Irish Music

[Fiach]

I want to post a couple of videos of Luke Kelly and Ronnie Drew, Both , also deceased members of The Dubliners, Luke Kelly, probably our most famous "folk ballad" singer, performs the first song, Scorn not his Simplicity, a song written about Phil Coulters Downes Syndrome son. I chose this version as its a very intimate live performance of the song.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=102682056426939#

The next is Luke again, with Raglan Road, It is a poem by Patrick Kavanagh it captures a place in time in the early 1900's Ireland as it weaves a story of love. The bands songs were liberally sprinkled with quaint 18th/19th centuary phrases which are quite endearing compared to some of the stuff you hear nowadays.


Luke Kelly Raglan Road

The Dubliners were famed for their drinking, Ronnie Drew famously said " The best pint of the day was the first one, as it removes the taste of toothpaste from your mouth". This song, The Parting Glass is an irish drinking song about a man leaving the pub and asking for a "parting" glass. It's sung by Ronnie Drew An appropriate song, I think, to end this post with as Luke, Ronnie and Barney are no longer with us :(

Dubliners - The Parting Glass

While supremely popular here in Ireland, they would have considered Germany as their second home, such was their popularity there, we had a pub on the west coast of Ireland and had a huge german customer base, it would be a common sight to see german tourists lining up at night to perform their renditions of well known Dubliner songs.

Hope this was as entertaining for you to read, as it was for me to write, it was a nice nostalgic trip for me to take :)

[Fiach]

Well, the Dubliners songs could be pretty lively, but I chose those songs as they are deep and probably represented the singers in their best light. It was more an illustration of the singers themselves, rather than the "band".

Here is a nice video of The Dubliners performing The Irish Rover alongside The Pogues, its kinda like the old guard handing the torch to the new kids on the block. I think its a great song about a boat, with some great irish exaggeration on the boats cargo and its size, its an interesting story with lots of characters names mentioned even the captains dog.

The Irish Rover

On the Fourth of July, 1806
We set sail from the sweet Cove of Cork   (South West coast of Ireland)
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
For the Grand City Hall in New York
'Twas a wonderful craft
She was rigged fore and aft
And oh, how the wild wind drove her
She stood several blasts
She had twenty seven masts
And they called her The Irish Rover

We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags   (Sligo is a town on the West Coast of Ireland where I was born)
We had two million barrels of bones
We had three million bales of old nanny goats tails
We had four million barrels of stones
We had five million dogs
six million hogs
Seven million barrels of porter                   (porter = Guinness)
We had eight million sides of old blind horses hides
In the hold of the Irish Rover

There was awl Mickey Coote              (awl = old)
Who played hard on his flute    (flute is a kinda pun for penis)
And the ladies lined up for a set
He would tootle with skill
For each sparkling quadrille  (Quadrille is a four person dance, kinda like american square dancing)
Though the dancers were fluther'd and bet   (flutered = drunk, Bet = tired)
With his smart witty talk
He was cock of the walk
As he rolled the dames under and over
They all knew at a glance
When he took up his stance
That he sailed in The Irish Rover

There was Barney McGee
From the banks of the Lee   (Lee a river in Cork)
There was Hogan from County Tyrone    (Tyrone a place in N Ireland)
There was Johnny McGurk
Who was scared stiff of w@&k
And a man from Westmeath called Malone   (Westmeath is in central Ireland)
There was Slugger O'Toole
Who was drunk as a rule
And Fighting Bill Tracy from Dover    (Dover is on the coast of england)
And your man, Mick McCann
From the banks of the Bann          (River Bann in N Ireland)
Was the skipper of the Irish Rover

For a sailor its' always a bother in life
It's so lonesome by night and by day
That he longs for the shore
and a pretty young whore
Who will melt all his troubles away
Oh, the noise and the rout
Swillin' poiteen and stout   (poiteen is irish moonshine whiskey, Stout is Guinness)
For him soon the torment's over
Of the love of a maid he is never afraid
An old salt from the Irish Rover

We had sailed seven years
When the measles broke out
And the ship lost its way in the fog
And that whale of a crew
Was reduced down to two
Just myself and the Captain's old dog
Then the ship struck a rock
Oh Lord! what a shock
The bulkhead was turned right over
Turned nine times around
And the poor old dog was drowned (1,2,3!)
I'm the last of The Irish Rover


The Pogues With The Dubliners

[Fiach]

There is a band called The Young Dubliners


Foggy Dew (clicky)

