"The Purple Dancer"

chriskisn · #1 05-07-2009, 08:19 PM

Purple Dancer & Dragonfly are certainly two of the better songs to come out of this period (and there were plenty). I don't understand why they aren't more readily available.

The fantastic discography on here (fleetwoodmac.net) says that Jeremy provides guitar and vocals to Dragonfly. Certainly Purple Dancer is more of a duet between Danny and Jeremy, each taking alternate verses.

If the discography is correct, then Dragonfly was written by Danny with W.H. Davies (wasn't it a poem by W.H. Davies?), and Purple Dancer was written by Danny, Mick and John.

http://discog.fleetwoodmac.net/songs...59&perfid=4025

http://discog.fleetwoodmac.net/songs...77&perfid=5200

chriskisn · #2 05-07-2009, 08:28 PM

To answer my own question, the 1927 original W.H. Davies Poem of Dragonfly was...

The Dragonfly

Now, when my roses are half buds, half flowers,
And loveliest, the king of flies has come-
It was a fleeting visit, all too brief;
In three short minutes he has seen them all,
And rested, too, upon an apple tree.

There, his round shoulders humped with emeralds,
A gorgeous opal crown set on his head,
And all those shining honours to his breast-
‘My garden is a lovely place’ though I,
‘But is it worthy of such a guest?’

He rested there, upon the apple leaf-
‘See, see,’ I cried amazed, ‘his opal crown,
And all those emeralds clustered around his head!’
‘His breast, my dear, how lovely was his breast-’
The voice of my Beloved quickly said.

‘See, see his gorgeous crown, that shines
With all those jewels bulging round its rim-’
I cried aloud at night, in broken rest.
Back came the answer quickly, in my dream-
‘His breast, my dear, how lovely was his breast!’

The Danny lyrics are:

And when the roses are half-bud soft flowers
And lovely as the king of flies has come
It was a fleeting visit, all too brief
In three short minutes, he had been and gone

He rested there upon an apple leaf
A gorgeous opal crown sat on his head
Although the garden is a lovely place
Was it worthy of so fine a guest

Oh...
Oh...
Oh...
Oh...

Dragonfly, dragonfly ...

I apologise for going slightly off on a tangent from the original Purple Dancer thread...

jeremy spencer · #3 05-07-2009, 08:40 PM

Hmmm. I hope I'm doing more than that!

Yes, I was present on some of the brainstorming of ideas for Purple Dancer, but the lyrics were from Jenny Boyd, Mick's wife at the time.
As a whole, we were hard pressed for lyrics with much of a meaning but 'la-la-la'. A major frustration for me. I had so much to say, but didn't know how to say it, and ... well, history.
I had nothing to do with 'Dragonfly', performance or lyrically. Words by W. H. Auden, I believe? Maybe not. Some British poet, anyway.
Just FYI!
Oops, someone beat me to the punch! W. H. Davies. That's it!

wetcamelfood · #4 05-07-2009, 09:08 PM

Thanks Jeremy, yes, I had only put you as appearing on Dragonfly by default since you were in the band at the time (since many records unfortunately don't specifially state who does what on each track) so we're left to do a lot of assuming and "defaults". Anyways, it's good to know now I can remove you from the performance notes for that then.

Please do point out any other inaccuracies you see there so we can fix those as well, we strive to be as accurate and thorough as we can!

Through research I had done when working on the Dragonfly song page I came up with W(illiam) H(enry) Davies as the poet (full name listed) in case that helps to clarify who it was.

Wow! Had no idea Jenny Boyd did the lyrics for PD, I guess I should add that in as well then!

John

Wouter Vuijk · #5 05-08-2009, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremy spencer

Yes, I was present on some of the brainstorming of ideas for Purple Dancer, but the lyrics were from Jenny Boyd, Mick's wife at the time.

Did / does she get any royalties for this??????

Almost Simon · #6 05-08-2009, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wouter Vuijk

Did / does she get any royalties for this??????

I doubt there'd be huge songwriting royalties for this tune seeing as it wasn't a hit nor was it on an album. Plus the publishing was split between several band members.

