Let it roll

[darkhorse]

I know Sir Frankie Crisp was the one who built Friar Park, and I also know he was an English liberal politician, and that he built that enormous thing that's now George Harrison's house... He must have had some special thing, because George dedicated him one of my favourite tracks from "All Things Must Pass", "The Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)"...

I've had some problems understanding the content of that song, since I don't know the whole story about the man who inspired it... And also the lyrics contain some Traditional English expressions...

Does anybody here know the story of Sir Frankie Crisp? Please help me with that, and also post here your comments about that particular song, which is, in my humble opinion, one of the best tracks inside one of the best George Harrison albums...

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"I'm a dark horse
Running on a dark race course"

[bearkat77]

One song from the pre-production session of ATMP was "Everybody, Nobody". Portions of it became integrated with "The Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp". The chant of "Oh Sir Frankie Crisp" was buried in that final mix.

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[bearkat77]

Here's the lyrics for "The Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp".

Let it roll across the floor,
Through the hall and out the door.
To the fountain of perpetual mirth,
Let it roll for all it's worth.

Find me where ye echo lays,
Lose ye bodies in the maze.
See the Lord and all the mouths he feeds,
Let it rollamong the weeds.
Let it roll.

(Sir Frankie Crisp)
(Sir Frankie Crisp)
(Sir Frankie Crisp)
(Sir Frankie Crisp)

Let it roll down through the caves,
Ye long walksof coole and shades.
Through ye woods here may ye rest awhile,
Handkerchiefs to match your tie.
Let it roll.

Let it roll, let it roll,
Let it roll, let it roll.

Fools illusions ev´rywhere,
Joan and Molly sweeps the stairs.
Eyes that shining full of inner light,
Let it roll into the night.

(Sir Frankie Crisp)
(Sir Frankie Crisp)
(Sir Frankie Crisp)

Let it roll, (Sir Frankie Crisp)
Let it roll.

Let it roll, (Sir Frankie Crisp)
Let it roll.

Let it roll, (Sir Frankie Crisp)
Let it roll.

(Sir Frankie Crisp)

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[This message has been edited by bearkat77 (edited May 13, 2001 at 08:47 PM).]

[FPSHOT]

I will tell you something about Froar Park and Sir Frank and leave the clarification of the writings of Sir Frank, which were the basis for various songs, to the English.

Sir Frank Crisp was a London solicitor, who created Friar Park, which was completed in 1889, having 120 rooms and various beautiful gardens.

Friar Park was called a beautiful example of high Victorian architecture in the style of Pugin.
The place is full of surprises. Round every corner you can come across a statue or quotations written on walls (see the lyrics of The Ballad Of ..) and there are various secret tunnels. It has a huge replica of the Matterhorn, contructed from trainloads of millstone grit.

Before George bought the place nuns lived at the Park. They had no money so when George got it in 1969, he had to do a lot of additios to make it as nice as before again.

He built FPSHOT, the studio, which oftehn was recognized as the world's most sophisticated private recording studio.

The "don't keep off the grass" writing inspired a London butcher in 1970 to give David Crosby a cardboard sign "all joints must be weighed".

George often sais he is inspired by Sir Frank, which e.g. made George a gardner, financing Christ Church in Henley and upkeeping with finance various other Henley churches and listed buildings.

The first verse of The Answer's at the end;

Scan not a friend with a microscopic glass
You know his faults, now let the foibles pass
Life is one long enigma, my friend
So read on, read on, the answer's at the end

comes from Sir Frank's writing on the wall. George siad it helped him not to judge friend and loved ones by their possible negative points ( do not scan a friend with a microscopic glass) and to be more forgiving.

I got some more on Frank and will add that later.

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The Star Club recording was the crummiest recording ever made in our name. It was a wild affair, we were just a bunch of drunken musicians grabbing guitars - George May 6, 1998

Sir Frank Crisp is credited as "Spirit" on the Dark Horse cut Ding Dong, Ding Dong.

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[FPSHOT]

Spirit is because some of the actual words came from a Lord Tennyson, written on the wall of the house.

The middle eight lyric is carved on the wall of the garden building;

Yesterday - today - was tomorrow
Tomorrow - today - will be yesterday

George writes in I Me Mine that he does not know of the origin on the middle eight words and adds 'Maybe Sir Frank know's ?'.

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"Scan not a friend with a microscopic glass.
You know his faults, now let the foibles pass"

[darkhorse]

Thank you all. You've been very helpful. Keep on posting if you still have something to say... http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/thumbsup.gif

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"I'm a dark horse
Running on a dark race course"

[bearkat77]

Let it http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/rolling2.gif

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[FPSHOT]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by darkhorse:
Keep on posting if you still have something to say... http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/thumbsup.gif

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

For the moment on this subject,

'That is all I want to say

Times I find it hard to say
With useless words getting in my way
Silence often says much more
Than trying to say what's been said before.'




