Thanks for The Watersons, Rebecca – always a treat. For me, one of their great touches was the way Mike sings ‘over the top’ of the others. Wonderful stuff and RIP to those no longer with us.
Dave
Christy's reply
I listened to The Watersons coming home from Waterford last night..had them blasting in the van as we sped through Kilkenny, Carlow and Kildare towards Dublin…
“who would’nt be for all the world a Jolly Waggoner”
How was it last night? I hope it was a big sing from everyone.
I’ve been finding out a bit about The Singing Jenny in Huddersfield, a stamping ground of my teenage years and my Dad had a photography shop there.
It led me to a local song called Pratty Flowers which was collected in Holmfirth in the early 18 hundreds.
There’s a story that it was used in Huddersfield Town Hall instead of the English national anthem when Victoria was unpopular in these parts.
The concert hall in Hudds Town Hall is still a lovely room to sing and play in.
Christy i should have mentioned, thinking of intoxication, should have led me to the spoken word piece, on the Box Set named Poitin.
A piece no doubt never to be ‘performed’ but what a testament to your closest and their understanding of your antics. Maybe i should not mention it but it is an elephant in the box set room. Well done you for baring your soul with it and thank god for those ‘innocents who wanted to see me home safe and sound’.
Rory
Hi Christy,
Whilst sitting in a hospital carpark at 2.45am today ( long story but the kid seems ok now home) i heard the DTs.
This may have been due to a toxic mix of rowan berries and bright carpark lights but there were a couple of local blackbirds convinced that this was time for the dawn chorus.
I was the only soul listening, freezing, to their fabulous, intoxicated song but it made me look to see if the child of Prague was dacing along the mantlepiece or indeed whether the blue bitch was in the jacuzzi.
Tis a great song ,as was the blackbirds’.
Rory
I hope you are well. My name is Maya and I am part of the leadership team of my local scout group in Berlin. At the moment we are working towards creating a new songbook for internal use within my scout group. It will feature a variety of different songs from all over the world, and it also includes two of your songs: Black is the color, and Go, move, shift. Both are greatly loved and sung often within my group and we wanted to ask for your permission to, again, include them in our songbook so we can enjoy singing them together!
I’m looking forward to hearing from you,
Maya
Christy's reply
thank you for asking…
no problem with using for “internal use”
for any other use ,permission is not mine to give as “Go, Move , Shift” was written by Ewan MacColl……but I’m confident that Ewan’s estate would have no objection to his song being included in a songbook for your local Scout group..
Hello Christy,
The Upper George is still going strong. I’ve no idea about the gym, I’ve never been to one… Balance is in the mind, I guess?
I’ve got a cat zipping round here. It’s lovely to see her full of beans. Took her to the vet yesterday, she has long fur that has to be dematted sometimes. She’s not a good patient and has to have anaesthetic. It’s lovely to see her boinging round, all happy in her little body today.
Thankyou for the thing about the young Liam and fiddler pals. I’m having a listen. I listened to Games People Play too. It’s right there, from my childhood.
I guess there’s not many songs called Sincerity and an open heart. Shame, because it’s so much easier on everyone.
I hope your Waterford trip and gig is everything good and they look after you and feed you well.
Better think about getting up.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
Richard Collins used to run a Thu night Folk Club in t’Upper George…he now resides in Perth WA but we keep in touch….Dennis Sabey ran the Sun night club in the Bradshaw Tavern…Wed night Brian Lawton ran The Singing Jenny in Huddersfield…Fri was the Topic in Bradford …Sat night was awash with clubs allover….there was a music shop in Halifax where I got my strings..I think they were called Augustines…7/6 a set and I’d try and make them last
Thanks for the heads up about ‘Mass’. I’d seen the trailer but not caught the film’s title. No surprise that the film originated at ‘Sundance’ – such a key part of Robert Redford’s great legacy.
Have a brilliant trip to Waterford. I’m sure there’ll be a great welcome waiting.
Dear Christy, with russia banned from Eurovision is it surely the time to bring back the great Johnny Logan to sign Lisdoonvarna for his hattrick?
