A lovely lilting reel, “The Sligo Maid”, from dear John
coincidentally I had lilted a section of this reel for the forthcoming collection but opted instead for “The High Reel” which I learned many years ago from Barney McKenna…..
I suppose ‘I pity the poor immigrant’ sums up lots of issues. Fair play to you for your versions of that wonderful song – you and Declan playing it at The Bridgewater – high on my all time favourite gig moments…
several youtube versions…one I’ve watched most often is from the 2011 BBC Folk Awards (maybe you were there?)The way Chris builds the tension is masterful – partly the tune, but so clever the way he echoes traditional song – opening with the ‘gorgeous Summer morning’, similar to so many trad songs…the way the day then turns to (avoidable) tragedy is so well documented in song by Chris – ‘folk’ at its most powerful…
All the best to all
Christy's reply
“She never did nothin to William Zanzinger”
“for 16 years they were talkin to the wall”
“Sacco was born across the sea, Vanzetti born of parents fine”
” Sara Christina is still missing”
“Listen to the Biko Drum”
“She went to a grotto,just a field, in the Middle of the Island”
“They’re firing bullets at us”
“I’ll take you to a place called “Italian Hall”
“The sky-plane caught fire over Los Gatos Valley”
” He saw the sky above the wall but knew no peace of mind”
” he was making for the football field to play”
“six by six from Wall to Wall”
gonna try and sing these today in the work room..let us remember
Hey, hope your well Christy. I was listening to an old Liam Clancy gig where he gave a history about Ewan McColl’s “Bonnie Shoals of Herring”, I have heard the song often but I had never heard the story before, Ewan spent time with the fishermen up and down the coast and used their own words only to put the song together ! Genius really ! I love Luke Kelly’s belting rendition of it and I appreciate it so much more now knowing a bit about how it came about. Funny how you can love a song more when you scratch the surface a bit. I know you have a great connection with Liam Clancy and Ewan McColl and I’ve always appreciated your deep background for the songs you sing, this was an aha moment though for me into the songs of Ewan McColl. Best regards Christy, looking forward the the next gig.
Brian.
Christy's reply
when I was 16 I heard Liam Clancy …it was Bunclody County Wexford…a Sunny Sunday afternoon in 1961 (ish)…he sang “The Streams of Bunclody” on the street…I was smitten…
I met Ewan MacColl in 1968 at his club in London…hearing Ewan (and Woody) led me to try my hand at writing…
Luke was a friend…what a great singer….
Dear Christy,
Can i say you are right about Chris Wood’s ‘Hollow Point’.
It is an astounding piece.
I have listened to it scores of times, and it gets me every play.
My younger daughter lived near the Stockwell Tube Station ,and travelling through it brought an horrible feeling of what had gone before.
A couple of years ago, when walking past with her, we noticed that not only had the mosaic to his memory fallen into disrepair, but some complete lowlife had daubed nazi graffiti next to it.
I wrote to the London mayor ( sadiq khan, labour) and he repaired it and erased the graffiti.
We cannot forget acts such as his slaughter. Poor, poor man. Thankfully Chris Wood helps his memory live forever.
Rory
Hi Christy,
Two Hawick players starting for the victorious Irish and British Lions today, remarkable for a town of 15,000 folk.
We are called Teris (pronounced teerees) and are 15,000 proud ones.
What an achievement for these lads and their families.
Time for another Cork Dry.
Cheers
Rory
Christy's reply
Hey Rory,
I love to see Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg..two great players..
Had some skin in tonights game
Tadhg Furlong is a regular at the gigs,,, ( Himself and Cian Healy take up the front row at Vicar St)
Tadhg Beirne is connected to “Me & The Rose” from the King Puck album of 1998
I’ve duetted with Robbie Henshaw…he is a fine Accordeon player….he plays a hot “Bucks of Oranmore”
I’ve met Conor Murray at a few Irish Squad gigs and Jack Conan when I did a gig with the Leinster Squad last year
I was glued to the box tonight..it was some tussle..we got a rub of the green ….one done two to go
As ever, thanks for the recall, Christy – always fascinating to get the context of a song. I’d love to have been at a ‘Moving Hearts’ gig – the ‘drive’ of the band is mighty.