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"Scan not a friend with a microscopic glass.
You know his faults, now let the foibles pass"

[FPSHOT]

Again, for those who did not see this yet, an interesting discussion about Sir Frank.

Join in.

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I feel it and my heart knows you're the one
The guiding light in all your love shines on
The only lover worth it all
Your love is forever.
George, 1979

[SF4-EVER]

Clayson discusses Sir Frank and Friar Park in his biography of George. Apparently Sir Frank had quite a sense of humor. On the exterior of the house is a carving of a friar carrying a frying pan with holes in it; over the carving is the legend "Two Holy Friars." Instead of a conventional light switch, there's a moveable nose set in a wooden friar's face. You have to wonder what the nuns thought of that.

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[Miss O'Dell]

My favorite part of Friar Park is the statue of the monk holdina a broken frying pan, with the inscription TWO HOLY FRIARS. Yuo can see it on the inside of 33 and a third.

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Why don't you call me, Miss O'Dell

[Hari's Chick]

FPSHOT, Thanks! That was very interesting about the house. Do you know, you mentioned there are 120 rooms, do you know what they are? Like, a breakdown...for example, bedrooms, game room, ball room...etc etc??? I would love to know!

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"There is nothing that isn't part of the complete whole. When the little 'i' merges into the big 'I' then you are really smiling!"

[bearkat77]

1 Bedroom
1 Den
1 Kitchen
1 Rec Room
116 Bathrooms

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[FPSHOT]

You will know that he had this huge glass building built aside of the old Friar Park mansion. Some interviews came from there in the Cloud 9 period and later with Anthology.

Ofcourse an important area in the house is 'me'.

I don't have a breakdown of the many rooms/areas, but will look if it is anywhere.

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I feel it and my heart knows you're the one
The guiding light in all your love shines on
The only lover worth it all
Your love is forever.
George, 1979

[This Message Has Been Edited By FPSHOT On March 02, 2002 10:36 PM]

[Hari's Chick]

"Ofcourse an important area in the house is 'me'."

Yes! What would we do without you! Thanks for looking for the breakdown. I am not familiar with the glass house! Cool!

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"There is nothing that isn't part of the complete whole. When the little 'i' merges into the big 'I' then you are really smiling!"

[This Message Has Been Edited By Hari's Chick On March 03, 2002 05:40 PM]

[This Message Has Been Edited By Hari's Chick On March 03, 2002 05:47 PM]

[Hari's Chick]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">Quote:</font><HR>Originally Posted By bearkat77:
1 Bedroom
1 Den
1 Kitchen
1 Rec Room
116 Bathrooms

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You are silly! Are you certain it's not 1 Den, 1 Kitchen, 1 Bathroom, and 117 Bedrooms/Rec Rooms????


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"There is nothing that isn't part of the complete whole. When the little 'i' merges into the big 'I' then you are really smiling!"

[old_moon_shining]

Got to agree about the bathrooms. Remember he was English. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/wink1.gif

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"I loved him from the first moment I met him and I shall miss his eyes, his laughter, his honesty and his wonderful guitar playing."

[FPSHOT]

..with one Kitchen?? No, must be different then.

Would be interesting to have a sort of map, but as said, George had made lot of changes over the years, so it is unlikely to ever get one.

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Since our problems have been our own creation
They also can be overcome
When we use the power provided free to everyone
This is love, this is la la la-la love
This is love, this is la la la-la love

[FPSHOT]

Still haven't found a map.

I wonder how many kitchen tables there are at Friar Park.

[Siobhan]

A map would be wonderful to see if one does exist.

Didn't he have a cinema built in Friar Park?

[onosideboards]

what an amazing building, and what an amazing song. "let it roll" has always been one of my fave george songs. i guess i like the idea of this old guy and his house and how george was going to carry on that eccentric tradition. but to top it off, the melody, that haunting feel to it. absolutely beautiful.

i never noticed he actually says "sir frankie crisp" in there though.

as for the lyrics themselves, i always thought it was just george walking around the grounds and building thinking of what went on there before him.

[Legs]

Originally Posted By FPSHOT:
Still haven't found a map.

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Now that didn't take to long .

[Legs]

Originally Posted By onosideboards:


i never noticed he actually says "sir frankie crisp" in there though.

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">It's buried in the mix, George says "Sir Frankie Crisp" in a very deep voice.

[FPSHOT]

véry deep