Twas down the glen one Easter morn
to a city fair rode I
There Armed lines of marching men
in squadrons passed me by
No fife did hum nor battle drum
did sound it's dread tattoo
But the Angelus bell o'er the Liffey swell
rang out o'er the foggy dew

Right proudly high over Dublin Town
they hung out the flag of war
'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky
than at Sulva or Sud El Bar   (this is a place in which a huge battle was fought in WWI)
And from the plains of Royal Meath
strong men came hurrying through
While Britannia's Huns, with their long range guns
sailed in through the foggy dew

'Twas Engalnd bade our Wild Geese go  (Wild Geese were survivors of an irish rebellion that were exiled)
that small nations might be free (They fought in a lot of foreign wars of independance)
But their lonely graves are by Sulva's waves
or the fringe of the Great North Sea
Oh, had they died by Pearse's side  (padraic Pearse an irish rebel)
or fought with Cathal Brugha   (an Irish general)
Their names we will keep where the fenians sleep  (fenian = irish rebel)
'neath the shroud of the foggy dew

But the bravest fell, and the requiem bell
rang mournfully and clear
For those who died that Eastertide
in the spring time of the year
And the world did gaze, with deep amaze,
at those fearless men, but few
Who bore the fight that freedom's light
might shine through the foggy dew



The Young Dubliners -- The Foggy Dew

Follow me up to Carlow (clicky)

Lift MacCahir Og your face
You're brooding o'er you're old disgrace
That black FitzWilliam stormed your place, (Black Fitzwilliam an english general)
He sent you to the Fern.  ( refers to MaCahir Og, his castle was stormed and he had to flee into the forest)
Grey said victory was sure  (Grey an english officer)
Soon the firebrand he'd secure;
Until he met at Glenmalure
With Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne (clicky).

Curse and swear Lord Kildare,
Fiach will do what Fiach will dare
Now FitzWilliam, have a care
Fallen is your star, low.   (refers to Fitzwilliams fall from frace with the english monarchy)
Up with halberd out with sword
On we'll go for by the lord
Fiach MacHugh has given the word,
Follow me up to Carlow.

From Tassagart to Clonmore,
There flows a stream of Saxon gore   (saxon = english)
Oh, great is Rory Oge O'More,
At sending loons to Hades.
White is sick and Grey is fled,   (White and Grey = english generals)
And now for black FitzWilliam's head
We'll send it over, dripping red,
To Liza and her ladies.   (Liza = Queen Elizabeth I)

Curse and swear Lord Kildare,
Fiach will do what Fiach will dare
Now FitzWilliam, have a care
Fallen is your star, low.
Up with halberd out with sword
On we'll go for by the lord
Fiach MacHugh has given the word,
Follow me up to Carlow.

Curse and swear Lord Kildare,
Fiach will do what Fiach will dare
Now FitzWilliam, have a care
Fallen is your star, low.
Up with halberd out with sword
On we'll go for by the lord
Fiach MacHugh has given the word,
Follow me up to Carlow.

See the swords of Glen Imayle, (Glen of Immal there was a huge battle there)
They flash all o'er the English pale, (Pale was the english stronghold around Dublin)
See all the children of the Gael,
Beneath O'Byrne's banners
Rooster of the fighting stock,
Would you let a Saxon cock
Crow out upon an Irish rock?
Fly up and we'll teach him manners.

Curse and swear Lord Kildare,
Fiach will do what Fiach will dare
Now FitzWilliam, have a care
Fallen is your star, low.
Up with halberd out with sword
On we'll go for by the lord
Fiach MacHugh has given the word,
Follow me up to Carlow.

Curse and swear Lord Kildare,
Fiach will do what Fiach will dare
Now FitzWilliam, have a care
Fallen is your star, low.
Up with halberd out with sword
On we'll go for by the lord
Fiach MacHugh has given the word,
Follow me up to Carlow.

Follow Me Up To Carlow

[Fiach]

Horslips a great Celtic Rock band from the 70's.

Dearg Doom (a song about an irish folklore here called Cu Chullain (clicky), Dearg means Red, so the song is about him going into a berzerker frenzy in battle):

My love is colder than black marble by the
Sea.
My heart is older than the cold oak tree.
I am the flash of silver in the sun.
When you see me coming you had better
Run...run...run...
From Dearg Doom.

