Comments on: She Moved Through the Fair: British Folk Music http://www.libertasfilmmagazine.com/she-moved-through-the-fair-british-folk-music/ LFM: The Voice of Freedom in Movies & Pop Culture Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:08:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: H. Arundel http://www.libertasfilmmagazine.com/she-moved-through-the-fair-british-folk-music/comment-page-1/#comment-657 H. Arundel Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:22:12 +0000 http://www.libertasfilmmagazine.com/?p=4833#comment-657 I find these singers' defiant traditionalism, their celebration of British history and myth in the face of all modernity, oddly moving. There is a quality of heroism to their flying in the face of "slick commercialism," as you put it so well above. I find these singers’ defiant traditionalism, their celebration of British history and myth in the face of all modernity, oddly moving. There is a quality of heroism to their flying in the face of “slick commercialism,” as you put it so well above.

]]> By: David Ross http://www.libertasfilmmagazine.com/she-moved-through-the-fair-british-folk-music/comment-page-1/#comment-652 David Ross Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:09:45 +0000 http://www.libertasfilmmagazine.com/?p=4833#comment-652 None of this music was ever very popular; only Clannad went on to become a big seller, and this by becoming an annoying purveyor of New Age mistiness. The music of the Anglo-Celtic folk revival was serious, traditional, and in its way difficult; it required attention and receptivity to the darker emotions and a certain respect for the past. Misogyny may have played a part, but the more basic point is that this music was entirely at odds with the slickly shallow commercialism that remade popular music during the 70s (see Fred Goodman's excellent history of this sell-out, Mansion on the Hill). Nothing could have seemed more retrograde and out-of-phase than, say, Sandy Denny lamenting the fate of Mary, Queen of Scots, as she does so beautifully in "Fotheringay" (Fotheringay was the castle where Mary was imprisoned). None of this music was ever very popular; only Clannad went on to become a big seller, and this by becoming an annoying purveyor of New Age mistiness. The music of the Anglo-Celtic folk revival was serious, traditional, and in its way difficult; it required attention and receptivity to the darker emotions and a certain respect for the past. Misogyny may have played a part, but the more basic point is that this music was entirely at odds with the slickly shallow commercialism that remade popular music during the 70s (see Fred Goodman’s excellent history of this sell-out, Mansion on the Hill). Nothing could have seemed more retrograde and out-of-phase than, say, Sandy Denny lamenting the fate of Mary, Queen of Scots, as she does so beautifully in “Fotheringay” (Fotheringay was the castle where Mary was imprisoned).

]]> By: RalphtheRover http://www.libertasfilmmagazine.com/she-moved-through-the-fair-british-folk-music/comment-page-1/#comment-651 RalphtheRover Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:50:15 +0000 http://www.libertasfilmmagazine.com/?p=4833#comment-651 British folk music has long been overdue for some recognition, and these ladies were the cream of the crop. British folk music has long been overdue for some recognition, and these ladies were the cream of the crop.

]]> By: Prehistoric Woman http://www.libertasfilmmagazine.com/she-moved-through-the-fair-british-folk-music/comment-page-1/#comment-646 Prehistoric Woman Sun, 27 Jun 2010 20:42:26 +0000 http://www.libertasfilmmagazine.com/?p=4833#comment-646 Interesting post, David. I did not realize how important some of these singers were. The '60s and '70s were so dominated by rock, disco, punk, etc. that the softer side of the music scene that was inhabited by these talented folk singers has been forgotten. Do you think that some of this has to do with the fact that most of these singers were women, and that from the '60s on the music scene (and the culture) grew more misogynistic and male-dominated and did not know how to appreciate them sufficiently? Interesting post, David. I did not realize how important some of these singers were. The ’60s and ’70s were so dominated by rock, disco, punk, etc. that the softer side of the music scene that was inhabited by these talented folk singers has been forgotten.

Do you think that some of this has to do with the fact that most of these singers were women, and that from the ’60s on the music scene (and the culture) grew more misogynistic and male-dominated and did not know how to appreciate them sufficiently?

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