Sandy was possibly the finest British singer of the 20th century, initially with the Strawbs, then Fairport Convention and Fotheringay before pursuing a 'solo' career. Her rendition of Banks Of The Nile (with Fotheringay) is probably her finest moment; (I've tagged a YouTube link at the bottom of this post).
Banks Of The Nile was a traditional song from the time of Britain's Egyptian War (1882) and Fotheringay's rendition was arranged and performed by Sandy Denny and her band some 90 years after the event. It's a pathos-laden, powerful and moving anti-war anthem sung with incredible feeling by Denny. Today's blog is dedicated to everyone who is currently being torn apart from the ones they love by war and the ravages of exile and migration.
Banks Of The Nile
Oh hark! the drums do beat, my love, no longer can we stay.
The bugle-horns are sounding clear, and we
must march away.
We’re ordered
down to Portsmouth, and it's many a weary mile
To join the
British army on the banks of the Nile.
Oh Willie, dearest Willie, don't leave me here to
mourn.
Don't make me curse and rue the day that ever I
was born.
For the parting of our love would be like parting
with my life,
So stay at home, my dearest love, and I will be
your wife.
 |
| Sandy Denny |
Oh my Nancy, dearest
Nancy, sure that will never do.
The government has ordered, and we are bound
to go.
The government has ordered, and the queen she
gives command
And I am bound on oath, my love, to serve in a
foreign land.
I'll dress myself in uniform, and I'll see Egypt
too.
I'll march beneath your banner while fortune it do
smile,
And we'll comfort one another on the banks of the
Nile.
But your waist
it is too slender, and your fingers they are too small.
In the sultry
suns of Egypt your rosy cheeks would spoil.
Where the
cannons they do rattle, when the bullets they do fly,
And the silver
trumpets sound so loud to hide the dismal cries.
Oh, cursed be those cruel wars, that ever they
began,
For they have robbed our country of many the
handsome man.
They've robbed us of our sweethearts while their
bodies they feed the lions,
On the dry and sandy deserts which are the banks
of the Nile.Traditional
Link here for the audio recording:Banks Of The Nile
Thanks for reading. Your Saturday Blogger is off on holiday next week, hoping that inspiration may strike ;-)
5 comments:
Interesting blog, thank you. It's a very moving song. Is Sandy Denny still performing?
Sadly, Sandy died young - she was barely into her thirties when she died after falling down stairs in 1978. All of her recordings are still available.
I love Sandy Denny. What a talent and such a sad end to her life. FYI the link to YouTube no longer works (video not available).
She was terribly well spoken. Courtesy of MOJO Filter I've just listened to Sandy being guest DJ in 1970 on Denmark's Beatgæst radio programme - a great choice of records and interesting and insightful comments about her choices. Such a great loss when she died.
I read that Sandy's daughter Georgia is collaborating on setting some newly discovered lyrics of her mother's to music. It sounds like an interesting project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxNkk2nzoqQ
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