Talking of random lyrics popping into the head….
If it’s drink you want and plenty of feeding , and you like the bed as well.
Rory
Christy's reply
no better man than Johnny to cover my old song…..greetings to You, Finn and Johnny Logan
Hi Christy I’m hoping to get tickets to the Watergate theatre Kilkenny on 19th or 21st May will Declan Sinnott be with you .Willie Shea ( met you years ago in the Stables Bar (Leo Conways he’s still alive though retired 90years old) and also your participation in the one and only Collieries folk festival circa 1980s when you were living in Coolcullen . Hup
Christy's reply
Morra Willie..good to hear from ‘Comer..had a few good years up in Coolcullen…played in many places around the area…greetings to Leo Conway…manys the large bottle around the Pool Table….
I’m playing Solo these days
re your comment to Rory – ‘relevance’ is never an issue in your much appreciated replies. It’s often the tenuous links that lead down some intriguing ginnels or boreens !
I’ve just been looking at http://www.journalofmusic.com – the home page has great reviews of ‘recent books on Irish music’ I was struck by the work by Dr Rionach ui Ogain (UCD) and her recent book about Colm O Caodhain ‘An Irish singer in his world’…the piece also references her 2006 book about Seamus Ennis, with emphasis on his role as a song collector. Ace info in the website’s article. Lengthy reads,may be good for when you’re in the tour bus!
Also, on the Journal’s home page is a lovely RIP for Norma Waterson +clips of her music.
Keep well – enjoy the ‘away’ gig.
Dave
Christy's reply
I’ve heard Ríonach speak a few times..once on Seamus Ennis , once on Tom Munnelly….always delivers great insights based on many years of research
saw a powerful movie last night….Called “Mass” it is theatrical in form. brilliantly filmed and well worth 2 hours of time to anyone interested in Art House Movies..
getting ready for Waterford now…one of my favourite cities… always great listeners
Hello Christy,
Thankyou for mentioning Sean Maguire, I’ll have a listen. There’s a fiddle player at the folk sessions here who’s pretty good. It’s great to play with him. I’d love to hear a really good fiddler and pipe player giving it some welly together.
On my way into Halifax. I’m hoping there will be time for hot chocolate and a toasted teacake before I go into work.
Wishing everyone a good day.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
Liam Óg Ó Flynn and Séan Keane were hot together……also some good footage of Liam Óg with Paddy Glackin
54 years ago I was living in lovely Halifax….on a morning like this I’d make my way from Mixenden into town where I’d go into a Gym… after a few hours there I’d go to The Upper George and sink a a rake of pints, (forever seeking balance)….I used to listen to “Games People Play” by Joe South on the Juke Box…..
We will be Ireland Sept 14-28 for our honeymoon. Hoping so much you play a show during that time! It’d be a life goal met. 😉
Christy's reply
There are dates pencilled in for September but nothing confirmed yet…..wishing you well as you prepare to join your hands in wedlock bands…..keep an eye on the gig page
Enjoyed catching up with all of the chat. There’s a great mural of the legendary Sean Maguire beside Cultúrlann, where not only will you find a quare bowl of chowder but also a theatre that’s perfect for an intimate gig! Would love if you retraced your early steps along the Falls.
Christy's reply
“Jesus Christ &Jessie James came riding down The Falls”
Hi christy, can i recommend an appropriate song to sum up the current situation…check out The Ukranians and their song ‘Batyar ( big mouth strikes again)’.
Am no fan of morrissey and his politics but you once did his ‘America you are not the world’ which contains the line ‘ do you wonder why in Estonia they say…’
Good original songs, made better.
Rory
Christy's reply
“If you go to the Curragh Camp
call on number nine
you’ll see three squaddies standin there
the best lookin one is mine
He was a quare one
fol de dee get outa that
he was a quare one
I’ll tell you ”
This old verse has no relevence whatsoever to your post….but it came to mind as I sought to reply
I’m sorry, jig not gig. Two of three letters right.
