Description
Margarita Mimi Baez Fariña (April 30, 1945 – July 18, 2001) was an American singer-songwriter and activist, the youngest of three daughters to a Scottish mother and Mexican-American physicist Albert Baez. She was the younger sister of the singer and activist Joan Baez.
Richard George Fariña (March 8, 1937 – April 30, 1966) was an American folksinger, songwriter, poet and novelist. Fariña was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States, the son of an Irish mother, Theresa Crozier, and a Cuban father of Galician origin, also named Richard Fariña.
A posthumous collection of odds and ends, this actually holds considerable appeal for anyone who likes their pair of fully realized albums. The 12 songs include a few studio outtakes, a few solo turns by Mimion compositions written by Richard but incompletely recorded at the time of his death, a couple performances from the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, and a couple of Joan Baez tracks from sessions for an aborted album Richard was producing with her. These leftovers are generally up to the standard of the two “real” albums, especially “The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood” (covered by Fairport Convention) and “Morgan the Pirate” (a farewell to Bob Dylan, according to the sketchy liner notes). The two cuts by Baez (which Richard wrote or co-wrote), especially the compellingly melancholy “All The World Has Gone By,” are excellent, leading one to wonder if the projected album they came from would have been one of Baez‘s best if it had been completed. These may be leftovers, but it’s a worthwhile collection nonetheless.
Memories was released two years after Richard Farina died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 29. A burgeoning yet unheralded musical demi-genius, Richard, and his likewise exceptionally talented bride, Mimi, have to be among the saddest romances in the history of music. A rarely told and rarely heard love story concerning cutting-edge progressive folk music, an Appalachian dulcimer, and one hell of a lyricist. I can only hope their union in life was as beautiful as their musical one, and by all accounts, it was, making the story all the more tragic.
Tracklist:
1 Richard And Mimi Fariña*– The Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood
Arranged By [With Orchestra Arranged], Conductor [Conducted By] – Peter Schickele
Vocals – Mimi*
Written-By – R. Fariña*
Arranged By [With Orchestra Arranged], Conductor [Conducted By] – Peter Schickele
Vocals – Mimi*
Written-By – R. Fariña* 4:16
2 Richard And Mimi Fariña*– Joy ‘Round My Brain
Bass – Russ Savakus
Drums – Al Rogers
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Harmonica – John Hammond*
Piano – Charles Small*
Vocals – Mimi And Richard*
Written-By – R. Fariña*
Bass – Russ Savakus
Drums – Al Rogers
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Harmonica – John Hammond*
Piano – Charles Small*
Vocals – Mimi And Richard*
Written-By – R. Fariña* 3:45
3 Richard And Mimi Fariña*– Lemonade Lady
Bass – Russ Savakus
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Vocals – Mimi And Richard*
Written-By – R. Fariña*
Bass – Russ Savakus
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Vocals – Mimi And Richard*
Written-By – R. Fariña* 2:00
4 Richard And Mimi Fariña*– Downtown (Instrumental)
Written-By – R. Fariña*
Written-By – R. Fariña* 1:34
5 Richard And Mimi Fariña*– Almond Joy
Bass – Russ Savakus
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Piano – Charles Small*
Vocals – Richard*
Written-By – R. Fariña*
Bass – Russ Savakus
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Piano – Charles Small*
Vocals – Richard*
Written-By – R. Fariña* 2:11
6 Richard And Mimi Fariña*– Blood Red Roses
Vocals – Mimi And Richard*
Written-By – R. Fariña*
Vocals – Mimi And Richard*
Written-By – R. Fariña* 2:29
7 Richard And Mimi Fariña*– Morgan The Pirate
Leader [Ensemble Led By] – Grady Martin
Vocals – Mimi*
Written-By – R. Fariña*
Leader [Ensemble Led By] – Grady Martin
Vocals – Mimi*
Written-By – R. Fariña* 5:45
8 Richard And Mimi Fariña*– Dopico; Celebration For A Grey Day (Instrumental)
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Washtub Bass – Fritz Richmond
Written-By – R. Fariña*
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Washtub Bass – Fritz Richmond
Written-By – R. Fariña* 6:34
9 Richard And Mimi Fariña*– House Un-American Blues Activity Dream
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Jew’s Harp [Mouth Harp] – Kyle Garahan
Vocals – Mimi And Richard*
Washtub Bass – Fritz Richmond
Written-By – R. Fariña*
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Jew’s Harp [Mouth Harp] – Kyle Garahan
Vocals – Mimi And Richard*
Washtub Bass – Fritz Richmond
Written-By – R. Fariña* 3:50
10 Joan Baez– A Swallow Song
Producer – Richard Fariña*
Written-By – R. Fariña*
Producer – Richard Fariña*
Written-By – R. Fariña* 2:45
11 Joan Baez– All The World Has Gone By
Music By – Joan Baez
Producer – Richard Fariña*
Words By – Kim Chappell, Richard Fariña*
Music By – Joan Baez
Producer – Richard Fariña*
Words By – Kim Chappell, Richard Fariña* 3:40
12 Richard And Mimi Fariña*– Pack Up Your Sorrows
Bass – Russ Savakus
Drums – Al Rogers
Guitar – Bruce Langhorne
Piano – Charles Small*
Vocals – Mimi And Richard*
Written-By – Pauline Marden, Richard Fariña*
Video: Richard and Mimi Fariña – Joy ’round my brain 1968
