 – Jerry Gilbert, Sounds.
21/11/70 – Karl Dallas, Melody Maker.
9/1/71 – ???, Melody Maker.
16/1/71 – Jerry Gilbert, Sounds.
20/2/71 – Anne Nightingale, Petticoat.
15/5/71 – Ray Coleman, Melody Maker.
3/7/71 – Jerry Gilbert, Sounds.
10/9/71 – Robin Denselow, The Guardian.
10/71 – Rosalind Russell, Disc & Music Echo.
1/72 – Steve Peacock, Sounds.
15/1/72 – Tony Stewart, New Musical Express.
15/4/72 – Tony Stewart, New Musical Express.
4/72 – Steve Peacock, Sounds.
29/4/72 – ???, Melody Maker.
6/5/72 – Karl Dallas, Melody Maker.
2/9/72 – Karl Dallas, Melody Maker.
23/9/72 – Steve Peacock, Sounds.
7/10/72 – Tony Stewart, New Musical Express.
7/10/72 – Rosalind Russell, Disc & Music Echo.
2/73 – Gordon Coxhill, Music Scene.
31/3/73 – Steve Peacock, Sounds.
17/4/73 – Myron Bretholz, Georgetown Voice.
9/73 – Austin John Marshall, New Musical Express.
8/9/73 – Jerry Gilbert, Sounds.
15/9/73 – Karl Dallas, Melody Maker.
3/74 – Karl Dallas, Melody Maker.
20/4/74 – Tony Stewart, New Musical Express.
21/6/75 – Angus MacKinnon, Sounds.
5/3/77 – Patrick Humphries [pub’d April 1988, Hokey Pokey].
16/7/77 – ???, Melody Maker.
12/11/77 – Colin Irwin, Melody Maker.
Discography
All songs by Sandy Denny unless credited otherwise
ALBUMS
[Please note: All songs listed in italics have been previously released.]
Alex Campbell and Friends (Saga) {1967}. Down In the Mines {trad}*. Freight Train {trad}*. The False Bride {trad}. Dick Derby {trad}*. You Never Wanted Me {Frank}. Been on the Road So Long {Campbell}*. This Train {trad}. Tell Old Bill {trad}*. Freedom {trad}*. [Note: Asterisked songs feature Sandy Denny. on backing vocals. The remaining tracks feature Sandy Denny on lead vocals.]
Sandy and Johnny – Sandy Denny and Johnny Silvo (Saga) {1967}. Milk and Honey {Frank}. The Last Thing on My Mind {Paxton}. 3’10 to Yuma {Dunning/Washington}. Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor {trad}. Pretty Polly {trad}. Been on the Road So Long (Sandy Denny version) {Campbell}.
What We Did On Our Holidays – Fairport Convention (Island) {1969}. Fotheringay. Mr. Lacey {Hutchings}. Book Song {Matthews/Thompson}. “The Lord Is In This Place … How Dreadful Is This Place” {trad}. No Man’s Land {Thompson}. I’ll Keep It With Mine {Dylan}. Eastern Rain {Mitchell}. Nottamun Town {trad}. Tale In Hard Time {Thompson}. She Moves Through The Fair {Colum/Hughes/ trad.}. Meet On The Ledge {Thompson}. End Of A Holiday {Nicol}. Produced by Joe Boyd.
Unhalfbricking – Fairport Convention (Island) {1969}. Genesis Hall {Thompson}. Si Tu Dois Partir {Dylan}. Autopsy. A Sailor’s Life {trad}. Cajun Woman {Thompson}. Who Knows Where The Time Goes. Percy’s Song {Dylan}. Million Dollar Bash {Dylan}. Produced by Joe Boyd, Simon Nicol, and Fairport Convention.
Liege and Lief – Fairport Convention (Island) {1970}. Come All Ye {Denny/Hutchings}. Reynardine {trad}. Matty Groves {trad}. Farewell, Farewell {Thompson}. The Deserter {trad}. Medley: The Lark in the Morning/Rakish Paddy/Foxhunter’s Jig/Toss the Feathers {trad}. Tam Lin {trad}. Crazy Man Michael {Thompson/Swarbrick}. Produced by Joe Boyd.