You speak in whispers of the devils I have
Slain,
By the fire of my silver Devil's Blade,
And still you dare to flaunt yourself at me.
I don't want you, I don't need you,
I don't love you, can't you see
I'm Dearg Doom.

And when the stars go out
You can hear me shout
"Two heads are better than none,
One hundred heads are so much better
Than one".

I'm a boy who was born blind to pain
And, like a hawk, I'll swoop and
Swoop again.
I am the flash of hawkeye in the sun.
When you see me coming you had
Better run...run...run...

Horslips - Dearg Doom

Sword of Light (Two people from irish folklore Diarmuid and Grainne (clicky) , the lovers were on the run from the king, the story kinda resembles King Arthur, Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere)

Use both your hands to hold me.
Tight! Tighter than you should.
My heart is cold as steel
But my body's flesh and blood.
Walking hand in hand with silver,
Close as gold to kiss,
Only lovers left alive
And they're swallowed in the mist.

I'm your Sword of Light.
Won't you be mine tonight.
I'm your Sword of Light tonight,
Going to scorch you deep inside,
Make you glad to be alive
Because I'm your Sword of Light.

Wrap tight your cloak around me
And I'll whisper close my dreams.
My home is such a long way
And I'm older than I seem.
I've come a long way with the good news;
I know you need my help.
But don't ask me to be your guide
I'm a stranger here myself.

I'm your Sword of Light.
Won't you be mine tonight.
I'm your Sword of Light tonight,
Going to scorch you deep inside,
Make you glad to be alive
Because I'm your Sword of Light.

Use both your hands to hold me.
Tight! and tighter should.
My heart is cold as steel
But my body's flesh and blood.
Walking hand in hand with silver,
Close as gold to kiss,
Only lovers left alive
And they're swallowed in the mist

Horslips - Sword of Light

[Fiach]

In Tua an 80's irish band with a more modern fusion of rock with traditional irish instruments.

Seven into the sea

Switch on, switch on to me
It's time I had my say
Take all those rumours and
Kiss them all goodbye

Fate's not an invention
Of a simple, soulless mind
So jump, get in, and let's get high
Listen to what I say

No, who can tell me?
No, you can tell me

You're my seven into the sea
You're my seven into the sea
You're my seven

It's in there round the town
That you have lost your way
These rumours will never be
The stream is getting steady from no end

Who can tell me?
No, you can tell me

You're my seven into the sea
You're my seven into the sea
Remember these seven into the sea again

Switch on, switch on to me
And I have got the power
We're chasing budgets, losing shapes
They simply got off line

You're my seven into the sea
We'll never be seven into the sea again
You're my seven into the sea
You're my seven, aiaiaiaiaiai

Seven, aiaiaiaiaiai
Seven, aiaiaiaiaiai
Not be
We'll not be
And it can't be
Forever into seven


Seven Into The Sea - In Tua Nua

[Binnatics]

I was posting in the "Classic music videos" topic while you must have modified your post:

http://www.openworldgames.org/owg/forums/index.php?topic=2744.msg50980#msg50980

I'll take the time for the rest of the songs you posted here already ;) :-X
I really like them ^-^

[Binnatics]

Lord Fiach, is it appropriate to post a bit Sinead O'Connor here? I think she could be representing late 80's begin 90's?  :-D

By the way, there are so many Irish musicians that stole our hearts, didn't even think of U2

[Binnatics]

Drunken Sailer - Irish Rovers

This song was used by my teacher at primary school when we received our first English lessons. I remember how we all liked the way they pronounced "Earlaai in the morning"  :)

[Fiach]

LOL! I love that song, some mates of mine used to do a heavy metal version of it back in the 80's 

LORD... someone's been hitting the clickys :) Actually (my) Fiach was my dogs name, its gaelic for hunt (also for debt, so it was kind of appropriate for the dog and me).  >:D

U2 have a song with uilleann pipes, I'll have to root out the album to see which it was.

Sinead O Connor, at your service :)

He moved through the fair, (a beautiful haunting ballad that very few people can sing as well as Sinead, it was originally called SHE Moved through the fair, to be sung by a man).

My young love said to me, 'My mother won't mind,
And my father won't slight you for your lack of kind,'
He went away from me and this he did say,
'It will not be long, love, till our wedding day.'

He went away from me and he moved through the fair,
And slowly I watched him move here and move there,
He went his way homeward with one star awake,
As the swan in the evening moves over the lake.

The people were saying no two were e'er wed
But one has a sorrow that never was said,
And I smiled as she passed with her goods and her gear,
And that was the last that I saw of my dear.