Agreed about Amy Winehouse – a sad loss in so many ways…
The blue disc has rich pickings…’Brown Eyes’ gets me every time…
Still no sign of the An Post goodies…I’ll have to be patient – great the new album is taking shape. As ever, the art work is almost as intriguing as the musical content!
Hello Christy,
I’ve been meaning to thank you.
First for the explanation of how you got into lilting.
I spent years when I didn’t play the right instrument. I wanted to sing but I couldn’t get my head rong the guitar. I’m better if all the notes are there in front of me. The harp is brilliant. It felt like a godsend. All the strings are there. Just got to find them.
I do a lot of humming now. Everyday I hum.
I love the lilting that you do. Brilliant stuff.
Secondly, for talking to me about Lord Baker. I wandered aceoss rhe well below the valley in the Christy Moore songbook. I happen to have put Lord Baker in the same key. I fiddles my way through them both (on the piano…). Weirdly they seem to do a lot of the same things, shapes and things. I wonder why the effect of them is so different. words?
I’ll be keeping to your words. I need to honour the song’s journey. It has rested in some very illustrious places.
My listening sounds so narrow compared to many here.
I listen to you, Christy, planxty, Liam O’flynn and John Reilly. I sometimes venture into liam Clancy and the Pogues. One or two other singers sometimes.
I’ve been in learning mode the last 3 years. Don’t want to stray too far from the pure drop.
Dear Christy,
I meant to post on thursday, the latest annual anniversary of the ‘illegal’ killing of poor, innocent jean charles de menezes at stockwell tube.
We were not long past the ‘no prosecution’ of FnB decision day for ‘illegal’ killings.
Illegal prisoning of the Birmingham 6 and Guildford 4, of Nicky Kelly and happened with so many more.
Now we find that the senseless slaughter at Omagh could have been averted by the state.
Let him dangle, Derek Bentley the miscarriage causing a man’s gruesome death.
Have you ever seen the mugshots that were taken after 48 hours in custody, battered and bruised, haunted looks upon their faces….hollow point…let him dangle, streets of sorrow….minds locked shut.
Just needed to vent. I take my hat off to those who stand up to the ‘errors’ of the state with the brilliance of word and music.
Rory
Christy's reply
Chris Wood’s song “Hollow Point” describes the murder of Jean Charles in a haunting and beautiful way….as good a song as ever I’ve heard….
Great overninght sleuthing by Ed, thanks…I know what he means about the Amy Winehouse gig in Budapest. Thankfully, there are plenty of good youtube clips and her recordings. The BBC2 doc was powerful – especially poignant when her parents read some of Amy’s school reports + video of school shows…
I’ll have a look at the Dingle gig on youtube – also an excellent legacy that Amy’s family work hard on her behalf via http://www.amywinehousefoundation.org
Watching Olympian cyclists battling away in the heat…several Irish riders doing well…a long way from home – good luck to all – here it’s time for a cuppa and the box set blue disc lined up for later…
Have a good day
Dave
Christy's reply
I’m between meadow and bog…hay and turf for the winter ahead
D. I found those Dingle concerts, ‘Other Voices’ was filmed in a church, Dingle, Co Kerry, one or two other venues also used but I found the Winehouse Dingle gigs on You Tube. You might be able to purchase copies from Hummingbird Productions. 2006 is the date on those gigs. A sad things is the Belgrade concert is also online. She should not have been there, is all I could say. so sad.
Christy's reply
Good man Ed…keep it coming….we need our Midlands correspondent
Good evening Christy,
This week in the car at least i have been listening to much Saw Doctors CDs, such a great live band too. I bet you’d sweat buckets playing on stage with the lads from Tuam.
On the record player it has been largely Arab Strap , with a bit of Sandanista thrown in. Today a client told me she had a Lin turntable looking for a good home…..wow, if only.
On the Spotify it has been wall to wall John Reilly, and i shared some with son Charlie tonight , he is always mesmerised by ‘Jacko’.
Finally on the youtube i found a kora player called kadialy kouyate, who is playing the wonderful, yet tiny, Green Note in Camden on 28th so i may buy a virtual ticket.
On the real ticket front my briefs for both of David Keenan’s scottish gigs in November came through ,and from a Philatelist point of view the book of An Post Glastonbury stamps arrived.
So it has been a fine, mixed and varied, week of music.
Can i ask what you have been enjoying musically this week Christy?
