"...I'm A
Dreamer..."
"Rendezvous" features Steve Winwood of Track, John “Rabbit” Bundrick of Free,
Jess Roden of Bronco and members of both Fairport Convention and Fotheringay
Her fifth and final solo LP
(six including her stay with "Fotheringay" in 1970) was released in
the UK in May 1977 to widespread public indifference and press bewilderment and
would unfortunately prove to be her swan-song. Because of its deliberately
'modern' sound and the heavy-on-the-sauce productions on some numbers –
"Rendezvous" has been applauded and berated in equal measure. But at
least this gorgeous CD remaster gives it another chance. And I'd argue too damn
right. Because as alway it's the good stuff with Sandy Denny that stays with
you and obliterates all the rest. Here are the details for England's finest
Lady Singer...
UK released May 2005
(reissued August 2007) – "Rendezvous" by SANDY DENNY on
Universal/Island IMCD316 / 982 802-4 (Barcode 602498280249) is an 'Expanded
Edition' CD Remaster and plays out as follows (58:40 minutes):
1. I Wish I Was A Fool For
You (For Shame Of Doing Wrong)
2. Gold Dust
3. Candle In The Wind
4. Take Me Away
5. One Way Donkey Ride
6. I'm A Dreamer [Side 2]
7. All Our Days
8. Silver Threads And Golden
Needles
9. No More Sad Refrains
Tracks 1 to 9 are her fifth
and final album "Rendezvous" – released May 1977 in the UK on Island
Records ILPS 9433. Produced by Trevor Lucas – all songs are Sandy Denny
originals except "I Wish I Was A Fool For You (For Shame Of Doing
Wrong)" by Richard Thompson, "Candle In The Wind" by Elton John
and "Silver Threads And Golden Needles" by Jack Rhodes and Dick
Reynolds (covered by The Springfields, Linda Ronstadt and Fotheringay).
BONUS TRACKS:
10. Still Waters Run Deep –
a Sandy Denny original non-album B-side to "Candle In The Wind" -
released May 1977 in the UK on Island WIP 6391 ('DJ Promo' copies only)
11. Full Moon – Previously
Unreleased Outtake originally issued on the January 1986 4LP/3CD Box Set
"Who Knows Where The Times Goes" on Island SDSP 100
12. I’m A Dreamer (Demo) –
recorded at home, Byfield, Northants in March 1976. First issued on the October
2004 5CD Box Set "A Boxful Of Treasures" on Fledg'ling Records NEST
5002
13. Easy To Slip – a Little
Feat cover version
14. Moments – a Bryn Haworth
cover version
Tracks 13 and 14 first
appeared on the 1995 Australian CD compilation "The Attic Tracks
1972-1984" for Sandy Denny and Trevor Lucas on Raven RVCD-46
As with all of these superb
Sandy Denny CD reissues on Island's 'mid price' series – the project was
researched and co-ordinated by DAVID SUFF and TIM CHACKSFIELD with assistance
from JOE BACK at Universal. There’s a very tasteful card slipcase, a Pink
Island label on the CD (that should actually be an Orange label to match 1977
and not the 1969 Pink-Eye variant) and hand-written lyrics from "So More
Sad Refrains" on the inlay beneath the see-through CD tray. The 12-page
booklet features brief but informative liner notes from Fledg'ling Records head
honcho and Sandy fan DAVID SUFF - as well as repros of hand-written lyrics and
music charts (the lyrics to the songs that were on the vinyl insert are also
there too). But the big news is a Remaster by a fave Engineer of mine – DENIS
BLACKHAM of Skye Mastering. And what a gorgeous job he's done. This CD sounds
superb and is also one of those instances where the BONUS TRACKS tip the
purchase into a 'must have'...
From the wind-in-her-hair
against a city backdrop artwork and the opening keyboard-rock of Richard
Thompson's "I Wish Was A Fool For You..." and the funked-up Miles
Davis trumpet of "Gold Dust" – it's clear that this album trying real
hard to leave 'Folk' behind – and kind of succeeding. You're also aware of the
huge number of instruments and players present. Although it doesn't say who
exactly plays on what – the big name luminaries impress - Steve Winwood of
Traffic, John 'Rabbit' Bundrick of Free, Jess Roden of Bronco, Jerry Donahue,
Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks and Bob Pegg of Fairport Convention, Billy
Lively of Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance, Pat Donaldson of Fotheringay, Bob Weston
of Fleetwood Mac and even Reggae artist Junior Murvin. Not to be outdone by
these band playing upstarts – the Backing Singers included a neat roll call too
- Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle of Gallagher & Lyle, famed session lady
Sue Glover, Sunny Wheatman of 6ts female duo act Sue & Sunny, Kay Gardner
of The Ladybirds and the wonder-larynx of Claire Torry whose vocals blew
everyone away on Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig In The Sky" from 1973's
"The Dark Side Of The Moon".
