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You Never Wanted Me

[Jackson C. Frank]

Jackson C. Frank’s original version of his song You Never Wanted Me can be found on his 1965 LP Blues Run the Game. His album’s liner notes commented:

It’s very hard to admit to your own failings in a love affair that is ended, and thereby retain perspective, and this work says so, very plainly. Just as we seek to blame anything other than ourselves it turns to a somewhat bitter-sweet ending that is more compromise than truth—“You never wanted me, and now I feel the same…” A hopeless self-justification with you “back against the wall”.

Sandy Denny recorded her then boyfriend’s song three times:

  1. for the first time solo with her acoustic guitar in Copenhagen, Denmark in summer 1967. This was released on Alex Campbell and His Friends, on The Original Sandy Denny, in 2004 on the 5CD Fledg’ling anthology A Boxful of Treasures, and in 2005 on Where the Time Goes.
  2. Sandy Denny recorded this song live with the Johnny Silvo Four in June 1967 for the BBC World Service programme “The Johnny Silvo Four” broadcast in early January 1968. This recording was published in 2007 on her 3CD+DVD set Live at the BBC.
  3. The third version with Fairport Convention was recorded on 28 May 1968 for John Peel’s “Top Gear” radio programme and broadcast on 2 June 1986. It was produced by Bernie Andrews. This recording was released on the Heyday cassette and Island CD version, on the Who Knows Where the Time Goes? boxed set, on Ashley Hutchings’ CD The Guv’nor Vol. 2, and in 2007 on Fairport’s 4CD set Live at the BBC.

Lyrics

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