Cheers and goodnight
Rory
Christy's reply
this week ( and most weeks) I am fully occupied in my own bubble….last thing I heard was Arab Strap on your recommendation…yesterday I spent a few hours in revision, a few hours trying to work out an optimum running order for the forthcoming album, got sight of art work which I like, been writing and re writing sleeve notes ( no booklet thes time, sleeve notes will be available on the website)
having recorded the songs I now want to prep them for live performance..its all go here ..Thanks Be….listened to poor Amy last night …what a beautiful child, what an amazing talent…
Not quite as dramatic as I’d imagined it, but the reaction of tv crew was great – in appreciation of AW’s talent and her good nature under arduous conditions. I’ll try to trace the programme – it’s a fine tribute to her.
Amy Winehouse gone 10 years, sadly…a tribute on BBC 2 tonight.
Not sure the programme will include a favourite memory of AW.Probably an RTE film, shared with BBC a few years ago…aware of Amy’s problems, a film crew booked her to play a gig in a Co Kerry church, I think…all assembled in horrific Winter weather. Hours went by and no word of the star…as all were giving up hope, she arrived after an epic trip from Dublin. The set she played is brilliant and interviews with crew are uplifting – illustrating her talent and generosity of spirit …RIP a sad loss, for many reasons.
Piano and fiddle together sounds like learning to play the uilleann pipes. The drum kit is like that when you first start. All the bits need to go in different directions and nothing behaves. Octopus time.
I’d love to share a lift with Dame Edna…or a python (of the human variety of course …)
ps pp 50/51 of the song book…’Nancy Spain’ and a lovely photo of you, your mother and young Moores – Andy,Juno – nice pic by Colm Henry…great to see. D
A little lilting from John Reilly
https://digital.ucd.ie/view/ivrla:31079
A lovely lilting reel, “The Sligo Maid”, from dear John
coincidentally I had lilted a section of this reel for the forthcoming collection but opted instead for “The High Reel” which I learned many years ago from Barney McKenna…..
Hello Christy and All,
Hours of revision and buffing up the new songs has got to mean one thing. Gigs. I do hope I’m right.
Rebecca
would’nt that be somethin
Fine choices, Christy
I suppose ‘I pity the poor immigrant’ sums up lots of issues. Fair play to you for your versions of that wonderful song – you and Declan playing it at The Bridgewater – high on my all time favourite gig moments…
Thanks
Dave
it seldom appeared….
Hi Christy/ all
Further praise for Chris Wood and ‘Hollow Point’.
several youtube versions…one I’ve watched most often is from the 2011 BBC Folk Awards (maybe you were there?)The way Chris builds the tension is masterful – partly the tune, but so clever the way he echoes traditional song – opening with the ‘gorgeous Summer morning’, similar to so many trad songs…the way the day then turns to (avoidable) tragedy is so well documented in song by Chris – ‘folk’ at its most powerful…
All the best to all
“She never did nothin to William Zanzinger”
“for 16 years they were talkin to the wall”
“Sacco was born across the sea, Vanzetti born of parents fine”
” Sara Christina is still missing”
“Listen to the Biko Drum”
“She went to a grotto,just a field, in the Middle of the Island”
“They’re firing bullets at us”
“I’ll take you to a place called “Italian Hall”
“The sky-plane caught fire over Los Gatos Valley”
” He saw the sky above the wall but knew no peace of mind”
” he was making for the football field to play”
“six by six from Wall to Wall”
gonna try and sing these today in the work room..let us remember
Hey, hope your well Christy. I was listening to an old Liam Clancy gig where he gave a history about Ewan McColl’s “Bonnie Shoals of Herring”, I have heard the song often but I had never heard the story before, Ewan spent time with the fishermen up and down the coast and used their own words only to put the song together ! Genius really ! I love Luke Kelly’s belting rendition of it and I appreciate it so much more now knowing a bit about how it came about. Funny how you can love a song more when you scratch the surface a bit. I know you have a great connection with Liam Clancy and Ewan McColl and I’ve always appreciated your deep background for the songs you sing, this was an aha moment though for me into the songs of Ewan McColl. Best regards Christy, looking forward the the next gig.