Sandy's dreadful cover of
"Candle In The Wind" is an undoubted and much-derided clunker – and
one can only wonder what Island was thinking releasing it as a 7" single
to represent the album (four years after Elton's original nailed it in 1973).
I've only ever seen 'DJ Promo' copies of WIP 6391 (and they're rare) – so I
guess it was withdrawn and never made the stock copy stage. Far better is her
self-penned non-album B-side "Still Waters Run Deep" (Track 10 in the
Bonuses) – a jaunty tune with great female backing vocals that would surely
have fitted better on the LP rather than the mawkish "Candle...”. The slow
but wonderfully Soulful "Take Me Away" (credited as "Take Me
Away The Load" in the booklet for some reason) is one of my poisons – a
masterpiece that showcases her warm voice, songwriting talent and yet still
manages to modernise her sound (I'd love to know who plays that great lead
guitar - doesn’t sound like Richard Thompson). "One Way Donkey Ride"
is cited by fans as another nugget and rightly so.
It's not surprising that the
lushly-orchestrated "I'm A Dreamer" was chosen as the album's
representative track on the 2009 "Meet On The Ledge" 3CD Box Set
celebrating the Folk-Rock of Island Records – it's a highlight on here.
"All Our Days" has a touch of the Kate Bush in its ambitious
orchestration – a forgotten gem. "Silver Threads And Golden Needles"
was a minor hit for The Springfields (with Dusty Springfield) way back in
September 1962 (No. 20 in the US charts) while Linda Ronstadt covered it too on
her April 1969 debut solo LP "Hand Sown...Home Grown". Sandy's own UK
folk band Fotheringay would release a version of it on the belated album
project "Fotheringay 2" in 2008 – the supposed 2nd LP from 1970 that
never was. That 2008 version is similar to the languid feel of the "Rendezvous"
take just minus the colliery band backing (some prefer it). The
"Rendezvous" LP ends on "No More Sad Refrains" – a
sophisticated love song that is perhaps too loaded down with syrupy strings.
When you hear how good both
"Still Waters Run Deep" and the gorgeous ballad "Full Moon"
are ("...tonight is like the fist night we met...") – it's pretty
damn clear that mistakes were made in choosing "Gold Dust" or
"Candle In The Wind" as LP tracks instead. It's arguable that had
"Full Moon" been released as a UK 7" single – surely radio would
have picked up on its beauty? Her 'Demo' of "I'm A Dreamer" is hissy
for sure but that's more than wiped away by the delicacy of the performance –
her and a piano – gorgeous. The final two bonuses are cover versions – Little
Feat's "Easy To Slip" (from 1973's "Sailin Shoes") and Bryn
Haworth's "Moments" (from 1978's "Grand Arrival"). The
Little Feat cover just doesn't really work (they had such a unique sound) but
the beauty of Haworth's "Moments" makes for a more satisfying listen
– a sweet little melody with great guitar-work (I wish someone would pair
Haworth's A&M albums "Grand Arrival" from 1978 with 1979's
"Keep The Ball Rolling" onto 1CD).
After 1975's "Rising
For The Moon" and 1977's "Rendezvous" failed commercially – both
her former muckers Fairport Convention and Sandy Denny herself were dropped by
Island Records – out in the wilderness so to speak. After a freak accident in a
friend's home in the spring of the following year (she fell down some stairs) -
Sandy went into a coma and horribly - a brain haemorrhage took her not long
after.
Alexandra Elene MacLean
Denny passed 21 April 1978 – gone too soon – a voice many considered too
beautiful for words. This last stab at commerciality might have offended
purists at the time with its cod Reggae and overdone productions in places. But
over time – the beauty-moments on "Rendezvous" have revealed
themselves to be more than the whole. And it's a cheap too as a Remaster.
"...Miss you more than
I can say..." - Sandy sang on the beautiful love song "Full
Moon". Set up a meeting with this underrated and forgotten album...because
I reckon the good bits are going to improve your listening world big time...
PS: see reviews for
"Fotheringay" (1970) and her 1972 debut on Island Records
"Sandy"
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