It wouldn't be the first time someone who's contributed hasn't received a credit. But i'm sure Mick would've given her something for her efforts.

chriskisn · #7 05-08-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almost Simon

But i'm sure Mick would've given her something for her efforts.

just not in the financial sense

sharksfan2000 · #8 05-08-2009, 09:15 AM

Is "The Purple Dancer" the only pre-Rumours track where two band members traded off singing lead vocals, as Danny and Jeremy did? Off hand, I can't think of another one.

bretonbanquet · #9 10-27-2009, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wouter Vuijk

Did / does she get any royalties for this??????

Sorry for dredging up an old thread - just found it

Wasn't the song credited to Spencer / Kirwan / Fleetwood? If so, that's where she got the credit, via Mick - that's my guess.

GJK · #10 10-29-2009, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bretonbanquet

Sorry for dredging up an old thread - just found it

Wasn't the song credited to Spencer / Kirwan / Fleetwood? If so, that's where she got the credit, via Mick - that's my guess.

No, it was credited to 'M.J.K. Fleetwood, J.G. McVie & D.D. Kirwan'.

'The purple dancer' has been my favourite (official) FM song since the early eighties. I'm still hoping for a cd release...
To my knowledge, 3 versions are available: the two on the "Madison Blues" CD and the 'official' version, released as the B-side of 'Dragonfly' and on a German (?) lp: "The Best of Fleetwood Mac".
I have the single and 4 or 5 copies of the album.

GJK

(Going to see Peter Green on Saturday October 31st!)

Wouter Vuijk · #11 10-29-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GJK

No, it was credited to 'M.J.K. Fleetwood, J.G. McVie & D.D. Kirwan'.

(Going to see Peter Green on Saturday October 31st!)

Veel plezier!!

bretonbanquet · #12 10-29-2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GJK

No, it was credited to 'M.J.K. Fleetwood, J.G. McVie & D.D. Kirwan'.

'The purple dancer' has been my favourite (official) FM song since the early eighties. I'm still hoping for a cd release...
To my knowledge, 3 versions are available: the two on the "Madison Blues" CD and the 'official' version, released as the B-side of 'Dragonfly' and on a German (?) lp: "The Best of Fleetwood Mac".
I have the single and 4 or 5 copies of the album.

GJK

(Going to see Peter Green on Saturday October 31st!)

So I was close! It still might explain how Jenny Boyd could have received a credit for it.

Those are the three versions that I know of, and I guess they stopped playing it live when (or before) Jeremy left. The 'best of' LP is German for sure. Was it never released on CD?

The Dragonfly / Purple Dancer single came out in the UK with no picture sleeve, and in Germany and Holland with a couple of cool sleeves. Does anyone know if it was released anywhere else?

Enjoy the gig

chiliD · #13 10-30-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bretonbanquet

The 'best of' LP is German for sure. Was it never released on CD?

I believe it was, but was taken out of print in fairly short order. I have the LP and have been looking for a CD copy for a number of years.

Another "rarity" on that LP is the original 45 mix of "World In Harmony". I don't think that has seen the light of day on CD (those Vaudeville Years and ShowBiz Blues set versions are outtakes or alternate mixes)

chiliD · #14 02-16-2011, 12:03 PM

Well, since we're digging up old threads, might as well add some more, too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bretonbanquet

.. and I guess they stopped playing it live when (or before) Jeremy left.

"Purple Dancer", yeah, probably, but they kept "Dragonfly" in the set well after Bob Welch joined. There's a video clip (BBC? Top Of The Pops?) of the Future Games/Bare Trees lineup playing "Dragonfly".

slipkid · #15 05-08-2009, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremy spencer

Hmmm. I hope I'm doing more than that!

Yes, I was present on some of the brainstorming of ideas for Purple Dancer, but the lyrics were from Jenny Boyd, Mick's wife at the time.
As a whole, we were hard pressed for lyrics with much of a meaning but 'la-la-la'. A major frustration for me. I had so much to say, but didn't know how to say it, and ... well, history.
I had nothing to do with 'Dragonfly', performance or lyrically. Words by W. H. Auden, I believe? Maybe not. Some British poet, anyway.
Just FYI!
Oops, someone beat me to the punch! W. H. Davies. That's it!

Thanks for your insight Jeremy. Since you responded, you are no longer "lurking".