Sandy Denny, The Notes and Words, A collection of Demos and Rarities

4CD Universal   2012 –  371 246-9

Grazie al nuovo folk boom in atto, Sandy Denny si è trasformata da donna infelice e artista frustata, quale fu negli ultimi anni di vita, in smagliante icona di quel folk-rock britannico che fra fine anni ’60 e inizio ’70 rappresentò un tripudio di creatività e pathos.  Non a caso, gli ultimi anni sono stati caratterizzate da una quantità persino imbarazzante di uscite discografiche a suo nome, fra concerti di povera qualità audio, ristampe deluxe e una monumentale opera omnia in 19 cd. The Notes And The Words raccoglie tutte le rarità e i demo presenti nel cofanettone  (andato subito esaurito) e li assembla cronologicamente lungo quattro cd.  È un percorso parallelo a quello principale, un itinerario confidenziale  che va dal giovanile entusiasmo (Soho) alla solidità da artista importante (John The Gun) alla finale  delusione per un successo popolare mai arrivato (Makes Me Think Of You, ultima registrazione conosciuta). Significative sono soprattutto le tracce giovanili (1966-67), che mostrano un’interessante vicinanza con il ‘folk barocco’ di Bert Jansch e John Renbourn, e quelle legate all’ultimo album di studio (Rendez-Vous), ripulite dei troppi suoni affastellati dal marito-produttore Trevor Lucas. (Antonio Vivaldi)

Tracks:

Disc 1

01. Sandy Denny – Blues Run the Game  02. Sandy Denny – Soho  03. Sandy Denny – It Ain’t Me Babe  04. Sandy Denny – East Virginia  05. Sandy Denny – Geordie  06. Sandy Denny – In Memory (The Tender Years)  07. Sandy Denny – I Love My True Love  08. Sandy Denny – Ethusel  09. Sandy Denny – Carnival (Home Demo)  10. Sandy Denny – They Don’t Seem to Know You  11. Sandy Denny – Gerrard Street  12. Sandy Denny – Seven Virgins  13. Sandy Denny – A Little Bit of Rain  14. Sandy Denny – Go Your Own Way My Love  15. Sandy Denny – Cradle Song  16. Sandy Denny – Who Knows Where the Time Goes (First Demo 1969)  17. Sandy Denny – Motherless Children  18. Sandy Denny – You Never Wanted Me  19. Sandy Denny – Milk and Honey (Superior Re-Record)  20. Sandy Denny – She Moves Through the Fair (Acoustic Version)  21. Sandy Denny – Fotheringay (Acoustic Version)  22. Sandy Denny – Now and Then  23. Sandy Denny – Autopsy (Demo)

Disc 2

01. Sandy Denny – Are the Judges Sane  02. Fairport Convention – Mr. Lacey (Sandy Lead Vocal Version)  03. Fairport Convention – The Ballad of Easy Rider  04. Fairport Convention – A Sailor’s Life (First Version no Swarb)  05. Fairport Convention – Come All Ye (Take 1)  06. Fairport Convention – Matty Groves (Take 1)  07. Fotheringay – The Way I Feel (Original Version)  08. Fotheringay – The Sea (Studio Demo)  09. Fotheringay – Winter Winds (Studio Demo)  10. Fotheringay – The Pond and the Stream (Studio Demo)  11. Fotheringay – John the Gun  12. Fotheringay – Late November  13. Sandy Denny – Next Time Around (Demo)  14. Sandy Denny – Lord Bateman

Disc 3

01. Sandy Denny – The Optimist (Demo)  02. Sandy Denny – Wretched Wilbur (Demo)  03. Sandy Denny – Crazy Lady Blues (Demo) 04. Sandy Denny – Northstar Grassman and the Ravens (BBC Session One in Ten)  05. Sandy Denny – Blackwaterside (Alternate Take)  06. Sandy Denny – It’ll Take a Long Time (Demo)  07. Sandy Denny – For Nobody to Hear (Original Version)  08. Sandy Denny – Quiet Joys of Brotherhood (Demo)  09. Sandy Denny – The Lady (Demo)  10. Sandy Denny – Bushes and Briars (Demo)  11. Sandy Denny – The Music Weaver (Demo)  12. Sandy Denny – No End (Piano Version)  13. Sandy Denny – Solo (Alternate Take)  14. Sandy Denny – Whispering Grass (Demo)  15. Sandy Denny – Friends (Alternate Take)  16. Sandy Denny – Dark the Night (Alternate Take)  17. Sandy Denny – Until the Real Thing Comes Along (Demo)

Disc 4

01. Sandy Denny – The King and Queen of England (Demo)  02. Sandy Denny – After Halloween (Home Demo)  03. Sandy Denny – Sandy’s Song (Take Away the Load)  04. Sandy Denny – Stranger to Himself (Demo Version)  05. Sandy Denny – By the Time It Gets Dark (Demo)  06. Fairport Convention – Down in the Flood (Live at the Troubadour)  07. Fairport Convention – Knocking on Heaven’s Door (Live at the Troubadour)  08. Fairport Convention – Like an Old Fashioned Waltz (Live at the Troubadour)  09. Sandy Denny – Dawn (Alternate Take)  10. Sandy Denny – One More Chance (Alternate Take)  11. Fairport Convention – What is True? (Demo)  12. Sandy Denny – No More Sad Refrains (Live TV 1975)  13. Sandy Denny – I Wish I was a Fool for You (Original Gold Dust LP Version)  14. Sandy Denny – Gold Dust (Original Gold Dust LP Version)  15. Sandy Denny – Candle in the Wind (Piano Version)  16. Sandy Denny – One Way Donkey Ride (Acoustic Version)  17. Sandy Denny – I’m a Dreamer (Alternate Take)  18. Sandy Denny – Still Waters Run Deep (Acoustic)Version  19. Sandy Denny – Full Moon (Feat. Swarb Solo)  20. Sandy Denny – Moments (Acoustic Version – Actual Final Recording)  21. Sandy Denny – Makes Me Think of You (Demo)