Fotheringay – Fotheringay (Island) {1970}. Nothing More. The Sea. The Ballad of Ned Kelly {Lucas}. Winter Winds. Peace in the End {Denny/Lucas}. The Way I Feel {Lightfoot}. The Pond And The Stream. Too Much Of Nothing {Dylan}. Banks Of The Nile {trad}. Produced by Joe Boyd.
Sandy Denny – Sandy Denny (Saga) {1970}. This Train {trad}. 3’10 To Yuma {Dunning/Washington}. Pretty Polly {trad}. You Never Wanted Me Babe {Frank}. Milk And Honey {Frank}. The Last Thing On My Mind {Tom Paxton}. Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor {trad}. The False Bride {trad}. Been On The Road So Long (Sandy Denny version) {A.Campbell}. [Note: Compilation of songs recorded at the sessions for Alex Campbell And Friends and Sandy And Johnny.]
The North Star Grassman & The Ravens – Sandy Denny (Island) {1971}. Late November. Blackwaterside {trad}. The Sea Captain. Down in the Flood {Dylan}. John the Gun. Next Time Around. The Optimist. Let’s Jump the Broomstick {Robins}. Wretched Wilbur. The North Star Grassman & the Ravens. Crazy Lady Blues. Produced by Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, and John Wood.
Rock On – The Bunch (Island) {1972}. That’ll Be the Day {Holly/ Petty/Allison}. Don’t Be Cruel {Blackwell/Presley}[backing vocals]. The Locomotion {Goffin/King} [backing vocals]. My Girl the Month Of May {Di Mucci} [backing vocals]. Love’s Made A Fool Of You {Holly/Montgomery}. Willie and the Hand Jive {Otis}. When Will I Be Loved {Everly} [duet with Linda Thompson]. Nadine {Berry} [backing vocals]. Sweet Little Rock ‘N’ Roller {Berry} [backing vocals]. Learning the Game {Holly}. Produced by Trevor Lucas.
Pass of Arms E.P. – Sandy Denny (Island) {1972}. Here In Silence/ Man of Iron.
Swedish Fly Girls – Various Artists (Juno) {1972}. Water Mother {Henry/O’Connell}. What Will I Do With Tomorrow? {Henry/ O’Connell}. Are The Judges Sane? {Henry/O’Connell}. I Need You {Henry/O’Connell}.
Sandy – Sandy Denny (Island) {1972}. It’ll Take A Long Time. Sweet Rosemary. For Nobody To Hear. Tomorrow Is A Long Time {Dylan}. Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood {R.Farina/trad}. Listen, Listen. The Lady. Bushes And Briars
. It Suits Me Well. The Music Weaver. Produced by Trevor Lucas.
The History Of Fairport Convention – Fairport Convention (Island) {1972}. Meet On The Ledge {Thompson}. Fotheringay. Mr. Lacey {Hutchings}. Book Song {Matthews/ Thompson}. A Sailor’s Life {trad}. Si Tu Dois Partir {Dylan}. Who Knows Where The Time Goes?. Matty Groves {trad}. Crazy Man Michael {Thompson/ Swarbrick}. Medley: The Lark In The Morning/Rakish Paddy/ Foxhunter’s Jig/Toss The Feathers {trad}.
All Our Own Work – Sandy Denny & The Strawbs (Hallmark) {1973}. On My Way {Cousins}. Who Knows Where The Time Goes?. Tell Me What You See In Me {Cousins}. Always On My Mind {Hooper}. Stay Awhile With Me {Cousins}. Wild Strawberries {Cousins/Hooper} (instrumental). All I Need Is You {Cousins}. How Everyone But Sam Was A Hypocrite {Cousins}. Sail Away To The Sea {Cousins}. Sweetling {Hooper}. Nothing Else Will Do {Cousins}. And You Need Me {Cousins}. Recorded and produced by Karl-Emil Knudsen and Gustav Winkler in 1967.
