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If you went to folk clubs in the late 1960s or early 70s, you stood a good chance of hearing David Campbell's song Slightly Faded, From strange origins – apparently one man's sad story of taking second place to his girlfriend's prostitution – was crafted a song of real quality.
Campbell has acknowledged the popularity of the song at YouTube, where the version you find in this piece, recorded many years later, has now attracted 4.7k views, a big improvement on when the item first appeared three years ago.
An interesting character, Campbell was born in Pomeroon, a former Dutch plantation colony in what is now Guyana, the son of an Arawak father and Portuguese mother, but made Canada his home, barring a three-year stay in England . Read much more about him at
and
I'd be delighted to hear he if is still in good health and spirits into his early 80s.
From David Campbell's own Facebook pages
June 2021 update: here is a song that I performing in my folk club "floor singer" days. Whether or not the listeners also enjoyed the experience is, perhaps fortunately, not recorded. Ten years on from posting it here, I feel it is ready for another outing. Here is the singer-songwriter himself … I consider it a good YouTube find.
This is another of those songs I used to attempt to sing in my folk club days.
To my surprise, I came across a clip at YouTube, seen by all of 647 souls, posted by David Campbell, the song's writer, a couple of years ago.
He wrote then: "I'm aware of the irony involved…in my singing Slightly Faded…so many years after I wrote it in Britain … where I once lived…toured…and made records. However…there has been a consistent interest in this song…expressed by some of my friends in the UK to this day.
"This song was recorded by one or two groups in Britain…but for some reason I can't explain…not by myself. Slightly Faded is now available here…for all who kept faith in it…and for others who may belatedly connect with it. It was recorded and edited…just today."
David's words and clip prompted these comments, among others you'll find at YouTube:
* David – I have only just found this – fantastic. I first heard this in the sixties by Jacqui and Bridie – but till now never by yourself. It made a big impression_ on me when I first heard it.The new version is excellent – Thanks John gregsonswell
* It continues to surprise me, the way this song continues to be of interest to some… especially in Britain. I have written hundreds and hundreds of songs since I wrote this one. I think what pertained in a person's life when they heard a song…sometimes seems to be a factor in their attachment to a given song…or a song representing an era in their lives in some way. Who knows? – David.
* Great song. I fell in love with an Irish-named lady on Conway Street, Birkenhead in circa 1972, who played a fantastic hammer guitar version of this song – sternecaugek.
I always thought I had learned the song from a David Campbell record, and it was not Jacqui and Bridie but a male singer whose version inspired me.
I would have liked to read an explanation of the lyrics, which appear to me and others to be narrated by a man who discovers his girlfriend is a prostitute.
Common belief 40 years ago was that it was based on a true story from David's life.
All these years on, the writer's version is markedly different to how I used to sing it, and indeed how Jacqui and Bridie did. But it's his song for heaven's sake … I was chuffed to bits to locate it.
At YouTube, David describes himself thus: born in Guyana, South America, of Arawak Indian and Portuguese ancestry. Resident of Vancouver, Canada.
Occupation: Songwriter/singer/Guitarist/Poet/Video Maker
Interests: Walking/blogging/making walking sticks/story telling. 2 Life Time Achievement Awards…5 Books.
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