It's St. Patrick's Day. Because it's a little too early to pop open a Guinness (at least for me), how about a nice Irish (sort of) musical sampler?
All of these tunes are a) done by musicians from Ireland b) done by musicians who sound like they're from Ireland or c) make me want to drink a Guinness.
- Black Boys On Mopeds - Sinead O'Conner
Injustice never sounded so beautiful (though Marley's "Redemption Song" comes close)
- Emerald - Thin Lizzy
My favorite Lizzy album is Jailbreak, but the live version of "Emerald" from Live and Dangerous (which I bought in 1978 at Deorsey's Records in Waterville, Maine...why the heck do I remember this stuff?) is superior. I still miss Phil Lynott.
- Amazing Grace - Dropkick Murphy's
From their hellacious record Live on St. Patrick's Day from Boston, MA at the Avalon Ballroom. A great CeltiPunkified version of the old favorite.
- She Moved Through The Fair - Loreena McKennitt
The first time I heard this rendition was on a morning drive...had to sit in the car for quite a while before they (thankfully) informed me that I'd been listen to McKennitt's Elemental.
- Band Played Walzing Matilda - The Pogues
Rum, Sodomy & The Lash was produced by Elvis Costello and just might be the finest Pogues recording out there (though applying the word fine to the Pogues seems wrong somehow).
- Irish Drinking Song - Buck O Nine
Yessiree, it's definitely the 'big stupid' of Irish drinking songs. It's also funny as hell.
And there you have it. I left out all sorts of 'authentic' Irish music, but hey, I'm only a quarter Irish anyway.
Six hours 'til corned beef.
(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)
Article comments
1 - Jim S
"James Connoly" by Black 47 (from The Fire Of Freedom)
"Bobby Sands MP" by Black 47 (from Home of The Brave, I believe)
"50 Pints of Stout" by Paddy A Go-Go (from Keep It Reel, which is out of print, but worth the scrounging)
"Fairytale In New York" by The Pogues (I can't for the life of me remember which CD it's on...)
"The Wild Rover" just about any version. Dropkicks did a good one on the aforementioned Live in NYC. The Clancy Brothers did a great version as well.
"The Fields of Athenrye" by Seanchai (from Sunday At The Turn of the Century - worth the price of that disc for that song alone)
"Back Home In Derry" by Christy Moore. (another one I can't remember the album on)
I could go on and on. Great list, though.
2 - the dude
Can't believe you've forgotten Van Morrison and The Band's R&B version of "Tura-Lura-Lural (That's An Irish Lullaby)" from the Band's The Last Waltz CD. It's Van da Man (accompanied by the late Richard Manuel) channelling Ray Charles and Bing Crosby all at the same time.
3 - Eric Olsen
Horselips, Enya, Bill Laswell's Emerald Aether: Shape Shifting/Reconstructions of Irish Music, and for some organ-crushing, Therapy?
4 - Mark Saleski
woa! i've never heard of that particular Laswell.
i'd really like to be a Laswell completist...but the guy's put out have a bazillion recordings.
5 - Eric Olsen
It's a very good, but not consistent one of his "reimaginings" - some of the tunes are great, others just don't work.
6 - David
"Why, Why, Delilah" by Flogging Molly (whom I saw at the L.A. Sunset Junction a few years ago and they like totally rocked)
And, of course, "Alternative Ulster" by Stiff Little Fingers.
7 - David
Oh, yeah, and "Don't Sit on my Jimmy Shands," by R. Thompson.
L'Chaim, laddy.