Like An Old Fashioned Waltz – Sandy Denny (Island) {1974}. Solo. Like An Old Fashioned Waltz. Whispering Grass {Fisher/Fisher}. Friends. Carnival. Dark The Night. At The End Of The Day. Until The Real Thing Comes Along {Cahn/Chaplin/ Freeman}. No End. Produced by Trevor Lucas and John Wood.
Live Convention – Fairport Convention (Island) {1974}. Matty Groves {trad}. Rosie {Swarbrick}. Fiddlestix {trad}. John The Gun. Something You Got {Kenner}. Sloth {Thompson/Swarbrick}. Dirty Linen {trad}. Down In The Flood {Dylan}. Sir B. McKenzie {trad}.
Rising For The Moon – Fairport Convention (Island) {1975}. Rising For The Moon. Restless {Lucas/Roach}. White Dress. Let It Go {Denny/Swarbrick/Pegg}. Stranger To Himself. What Is True. Iron Lion {Lucas}. Dawn {Denny/Donahue}. After Halloween. Night Time Girl {Swarbrick/Pegg}. One More Chance. Produced by Glyn Johns.
Guitar, Vocal – Richard Thompson (Island) {1976}. Throwaway Street Puzzle {Thompson/Hutchings} [b-side to ‘Meet On The Ledge’]. Mr. Lacey {Hutchings} [Stuart Henry Show, 2/12/68]. Ballad Of Easy Rider {McGuinn/Dylan} [Liege & Lief outtake].
Rendezvous – Sandy Denny (Island) {1977}. I Wish I Was A Fool For You (For Shame of Doing Wrong) {Thompson}. Gold Dust. Candle In The Wind {John/Taupin}. Take Me Away. One Way Donkey Ride. I’m A Dreamer. All Our Days. Silver Threads And Golden Needles {Rhodes/Reynolds}. No More Sad Refrains. Produced by Trevor Lucas.
The Original Sandy Denny – Sandy Denny (Mooncrest) {1978}. This Train {trad}. 3’10 To Yuma {Dunning/Washington}. Pretty Polly {trad}. You Never Wanted Me {Frank}. Milk And Honey {Frank}. My Ramblin’ Boy {Paxton}. The Last Thing On My Mind {Paxton}. Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor {trad}. The False Bride {trad}. Been On The Road So Long {Campbell} [backing vocals version].
Who Knows Where The Time Goes? – Sandy Denny (Island/Hannibal) {1986}. The Lady [Royalty Theatre 27/11/77]. Listen, Listen. Next Time Around. Farewell, Farewell {Thompson}. The Music Weaver [demo, 1972]. Tomorrow Is A Long Time {Dylan}. The Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood {Farina/trad} [Liege & Lief outtake]. The Pond And The Stream. One Way Donkey Ride. Take Away The Load (Sandy’s Song) [demo, 1976]. One More Chance. Bruton Town {trad} [BBC In Concert 16/3/72]. Blackwaterside {trad}. Tam Lin {trad}. The Banks Of The Nile {trad}. Sail Away To The Sea {Dave Cousins}. You Never Wanted Me {Frank} [Top Gear 28/5/68]. Sweet Rosemary [demo, 1972]. Now And Then [demo, 1968]. Autopsy. It’ll Take A Long Time. Two Weeks Last Summer {Cousins} [Fotheringay studio outtake]. Late November [alternate mix]. Gypsy Davey (unreleased) [Fotheringay studio outtake]. Winter Winds. Nothing More [Rotterdam 1970 w/Fotheringay]. Memphis, Tennessee {Berry} [Rotterdam 1970 w/Fotheringay]. Walking The Floor Over You {Tubb} [studio outtake 71/73]. When Will I Be Loved {Everly}. Whispering Grass {Fisher/Fisher}. Friends. Solo [Troubador, L.A. 2/74]. After Halloween [demo, 1972]. For Shame Of Doing Wrong [alternate take] {Thompson} . Stranger To Himself. I’m A Dreamer. John The Gun. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door {Dylan} [Troubador, L.A. 2/74]. By The Time It Gets Dark [demo, 1976]. What Is True? [demo, 1974]. The Sea. Full Moon [Rendezvous outtake]. Who Knows Where The Time Goes? [Troubador, L.A. 2/74]. Compiled and produced by Joe Boyd & Trevor Lucas.