Up with Hilary’s 3 in a row. I think Dave is the world record holder with 6 in a row, many moons, ago.
Hello Christy,
I’ve been listening to The Early Years a lot. Really enjoying Larkin, Avondale and the Foxy Devil.
Also it’s helped me with something that’s been bothering me for ages.
I’ve sat in pub sessions here and wondered how the musicians have turned those fine gigs and marches into waltzes. Sometimes the same thing happens ro Scotland’s fine march anthem when they play abroad. Suddenly it’s turned into something from a bierkeller. The version from Murray field last Saturday was brilliant. A lone piper and finishing with a verse a capella. It was a highlight of the weekend.
Anyway, I’ve worked it out. It hit me when I listening to Lanigan’s Ball last night. It’s the third beat. Those fine gigs and marches never have any emphasis on the third beat. It’s all first beat and sometimes a push on the second too.
I’m sorry to ramble on about this and it’s probably really obvious to those here, but rhythm is one of my passions and it’s been bothering me for months and months… If you’re still reading this, thankyou!
Rebecca
Christy's reply
You remind me of Sean Maguire the legendary Fiddle player….when Sean was accompanied by Josephine Keegan on piano….depending on what he was about to play, Sean would utter the instruction “Two Bumps Josie” or “Three Bumps Josie”…whereupon he would launch into another magical journey…I heard him three times….once in the Home of John and Julie Doonan up in Hebburn…..Maguire on Fiddle, John Doonan on Flute…another time in London and once in Capel Street Dublin….when Maguire hit full throttle all bets were off …( two cliches in one short sentence)
Brilliant show last night Christy hope to see you performing again soon. Up the Déise!
its a beautiful venue right in the Heart of the old City..I look forward to returning..great listeners in Déise
Hi Christy
I hope it was a great trip to Waterford.
Thanks for The Watersons, Rebecca – always a treat. For me, one of their great touches was the way Mike sings ‘over the top’ of the others. Wonderful stuff and RIP to those no longer with us.
Dave
I listened to The Watersons coming home from Waterford last night..had them blasting in the van as we sped through Kilkenny, Carlow and Kildare towards Dublin…
“who would’nt be for all the world a Jolly Waggoner”
Here’s a recording by the Watersons.
https://youtu.be/tbtRr4MwiTI
It keeps the folkiness of it that can be lost by choirs and brass bands.
lovely stuff
Hello Christy,
How was it last night? I hope it was a big sing from everyone.
I’ve been finding out a bit about The Singing Jenny in Huddersfield, a stamping ground of my teenage years and my Dad had a photography shop there.
It led me to a local song called Pratty Flowers which was collected in Holmfirth in the early 18 hundreds.
There’s a story that it was used in Huddersfield Town Hall instead of the English national anthem when Victoria was unpopular in these parts.
The concert hall in Hudds Town Hall is still a lovely room to sing and play in.
https://townsounds.co.uk/music-style/holmfirth-anthem/
The song has such a local familiar feel to me. Kind of comforting. Do you get that from some songs?
Rebecca
a reet good do
Christy i should have mentioned, thinking of intoxication, should have led me to the spoken word piece, on the Box Set named Poitin.
A piece no doubt never to be ‘performed’ but what a testament to your closest and their understanding of your antics. Maybe i should not mention it but it is an elephant in the box set room. Well done you for baring your soul with it and thank god for those ‘innocents who wanted to see me home safe and sound’.
Rory
fire-water
Hi Christy,
Whilst sitting in a hospital carpark at 2.45am today ( long story but the kid seems ok now home) i heard the DTs.
This may have been due to a toxic mix of rowan berries and bright carpark lights but there were a couple of local blackbirds convinced that this was time for the dawn chorus.
I was the only soul listening, freezing, to their fabulous, intoxicated song but it made me look to see if the child of Prague was dacing along the mantlepiece or indeed whether the blue bitch was in the jacuzzi.
Tis a great song ,as was the blackbirds’.
Rory
hope all is well
Hi Christy!