I dreamt last night that my young love came in,
He came in so sweetly, his feet made no din;
He stepped up beside me, and this he did say,
'It will not be long love, till our wedding day.'

Sinéad O'Connor - She moved through the Fair - Sult 1997

[Fiach]

Boston based band The Dropkick Murphys.

Shipping off to Boston

I'm Shipping Up To Boston - Dropkick Murphys

Going Out in Style (A finneagns wake kinda song about a guys wishes for his funeral):

I've seen a lot of sights and traveled many miles
Shook a thousand hands and seen my share of smiles
I've caused some great concern and told one too many lies
And now I see the world through these sad, old, jaded eyes

So what if I threw a party and all my friends were there?
Acquaintances, relatives, the girls who never cared
You'll have a host of rowdy hooligans in a big line out the door
Side by side with sister barbara, chief wells and Bobby Orr  (Bobby Orr famous Hockey player)

I'd invite the flannigans
Replace the window you smashed out
I'd apologize to sluggo for pissing on his couch
I'll see mrs. Mcauliffe and so many others soon
Then I'll say I'm sorry for what I did sleepwalking in her room

So what if I threw a party and invited Mayor Menino?
He'd tell you to get a permit
Well this time Tom I don't think so
It's a neighborhood reunion
But now we'd get along

Van Morrison would be there and he'd sang me one last song
With a backup band of bass players to keep us up all night
Three handsome four string troubadours and Newton's old Fat Mike
I'll be in the can having a smoke with Garv and Johnny Fitz
But there's a backup in the bathroom 'cause the badger's got the shits

You may bury me with an enemy in mount calvary
You can stack me on a pyre and soak me down with whiskey
Roast me to a blackened crisp and throw me in a pile
I could really give a s#!t - I'm going out in style

You can take my urn to fenway spread my ashes all about    (Fenway is an Ice Hockey stadium in Boston)
Or you can bring me down to wolly beach and dump the sucker out
Burn me to a rotten crisp and toast me for a while
I could really give a s#!t - I'm going out in style

Make me up dress me up, feed me a big old shot
Of embalming fluid highballs so i don't start to rot
Now take me to Mcgreevy's, i wanna buy one final round
What cheap prick would peel an orange in his pocket
Then hurry up and suck 'em down

If there's a god the girls you loved will all come walking through the door
Maybe they'll feel bad for me and this stiff will finally score
You've got the bed already
And nerve and courage too
Cause i've been slugging from a stash of Desi Queally's 1980s bathtub brew

You may bury me with an enemy in mount calvary
You can stack me on a pyre and soak me down with whiskey
Roast me to a blackened crisp and throw me in a pile
I could really give a s#!t - I'm going out in style

You can take my urn to fenway spread my ashes all about
Or you can bring me down to wolly beach and dump the sucker out
Burn me to a rotten crisp and toast me for a while
I could really give a s#!t - I'm going out in style

You may bury me with an enemy in mount calvary
You can stack me on a pyre and soak me down with whiskey
Roast me to a blackened crisp and throw me in a pile
I could really give a s#!t - I'm going out in style

You can take my urn to fenway spread my ashes all about
Or you can bring me down to wolly beach and dump the sucker out
Burn me to a rotten crisp and toast me for a while
I could really give a s#!t - I'm going out in style

You may bury me with an enemy in mount calvary
You can stack me on a pyre and soak me down with whiskey
Roast me to a blackened crisp and throw me in a pile
I could really give a s#!t - I'm going out in style

You can take my urn to fenway spread my ashes all about
Or you can bring me down to wolly beach and dump the sucker out
Burn me to a rotten crisp and toast me for a while
I could really give a s#!t - I'm going out in style

You may bury me with an enemy in mount calvary
You can stack me on a pyre and soak me down with whiskey
Roast me to a blackened crisp and throw me in a pile
I could really give a s#!t - I'm going out in style

Spread all my ashes about
Dump the sucker out
Toast me for a while
I'm going out in style


Going Out In Style (Uncensored) - Dropkick Murphys

[PZ]

I feel like Art, or maybe I'm in Germany  ????