Brian.
when I was 16 I heard Liam Clancy …it was Bunclody County Wexford…a Sunny Sunday afternoon in 1961 (ish)…he sang “The Streams of Bunclody” on the street…I was smitten…
I met Ewan MacColl in 1968 at his club in London…hearing Ewan (and Woody) led me to try my hand at writing…
Luke was a friend…what a great singer….
Good to hear from you Brian…
Dear Christy,
Can i say you are right about Chris Wood’s ‘Hollow Point’.
It is an astounding piece.
I have listened to it scores of times, and it gets me every play.
My younger daughter lived near the Stockwell Tube Station ,and travelling through it brought an horrible feeling of what had gone before.
A couple of years ago, when walking past with her, we noticed that not only had the mosaic to his memory fallen into disrepair, but some complete lowlife had daubed nazi graffiti next to it.
I wrote to the London mayor ( sadiq khan, labour) and he repaired it and erased the graffiti.
We cannot forget acts such as his slaughter. Poor, poor man. Thankfully Chris Wood helps his memory live forever.
Rory
he’s One in a Million
I’m so proud for us all to be on the same team. This is fabulous! Oh! Well done everyone. Xxx
Hi Christy,
Two Hawick players starting for the victorious Irish and British Lions today, remarkable for a town of 15,000 folk.
We are called Teris (pronounced teerees) and are 15,000 proud ones.
What an achievement for these lads and their families.
Time for another Cork Dry.
Cheers
Rory
Hey Rory,
I love to see Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg..two great players..
Had some skin in tonights game
Tadhg Furlong is a regular at the gigs,,, ( Himself and Cian Healy take up the front row at Vicar St)
Tadhg Beirne is connected to “Me & The Rose” from the King Puck album of 1998
I’ve duetted with Robbie Henshaw…he is a fine Accordeon player….he plays a hot “Bucks of Oranmore”
I’ve met Conor Murray at a few Irish Squad gigs and Jack Conan when I did a gig with the Leinster Squad last year
I was glued to the box tonight..it was some tussle..we got a rub of the green ….one done two to go
As ever, thanks for the recall, Christy – always fascinating to get the context of a song. I’d love to have been at a ‘Moving Hearts’ gig – the ‘drive’ of the band is mighty.
Agreed about Amy Winehouse – a sad loss in so many ways…
The blue disc has rich pickings…’Brown Eyes’ gets me every time…
Still no sign of the An Post goodies…I’ll have to be patient – great the new album is taking shape. As ever, the art work is almost as intriguing as the musical content!
Enjoy the day
Dave
Meant to say.
Your Lingo Politico on On the Road could have come straight from the Speech Project.
Sets my head on fire.
I cant stop digging
Hello Christy,
I’ve been meaning to thank you.
First for the explanation of how you got into lilting.
I spent years when I didn’t play the right instrument. I wanted to sing but I couldn’t get my head rong the guitar. I’m better if all the notes are there in front of me. The harp is brilliant. It felt like a godsend. All the strings are there. Just got to find them.
I do a lot of humming now. Everyday I hum.
I love the lilting that you do. Brilliant stuff.
Secondly, for talking to me about Lord Baker. I wandered aceoss rhe well below the valley in the Christy Moore songbook. I happen to have put Lord Baker in the same key. I fiddles my way through them both (on the piano…). Weirdly they seem to do a lot of the same things, shapes and things. I wonder why the effect of them is so different. words?
I’ll be keeping to your words. I need to honour the song’s journey. It has rested in some very illustrious places.
My listening sounds so narrow compared to many here.
I listen to you, Christy, planxty, Liam O’flynn and John Reilly. I sometimes venture into liam Clancy and the Pogues. One or two other singers sometimes.
I’ve been in learning mode the last 3 years. Don’t want to stray too far from the pure drop.
Rebecca
a few blasts of lilting on the forthcoming album
Dear Christy,
I meant to post on thursday, the latest annual anniversary of the ‘illegal’ killing of poor, innocent jean charles de menezes at stockwell tube.
We were not long past the ‘no prosecution’ of FnB decision day for ‘illegal’ killings.
Illegal prisoning of the Birmingham 6 and Guildford 4, of Nicky Kelly and happened with so many more.
Now we find that the senseless slaughter at Omagh could have been averted by the state.
Let him dangle, Derek Bentley the miscarriage causing a man’s gruesome death.
