The Most Violent Song Ever Fairport Convention Matty Groves
@arthurchappell (45002)
Preston, England
December 1, 2018 2:08pm CST
The story in this 1969 folk song is full of passion and violence.
It tells of the wife of a certain Lord Arnold, who seduces a commoner called Marty Groves during a church service while his lordship is away bringing the yearlings home.
That night, the lovers meet in the lady's bedroom, but a servant runs to Lord Arnold, even swimming across a stream to get to him.
Lord Arnold wakes Matty up when he finds the adulterers in his bed, and invites Matty to a duel. He gives Matty a sword so he doesn;t kill an unarmed man, and then runs him through.
When his wife declares that she still loves Matty more than she could ever love her husband, Lord Arnold pins her to the wall with a sword thrust through the heart. He then orders the pair buried together but with his wife on top to denote her nobility.
A great story told with relentless pace and fantastic fiddle playing from one of the best folk combos of all time.
The song on Youtube
Arthur Chappell
MECA PD CHANNEL II....I do not own the rights to this song, nor do I use it for my own personal gain. I post it to promote the song
10 people like this
10 responses
@GreatMartin (23676)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
2 Dec 18
Being a "Happy Ever After" romantic ballad type of guy--where is Frank Sinatra when you need him?--I can do without violence in songs. :O)
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
2 Dec 18
@GreatMartin depends on the context for me - this works well
1 person likes this
@GreatMartin (23676)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
16 Dec 18
@xander6464 Mack the Knife is a HOT love song!!!
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (40884)
• Wapello, Iowa
16 Dec 18
@GreatMartin What about Mack The Knife?
Frank is in the same place he was in when you needed him while he was alive. The golf course.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
1 Dec 18
This is a much wilder version than I was used to from the record. Fairport Convention showed us the direction in which traditional ballads could be going. Having now listened to both again, I have to admire Sandy Denny for her relentless drive and sensitivity on both versions. It's one of the strongest (and, as you say, probably one of the most violent ballads) there is (though the much later 'Andrew Rose' is also pretty graphic in its violence).
I find it very interesting to compare Doc Watson's version with Sandy Denny's and also to reflect on the way I appreciate the ballad now to the way I felt about it in the late 60's and 70's. I think that the words bite harder now than they did then, when, perhaps, I was more interested in Swarbrick's fiddle and Doc's guitar playing.
Doc Watson performs the old English folk ballad, "Matty Groves" from his album HOME AGAIN (1966). LYRICS Was on the high high holy day, The very best day in ...
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
1 Dec 18
interesting cajun sounding version
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
2 Dec 18
@arthurchappell Cajun? Take away the guitar, slow down the tempo a little and given a slightly freer delivery and you have the tonal quality and style of singing which is very similar to the way the ballad would have been sung in the 17th Century in England. Cecil Sharp spent a lot of time in the Appalachians because he felt that it had retained many of the old songs and singing styles which had evolved (and been lost) in England.
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
1 Dec 18
@LeaPea2417 it is well worth catching
3 people like this
@LeaPea2417 (36442)
• Toccoa, Georgia
3 Dec 18
@arthurchappell I did listen to it and it really has a good beat. I like that type of folksy rock of that era.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 Dec 18
@arthurchappell Have you seen Richard Thompson live? Sorry if I asked elsewhere.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
2 Dec 18
Speaking of violent songs and jealousy, this is among my favorites. I cant understand why why my female musician friends say I'll never have a new girlfriend if I keep singing this one at jams. The autoharp is played by Bryan Bowers.
And now, here's Jerry & David in real action with their instruments, specially Jerry. if you here the last part of the song. Completely awsome guitar playing...
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 Dec 18
@arthurchappell Pretty classic. Can't beat Jerry and David with Bryan helping out.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
2 Dec 18
@TheHorse quite a daring line
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
4 Dec 18
@LadyDuck no, we have lost the poetry in favour of the crude
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
3 Dec 18
@LadyDuck yes it does happen rather too often
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458233)
• Switzerland
4 Dec 18
@arthurchappell Our modern word is not a sweet word.
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (40884)
• Wapello, Iowa
16 Dec 18
A very nice violent song. And with a happy ending. It would have been terrible if the noblewoman had been buried on the bottom.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
16 Dec 18
@xander6464 Yes that wouldn't do at all
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
21 Dec 18
@xander6464 A push would bring the whole edifice down in rubble
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (40884)
• Wapello, Iowa
17 Dec 18
@arthurchappell Civilization is shaky enough. No need to push it.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
4 Dec 18
I bought Liege and Lief many years ago when I became interested in Ashley Hutchings's Albion Band and have had a few conversations with him after gigs, including in 2002 when the Times Culture voted it the most influential folk record. He hadn't seen the paper that day and was delighted when I gave him the supplement.
Simon Nicol delivers the song well. Have you seen the hilarious Cropredy clip where Fairport did a version accompanied by a film with Lego characters playing the parts?
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
4 Dec 18
Just watched it on Youtube - it's great
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@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
1 Dec 18
@Courage7 glad your story didn't end the same way for you
1 person likes this