I can't access the Dropkick Murphys video due to content rights 

[Art Blade]

I really, really would have liked to say that I was able to watch them  :-D But of course, it is being blocked by GEMA. :D

[PZ]

Soon we won't be able to watch anything on YouTube  :-()

[Fiach]

Sorry to hear that guys, see if you can listen to it here

Shipping up to Boston

http://www.myspace.com/music/player?sid=554450&ac=now

[Fiach]

Flogging Molly

Kiss my Irish a$$

Oh the churchbells are ringin' in the schoolyard,
And we all went out those days
The bully said "Mick would you fancy a rumble?"
I said "Yes, it's time to play!"

Oh the nuns and the priests they grabbed their
Rosaries
As they pulled our bodies apart
The bully said "Mick you lost the fight, but you
gained my respect!
You fight with so much heart!"

We're as stubborn as mules
With our blood on fire
When we ain't at Sunday mass
We'll look any man straight in his eyes and say
Kiss my Irish a$$!
You better kiss my Irish a$$!

Oh the husbands and wives, they had a neighborhood
pack
They called 'em "Maggies White Trash Band" (White
Trash!)
I was way too young to understand that
But if I did, I'd given right back

Oh me dad, he'd be drunk on the lawn,
Yelling and screaming like he do
Sometimes my old man felt what he was feeling,
Sometimes Mr. Mackey(not sure on the name) spoke the
truth

We're as stubborn as mules
With our blood on fire
When we ain't at Sunday mass
We'll look any man straight in his eyes and say
Kiss my Irish a$$!
You better kiss my Irish a$$!

Oh me grandpa passed through Ellis Island,
From the greatest of the Motherlands
For he worked, provided for his family
He was a dedicated welding man
And he knew right from wrong like day and night,
He could whip any fool in a bareknuckle fight
He talked of country like he preached of God,
One hell of an Irishman!

We're as stubborn as mules
With our blood on fire
When we ain't at Sunday mass
We'll look any man straight in his eyes and say
Kiss my Irish a$$!
You better kiss my Irish a$$!


Oooohh, I'm of a distant relation to John Redman,
He was one of the greatest Irish Rebels of his day
One bastrard to another, on down the line
And this is what my son will say:

We're as stubborn as mules
With our blood on fire
When we ain't at Sunday mass
We'll look any man straight in his eyes and say
Kiss my Irish a$$!
We're as stubborn as mules
With our blood on fire
When we ain't at Sunday mass
We'll look any man straight in his eyes and say
Kiss my Irish a$$!
You better kiss my Irish a$$!
Flogging Molly - Kiss my Irish a$$

[Fiach]

The Pogues

Fairytale of New York

It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won't see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you

Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true

They've got cars big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It's no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me

You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night

The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing "Galway Bay"
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day

You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God it's our last

I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone
I've built my dreams around you


The Pogues - Fairytale of New York

[Binnatics]

Glad Holland still F****s up copyright stuff; I can see them videos >:D

Great posts. I had a colleague mad about Dropkick Murphy's and he told me about the cross over between 'traditional Irish music' and Rock, which works out very fine :-X ^-^

Back then I was a bit distracted by the new Slayer album I guess, but I do like this :)

[Fiach]

Back then I was a bit distracted by the new Slayer album I guess, but I do like this :)

I can see how that would happen :)

[PZ]

There is something magical about music that transcends borders and gives insight into the culture of a people.  Music tells the truth about people that politicians can only aspire to.

[Fiach]

LOL at PZ's naivety using words like politician and truth in the same sentence  >:D 8-X

[Binnatics]

 

But leave politician out of that phrase and I agree totally. Music touches you because of what you are and have been.

Yesterday I talked with my mother about the tears we shed when reading stories to kids. She always started crying when reading me the book "Without Family" (Hector Malot) to me, until she finally decided to stop reading it. I found that annoying when I was a kid. Now, almost 35, I start crying reading children's books to my daughter and I understand her :-[

Flogging Molly: Kiss my Irish a$$

What a great song!!!! The guitar does that same magic to me as Big Country did.  ;)

[Fiach]

My dad used to sing this song to me when I was growing up, I cry my eyes out now if I listen to it all.

ELVIS VIDEO OLD SHEP

[Binnatics]

That song IS intense  ???

Another song came to my mind, to give the topic a small happy push :-D

The Baseballs - Umbrella (New Video) - www.thebaseballs.com

[PZ]

 :-X @ all

[Fiach]

That song IS intense  ???

Another song came to my mind, to give the topic a small happy push :-D

The Baseballs - Umbrella (New Video) - [url=http://www.thebaseballs.com]www.thebaseballs.com[/url]

I think they were on tour here awhile back mate  :-X