"Babbacombe" Lee (1971)

The group's only concept album (similar in some ways to the Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow), built around the life story of John "Babbacombe" Lee, a Victorian-era condemned murderer. Lee's story, from his boyhood poverty to his time in the Royal Navy, his being invalided out and forced to work in the service of Miss Keyes, to her murder and his sentence of death, and the failure of the gallows three times, is told in song, and all but one of those songs are originals. The all-male Fairport seldom sang better, nor did the post ... Read More

The group's only concept album (similar in some ways to the Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow), built around the life story of John "Babbacombe" Lee, a Victorian-era condemned murderer. Lee's story, from his boyhood poverty to his time in the Royal Navy, his being invalided out and forced to work in the service of Miss Keyes, to her murder and his sentence of death, and the failure of the gallows three times, is told in song, and all but one of those songs are originals. The all-male Fairport seldom sang better, nor did the post-Thompson band ever play with more panache, and some of the songs are beautiful -- but a few are lugubrious, and as with most other concept albums, the fit between the songs and the larger subject ultimately isn't entirely comfortable for the listener. All of the material was confusing because the group, for some reason, never put titles on the individual songs, instead stringing them together in longer sections. The critics loved it, but the listeners stayed away in droves for the first time since the band's debut album. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi Read Less

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  Bedlam Books & Music AVERAGE Leominster, HEREFORDSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM

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• LP, Very Good A&M 4333 See Item Details ▾

  MUSICAL ENERGI AVERAGE Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA

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  	Edition: A&M 4333 LP, Very Good	Details: Label: A&M 4333 Alibris ID: 17846878144	Shipping Options: Standard Shipping: $3.43 Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
  Seller's Description: VG+ / NM. Original gatefold WITH BOOKLET, includes original custom inner sleeve.
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