CDS
The Original Sandy Denny [see album for details] (Mooncrest)
What We Did On Our Holidays [see album for details] (Island)
Unhalfbricking [see album for details] (Island)
Liege & Lief [see album for details] (Island)
Fotheringay [see album for details – includes two bonus tracks: Gypsy Davey. Two Weeks Last Summer.] (Hannibal)
North Star Grassman & the Ravens [see album for details] (Island)
Sandy [see album for details] (Island)
History of Fairport Convention [see album for details] (Island)
Like An Old Fashioned Waltz [see album for details] (Carthage)
Fairport Live [see album for details] (Island)
Rising For The Moon [see album for details] (Island)
Guitar/Vocal [see album for details] (Hannibal)
Rendezvous [see album for details – includes bonus track: Full Moon.] (Hannibal)
Who Knows Where The Time Goes? [see album for details] (Rykodisc)
The Best Of Sandy Denny – Sandy Denny (Island) {1987}. Listen, Listen. The Lady. One Way Donkey Ride. It’ll Take A Long Time. Farewell, Farewell {Thompson}. Tam Lin {trad}. The Pond And The Stream. Late November (El Pea ver.). Solo. The Sea. The Banks Of The Nile {trad}. Next Time Around. For Shame Of Doing Wrong {Thompson}. Stranger To Himself. I’m A Dreamer. Who Knows Where The Time Goes?. Compiled and produced by Joe Boyd & Trevor Lucas.
Heyday – Fairport Convention (Hannibal) {1987}. Close The Door Lightly When You Go {Andersen} [Top Gear 28/5/68]. I Don’t Know Where I Stand {Mitchell} [Top Gear 28/5/68]. Some Sweet Day {Bryant} [Top Gear 28/5/68]. Reno Nevada {Farina} [David Symonds Show 27/12/68]. Suzanne {Cohen} [Top Gear 26/8/68]. If It Feels Good {Thompson/Hutchings} [Top Gear 26/8/68]. I Still Miss Someone {Cash/Cash} [David Symonds Show 27/12/68]. Bird On A Wire {Cohen} [Stuart Henry Show 2/12/68]. Gone, Gone, Gone {Everly/Everly} [Top Gear 26/8/68]. Tried So Hard {Gene Clark} [David Symonds Show 27/12/68]. Shattering Live Experience {Nicol} [David Symonds Show 4/2/69]. Percy’s Song {Dylan} [Top Gear 18/3/69]. [Note: This is the official release, which differs slightly from Ashley Hutchings’ earlier version.]
Circle Dance – Various Artists (Hokey Pokey) {1990}. The King & Queen of England.
Sandy Denny & The Strawbs – Sandy Denny & The Strawbs (Hannibal) {1991}. Nothing Else Will Do {Cousins}. Who Knows Where The Time Goes?*. How Everyone But Sam Was A Hypocrite {Cousins}. Sail Away To The Sea {Cousins}. And You Need Me {Cousins}*. Poor Jimmy Wilson {Cousins}. All I Need Is You {Cousins}*. Tell Me What You See In Me {Cousins}*. I’ve Been My Own Worst Friend {Cousins}. On My Way {Cousins}. Two Weeks Last Summer {Cousins}. Always On My Mind {Cousins}. Stay Awhile With Me {Cousins}*. [Note: The songs asterisked have overdubs not present on the original 1973 Hallmark album.]
Watching The Dark – Richard Thompson (Rykodisc) {1993}. Genesis Hall. A Sailor’s Life {trad} [Unhalfbricking alternate take].
Folk Routes – Various Artists (Island) {1994}. Matty Groves. It Suits Me Well. She Moves Through The Fair. Man of Iron. My Girl in the Month of May.
