Don't take this too seriously folks...
As we head into the high-holy season of March... Paddy's Month, I dare a controversial topic that will almost certainly draw hate-blogmail. But I need to get this off my chest...
I specifically reach out to all my fellow Irish music players and singers out there. I know many of you have these thoughts too...
As an Irish musicianer for years and years now, I have played every conceivable Irish song... you name it, and me and my band mates have played it 100s of times. Different places, different crowds, they always seem to love all of them unquestioningly.
And I too have loved them all to some degree at some point... but I confess there are several that all the love is gone. Really gone. And now I cringe at the thought of the requests that will come over the next few weeks, the puzzled looks on the stage as we make the inevitable uncomfortable concession.
It is time we all dare to change...
So I offer a list of songs to all musicianers everywhere this Paddy's season. I plead with my brothers and sisters to resist the urge to further drive these into the ground. It is time to put them away on the shelf for a few years, several years. There are hundreds of better songs to replace them... learn them and let these go. I dare you to say no to the requests, the pleading, and the $20 tips...
Thirteen Irish Songs That Need To Be Retired
1. Fields of Athenrye... fast or slow, it doesn't matter. Just let that damn ship sail and never come back.
2. Dirty Old Town... unless Shane is singing it... it is like a paper cut.
3. Wild Rover... I don't buy the story to begin with, do you?
4. 5. Danny Boy & Galway Bay (tie)... death songs are downers... save them for the funerals.
6. Whiskey In The Jar... let Metallica just have it OK?
7. The Unicorn... its wrong on so many levels. It should be limited to Sesame Street on Paddy's Day (is that show still on?).
8. Celtic Symphony... it is the equivalent of a Kesha song for Irish drunk guys...
9. Galway Girl... this one got on the list in record time... but does every man, woman, band, etc. have to sing it three times in every set? I am sure Steve Earle would be mortified about how his song is getting trashed in Irish ginmills everywhere.
10. Streets of New York... great great song, perfectly done by the Wolfetones, and one I am sure I will love again. We all try to do it justice, and everyone knows every word... but I don't think people listen to the real story in there anymore.. Maybe after a few years of absence they might.
11. Black Velvet Band... songs about hot chicks that steal should be eternal hits... but I don't think anyone really listens to the words on this one either anymore.
These two are particular to Celtic Cross...
12. Celtic Bob... was before my time with CC and not necessarily ever popular, nor do we ever ever play it... but is here on principle and to tweak my current and preceding band mates.
13. All Around My Hat... I know many of you CC fans love it & it may come off my retirement list one day... but not this year.
I feel so much better now that I have gotten this out in the public. I will say no to the requests now with more dignity, and avoid the lies about being out of time, or no one knows the words.
So, what are the Irish songs that you think should be retired? Please click on the comments button below and add your thoughts to get them off your chest. You too will feel better...
Slainte...
8 comments:
I agree with the vast majority of those, but I must protest a select few. Galway Girl, Streets of NY and Celtic Symphony still have a bit of life in them.
I give an absolute and resounding vote of approval for the complete dismissal of The Unicorn. As opposed to the other songs, which suffer from being overplayed, The Unicorn was absolutely horrendous the first time I heard it, and has continued to make me feel that way.
Good on 'ya for coming out and saying what everyone else thinks, but few mention!
I should clarify based on some good criticism...
I should have used "rotated out" rather than retire, as some of these songs could be interesting again...
Further... I am more commenting on us musicians playing them to death over and over, in some cases terribly. All of these songs got to be overplayed by being great...
My commentary is more about our musician behavior rather than the songs themselves (in most cases... agree on The Unicorn).
More thoughts?
Here's a suggestion to freshen up two of these tunes:
1. Try playing Black Velvet Band with a ska beat and a Caribbean accent - it's really fun for a change, and it works.
2. Whisky in the Jar, take the driving intro from Anarchy in the UK then keep that rhythm going for the song, when you've sung all the verses head straight into Teenage Kicks by the Undertones.
3. Dirty Old Town - yeah, give it a rest!
Yup that's pretty much it. However, if you are successful in removing these songs from the playlists, what will 3/4s of the Irish bands play?
We need to learn new ones... or dig out and brighten up some of the older ones that haven't been heard in years...
Letting these rest and come back in 10 years is really what I am asking for.
I agree Pat. You can put any number of beats or accents into a song, but it's still the same old shite. It's like going to a restaurant where you can only order burgers, meatloaf, Salisbury steak, or meatballs. It's all the same stuff!
Don't even get me started about the whole fake accent thing...
Nice article, Pat.
I agree that songs that are overplayed need to be given a rest. The same could be said for certain classic rock tunes on the radio (Freebird!)
And even though he's not new, I would like to hear bands add more Christie Moore to their repertoires.
Were it not for the mad drunks insisting on these worn out tunes I would have lost them years ago...
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