Have you ever seen the mugshots that were taken after 48 hours in custody, battered and bruised, haunted looks upon their faces….hollow point…let him dangle, streets of sorrow….minds locked shut.
Just needed to vent. I take my hat off to those who stand up to the ‘errors’ of the state with the brilliance of word and music.
Rory
Chris Wood’s song “Hollow Point” describes the murder of Jean Charles in a haunting and beautiful way….as good a song as ever I’ve heard….
Mornin’ Christy
Great overninght sleuthing by Ed, thanks…I know what he means about the Amy Winehouse gig in Budapest. Thankfully, there are plenty of good youtube clips and her recordings. The BBC2 doc was powerful – especially poignant when her parents read some of Amy’s school reports + video of school shows…
I’ll have a look at the Dingle gig on youtube – also an excellent legacy that Amy’s family work hard on her behalf via http://www.amywinehousefoundation.org
Watching Olympian cyclists battling away in the heat…several Irish riders doing well…a long way from home – good luck to all – here it’s time for a cuppa and the box set blue disc lined up for later…
Have a good day
Dave
I’m between meadow and bog…hay and turf for the winter ahead
D. I found those Dingle concerts, ‘Other Voices’ was filmed in a church, Dingle, Co Kerry, one or two other venues also used but I found the Winehouse Dingle gigs on You Tube. You might be able to purchase copies from Hummingbird Productions. 2006 is the date on those gigs. A sad things is the Belgrade concert is also online. She should not have been there, is all I could say. so sad.
Good man Ed…keep it coming….we need our Midlands correspondent
Good evening Christy,
This week in the car at least i have been listening to much Saw Doctors CDs, such a great live band too. I bet you’d sweat buckets playing on stage with the lads from Tuam.
On the record player it has been largely Arab Strap , with a bit of Sandanista thrown in. Today a client told me she had a Lin turntable looking for a good home…..wow, if only.
On the Spotify it has been wall to wall John Reilly, and i shared some with son Charlie tonight , he is always mesmerised by ‘Jacko’.
Finally on the youtube i found a kora player called kadialy kouyate, who is playing the wonderful, yet tiny, Green Note in Camden on 28th so i may buy a virtual ticket.
On the real ticket front my briefs for both of David Keenan’s scottish gigs in November came through ,and from a Philatelist point of view the book of An Post Glastonbury stamps arrived.
So it has been a fine, mixed and varied, week of music.
Can i ask what you have been enjoying musically this week Christy?
Cheers and goodnight
Rory
this week ( and most weeks) I am fully occupied in my own bubble….last thing I heard was Arab Strap on your recommendation…yesterday I spent a few hours in revision, a few hours trying to work out an optimum running order for the forthcoming album, got sight of art work which I like, been writing and re writing sleeve notes ( no booklet thes time, sleeve notes will be available on the website)
having recorded the songs I now want to prep them for live performance..its all go here ..Thanks Be….listened to poor Amy last night …what a beautiful child, what an amazing talent…
Thanks, Ed
Not quite as dramatic as I’d imagined it, but the reaction of tv crew was great – in appreciation of AW’s talent and her good nature under arduous conditions. I’ll try to trace the programme – it’s a fine tribute to her.
Dave
Phil King’s ‘Other Voices’ TV prog. She arrived to Dingle via Cork airport and the bus to Dingle.
Hi Christy/all
Amy Winehouse gone 10 years, sadly…a tribute on BBC 2 tonight.
Not sure the programme will include a favourite memory of AW.Probably an RTE film, shared with BBC a few years ago…aware of Amy’s problems, a film crew booked her to play a gig in a Co Kerry church, I think…all assembled in horrific Winter weather. Hours went by and no word of the star…as all were giving up hope, she arrived after an epic trip from Dublin. The set she played is brilliant and interviews with crew are uplifting – illustrating her talent and generosity of spirit …RIP a sad loss, for many reasons.
Dave
Piano and fiddle together sounds like learning to play the uilleann pipes. The drum kit is like that when you first start. All the bits need to go in different directions and nothing behaves. Octopus time.
I’d love to share a lift with Dame Edna…or a python (of the human variety of course …)
ps pp 50/51 of the song book…’Nancy Spain’ and a lovely photo of you, your mother and young Moores – Andy,Juno – nice pic by Colm Henry…great to see. D