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Jack o’ Diamonds

[Bob Dylan, Ben Carruthers]

Fairport Convention recorded Jack o’ Diamonds, with Judy Dyble singing, for their eponymous first album Fairport Convention, which was released in 1968.

A Fairport Convention BBC performance of Jack o’ Diamonds, this time with their new singer Sandy Denny, was recorded on 18 June 1968 and broadcast on 24 June 1968, on the David Symonds Show. It was also included in 2009 on their Island 4 CD box Live at the BBC.

Another Fairport Convention with Sandy Denny performance has never been released on CD. It was recorded on 6 January 1969 and broadcast on 20 January 1969 on “Radio One Club” on BBC Radio 1.

Simon Edwards sang Jack o’ Diamonds in 1997 on his, Pete Morton’s and Roger Wilson’s Harbourtown album Urban Folk Vol. II. He noted:

I learned this from Kev from The Boothill Foottappers, a Lonnie Donegan song, one of those useful songs you can still play after eight pints of psycho lager!