I hope you are well. My name is Maya and I am part of the leadership team of my local scout group in Berlin. At the moment we are working towards creating a new songbook for internal use within my scout group. It will feature a variety of different songs from all over the world, and it also includes two of your songs: Black is the color, and Go, move, shift. Both are greatly loved and sung often within my group and we wanted to ask for your permission to, again, include them in our songbook so we can enjoy singing them together!
I’m looking forward to hearing from you,
Maya
thank you for asking…
no problem with using for “internal use”
for any other use ,permission is not mine to give as “Go, Move , Shift” was written by Ewan MacColl……but I’m confident that Ewan’s estate would have no objection to his song being included in a songbook for your local Scout group..
It was Hinds music shop in Halifax. I loved that place. Aladdins cave for me.
Hello Christy,
The Upper George is still going strong. I’ve no idea about the gym, I’ve never been to one… Balance is in the mind, I guess?
I’ve got a cat zipping round here. It’s lovely to see her full of beans. Took her to the vet yesterday, she has long fur that has to be dematted sometimes. She’s not a good patient and has to have anaesthetic. It’s lovely to see her boinging round, all happy in her little body today.
Thankyou for the thing about the young Liam and fiddler pals. I’m having a listen. I listened to Games People Play too. It’s right there, from my childhood.
I guess there’s not many songs called Sincerity and an open heart. Shame, because it’s so much easier on everyone.
I hope your Waterford trip and gig is everything good and they look after you and feed you well.
Better think about getting up.
Rebecca
Richard Collins used to run a Thu night Folk Club in t’Upper George…he now resides in Perth WA but we keep in touch….Dennis Sabey ran the Sun night club in the Bradshaw Tavern…Wed night Brian Lawton ran The Singing Jenny in Huddersfield…Fri was the Topic in Bradford …Sat night was awash with clubs allover….there was a music shop in Halifax where I got my strings..I think they were called Augustines…7/6 a set and I’d try and make them last
Mornin’ Christy
Thanks for the heads up about ‘Mass’. I’d seen the trailer but not caught the film’s title. No surprise that the film originated at ‘Sundance’ – such a key part of Robert Redford’s great legacy.
Have a brilliant trip to Waterford. I’m sure there’ll be a great welcome waiting.
Dave
Dear Christy, with russia banned from Eurovision is it surely the time to bring back the great Johnny Logan to sign Lisdoonvarna for his hattrick?
Talking of random lyrics popping into the head….
If it’s drink you want and plenty of feeding , and you like the bed as well.
Rory
no better man than Johnny to cover my old song…..greetings to You, Finn and Johnny Logan
Hi Christy I’m hoping to get tickets to the Watergate theatre Kilkenny on 19th or 21st May will Declan Sinnott be with you .Willie Shea ( met you years ago in the Stables Bar (Leo Conways he’s still alive though retired 90years old) and also your participation in the one and only Collieries folk festival circa 1980s when you were living in Coolcullen . Hup
Morra Willie..good to hear from ‘Comer..had a few good years up in Coolcullen…played in many places around the area…greetings to Leo Conway…manys the large bottle around the Pool Table….
I’m playing Solo these days
Hi Christy
re your comment to Rory – ‘relevance’ is never an issue in your much appreciated replies. It’s often the tenuous links that lead down some intriguing ginnels or boreens !
I’ve just been looking at http://www.journalofmusic.com – the home page has great reviews of ‘recent books on Irish music’ I was struck by the work by Dr Rionach ui Ogain (UCD) and her recent book about Colm O Caodhain ‘An Irish singer in his world’…the piece also references her 2006 book about Seamus Ennis, with emphasis on his role as a song collector. Ace info in the website’s article. Lengthy reads,may be good for when you’re in the tour bus!
Also, on the Journal’s home page is a lovely RIP for Norma Waterson +clips of her music.
Keep well – enjoy the ‘away’ gig.