The Attic Tracks 1972–1984 – Sandy Denny, Trevor Lucas (Raven) {1995}. Moments {Bryn Haworth} [studio outtake 5/77]. Ecoute, Ecoute [French version of Listen, Listen]. One More Chance [demo, 1974]. Rising For The Moon [demo, 1974]. Tears {Trevor Lucas} [b-side to ‘White Dess’]. Easy To Slip {Lowell George/F. Martin} [Rendezvous outtake]. Losing Game {Carr-Weaver} [Rendezvous outtake]. Still Waters Run Deep [b-side to ‘Candle in the Wind’]. The King And Queen Of England [demo, 1976]. No End [demo, 1973]. Gold Dust [Royalty Theatre 27/11/77]. Stranger To Himself [Royalty Theatre 27/11/77]. Who Knows Where The Time Goes [Royalty Theatre 27/11/77]. [Note: The songs from the Royalty Theatre are the pre-overdub versions, and therefore do not correspond with the versions on Gold Dust.]
The BBC Sessions 1971–1973 – Sandy Denny (Strange Fruit) {1997}. Northstar Grassman [BBC In Concert 16/3/72]. Sweet Rosemary [BBC In Con
cert 16/3/72]. The Lady [BBC In Concert 16/3/72]. Next Time Around [BBC In Concert 16/3/72]. Blackwaterside {trad} [BBC In Concert 16/3/72]. John the Gun [BBC In Concert 16/3/72]. Late November [Sounds of the Seventies 24/8/71]. The Optimist [Sounds of the Seventies 24/8/71]. Crazy Lady Blues [Sounds of the Seventies 24/8/71]. The Lowlands of Holland [Sounds of the Seventies 24/8/71]. It Suits Me Well [Sounds of the Seventies 25/10/72]. Bushes and Briars [Sounds of the Seventies 25/10/72]. The Music Weaver [Sounds of the Seventies 25/10/72]. It’ll Take a Long Time [Sounds of the Seventies 25/10/72]. Who Knows Where the Time Goes [Sounds of the Seventies 11/9/73]. Until the Real Thing Comes Along {Cahn/Chaplin/Freeman} [Sounds of the Seventies 14/11/73]. Whispering Grass {Fisher/Fisher} [Sounds of the Seventies 14/11/73]. Like an Old Fashioned Waltz [Sounds of the Seventies 11/9/73]. Dark the Night [Sounds of the Seventies 14/11/73]. Solo [Sounds of the Seventies 14/11/73]. [Note: This collection of previously unreleased live recordings was deleted from the Strange Fruit catalog after only 3,000 copies were released. The 5 tracks from August 1971 are taken from an off-air copy.]
“Gold Dust” Live at the Royalty – Sandy Denny (Island) {1998}. I Wish I Was a Fool for You (For Shame of Doing Wrong) {Thompson}. Stranger To Himself. I’m a Dreamer. Take Me Away. Nothing More. The Sea. The Lady. Gold Dust. Solo. John the Gun. It’ll Take a Long Time {Dylan}. Wretched Wilbur. Tomorrow Is a Long Time. The North Star Grassman. One More Chance. No More Sad Refrains. Who Knows Where The Time Goes. [Note: Documents Sandy’s last major concert, at the Royalty Theatre, London, on 27 November 1977. The tracks are not in the original order performed, and remixes have added guitar by Jerry Donahue and backing vocals by Simon Nicol and Chris Leslie – none of whom were part of the original backing band. Original concert order is as follows: Solo / North Star Grassman/ Nothing More/ Gold Dust/ I’m A Dreamer/ John the Gun/ The Sea/ It’ll Take A Long Time/ Tomorrow is A Long Time/ The Lady/ Wretched Wilbur/ For Shame of Doing Wrong/ Stranger To Himself/ Take Me Away/ One More Chance/ Who Knows Where The Time Goes/ No More Sad Refrains.]
No More Sad Refrains: The Life and Times of Sandy Denny Page 31