Dave
I’ve heard Ríonach speak a few times..once on Seamus Ennis , once on Tom Munnelly….always delivers great insights based on many years of research
saw a powerful movie last night….Called “Mass” it is theatrical in form. brilliantly filmed and well worth 2 hours of time to anyone interested in Art House Movies..
getting ready for Waterford now…one of my favourite cities… always great listeners
Hello Christy,
Thankyou for mentioning Sean Maguire, I’ll have a listen. There’s a fiddle player at the folk sessions here who’s pretty good. It’s great to play with him. I’d love to hear a really good fiddler and pipe player giving it some welly together.
On my way into Halifax. I’m hoping there will be time for hot chocolate and a toasted teacake before I go into work.
Wishing everyone a good day.
Rebecca
Liam Óg Ó Flynn and Séan Keane were hot together……also some good footage of Liam Óg with Paddy Glackin
54 years ago I was living in lovely Halifax….on a morning like this I’d make my way from Mixenden into town where I’d go into a Gym… after a few hours there I’d go to The Upper George and sink a a rake of pints, (forever seeking balance)….I used to listen to “Games People Play” by Joe South on the Juke Box…..
We will be Ireland Sept 14-28 for our honeymoon. Hoping so much you play a show during that time! It’d be a life goal met. 😉
There are dates pencilled in for September but nothing confirmed yet…..wishing you well as you prepare to join your hands in wedlock bands…..keep an eye on the gig page
Enjoyed catching up with all of the chat. There’s a great mural of the legendary Sean Maguire beside Cultúrlann, where not only will you find a quare bowl of chowder but also a theatre that’s perfect for an intimate gig! Would love if you retraced your early steps along the Falls.
“Jesus Christ &Jessie James came riding down The Falls”
thinking of “Cormac” …..thinking of Brian Moore
Hi christy, can i recommend an appropriate song to sum up the current situation…check out The Ukranians and their song ‘Batyar ( big mouth strikes again)’.
Am no fan of morrissey and his politics but you once did his ‘America you are not the world’ which contains the line ‘ do you wonder why in Estonia they say…’
Good original songs, made better.
Rory
“If you go to the Curragh Camp
call on number nine
you’ll see three squaddies standin there
the best lookin one is mine
He was a quare one
fol de dee get outa that
he was a quare one
I’ll tell you ”
This old verse has no relevence whatsoever to your post….but it came to mind as I sought to reply
I’m sorry, jig not gig. Two of three letters right.
Up with Hilary’s 3 in a row. I think Dave is the world record holder with 6 in a row, many moons, ago.
I’ve stopped counting responses !
And I’m not going to mention the travesty of an anthem they roll out for england. The only good thing about it is when it finishes and goes away.
Hello Christy,
I’ve been listening to The Early Years a lot. Really enjoying Larkin, Avondale and the Foxy Devil.
Also it’s helped me with something that’s been bothering me for ages.
I’ve sat in pub sessions here and wondered how the musicians have turned those fine gigs and marches into waltzes. Sometimes the same thing happens ro Scotland’s fine march anthem when they play abroad. Suddenly it’s turned into something from a bierkeller. The version from Murray field last Saturday was brilliant. A lone piper and finishing with a verse a capella. It was a highlight of the weekend.
Anyway, I’ve worked it out. It hit me when I listening to Lanigan’s Ball last night. It’s the third beat. Those fine gigs and marches never have any emphasis on the third beat. It’s all first beat and sometimes a push on the second too.
I’m sorry to ramble on about this and it’s probably really obvious to those here, but rhythm is one of my passions and it’s been bothering me for months and months… If you’re still reading this, thankyou!
Rebecca
You remind me of Sean Maguire the legendary Fiddle player….when Sean was accompanied by Josephine Keegan on piano….depending on what he was about to play, Sean would utter the instruction “Two Bumps Josie” or “Three Bumps Josie”…whereupon he would launch into another magical journey…I heard him three times….once in the Home of John and Julie Doonan up in Hebburn…..Maguire on Fiddle, John Doonan on Flute…another time in London and once in Capel Street Dublin….when Maguire hit full throttle all bets were off …( two cliches in one short sentence)