A Sea Shanty for you

[chriscat53]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Af8rQzQNRI

Since no one in my household is into historical music or history or garb for that matter, I wanted to share this beautiful rendition of Leave Her Johnny with all of you. Since I was 10, I have been going deaf--now about 95% deaf. In order to appreciate the music I always needed to slow the record player down to 16 and copy down the words and memorize them. This took quite some time and I ruined a lot of records and I still know what song is coming up next on a Beatle CD. I have to know the lyrics to enjoy the song. This Faire season I am going to have a little antique looking book with lyrics for songs I don't know.

Also I think of Dr. Dirk when I hear Leave her Johnny. Do you all have a ceremony fopr those who have left us? Maybe we can sing this song  for him sometime this year for it is a beautiful haunting farewell song. Maybe that and The Parting Glass or Auld Lang Syne or The Parting Glass. I found this group while looking up lyrics for sea shanties to copy into my book. Unfortunately they were 60's folk musicians and one is already gone. Never knew of them. They are Newfoundland Irish. Very hard to get CD's.

[Terry Griffith]

Chriscat,

I have lyrics printed (or in a Word doc) for all the songs I do.  If you would likke any lyrics, just let me know which ones and I'll send them to you.

Also, if you can get to the Pirates Pub stage and sit in the front, I can run a wire with ear phones for you.

[chriscat53]

That is really really sweet.  Lyrics do really help.  I'm not sure about the wire or how it would work. I do have a T-coil in my hearing aids and "earphones" that go in back of the ear. But I don't like to be period intrusive either. The lyrics will be the best thing and you can be sure when I'm there I'll be at your show. Yesterday I ordered two of your CD's and one of Porter and Stout and I was going to use the titles to look up the lyrics. I will see which songs I already have and then let you know. Thanks again!

[Professor M]

Chris,

I would, of course, recommend buying CD's from Terry Griffith and Porter & Stout, first and foremost.  But now that you have, let me say that The Pyrates Royale do a wonderful a cappella version of Leave Her Johnny on their CD, Lyve Behind Bars.  You can order their CD here: http://www.pyrates.com/recordings/

They are still around.  They're the "house band" for the Maryland RF.  Maybe you'll get the chance to see them someday.

[Terry Griffith]

Thanks for ordering my CDs.  I hope you enjoy them.

The folk tradition dictates  that each performer should make the song their own.  That sometimes means the lyrics will change as the song evolves over time.  You can ever tell a singer that they are not using the correct lyrics because that is the way songs evolve and many traditional singers don't even want lyrics written down because it locks that version in forever and goes against the folk tradition.  That's why the older a song is, the more versions you will find.  I have even made small changes over time in songs I have written.

Here's another tip for you.  The front of the stage and near the performer may not be the best place to hear.  Look for the speakers are and sit near them.  At the Pirate Pub stage, for instance, the speakers have always been hung in the trees on either side of the stage about 4 rows back and they are pointing towards the back of the audience.  Sitting up front would actually be behind the speakers.

[chriscat53]

Thanks for the tip! For a minute there I thought I might have to climb a tree. Twould not be pretty.

[chriscat53]

I am going on 48 years as a Civil War buff and started reenacting in the mid 1960's--which is why Ren garb isn't as hard as starting fresh. Oddly, I was also with the old Hard Corps Irish Brigade in my late teens/early 20's. The 116th Pa. is still in Pgh and Mike Kraus (their commander and curator at Soldiers and Sailors)and I used to go to reenactments together when we were in our teens. The guy reenactors got all the good jobs! That's where I started loving Irish music and Irish history. Maybe it was the Irish sergeant, shell shocked at Fredericksburg, wandering the field after the Irish Brigade's suicidal charge. Their red Zouave pants were like poppies. And over and over his pitiful lament: "Oh where are the Irish gallants? Where are the Irish gallants?" Because they were all dead. They didn't care about shedding young Irish blood against Marye's Heights that day.  At Remembrance Day at Gettysburg the old Irish Brigade often passes around a bottle and maybe some of the ashes of reenactors who have died that year, and they do it on the battleline and near the monument of the Irish Brigade.  Pretty heavy stuff. Based upon some of my favorite songs and animals, I was a milkmaid during the 1798 rebellion! I don't know why Ireland so affects an Italian girl. Josie and Katie are half Anglo-Irish and half Italian. Anyway--up till now,my favorite CD outside of Tommy Makem, the Clancy Brothers, et al is the 97th Regimental String Band--Saturday Night at Sea. And the other CW Irish CD is The Irish Volunteer.David Kincaid.

[Terry Griffith]

I'm playing for the Adams County Irish Festival on July 18th in Gettysburg and at the Garryowen Pub in downtown Gettysburg the night before.  I always enjoy talking to the reenactors who show up in Civil War Garb.

The 116th Pa is always in the Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day parade.  There is a great picture of them on my parade web site under "The Blizzard of '93".  I found it in Mayor Tom Murphy's office in a frame.  He loaned it to me for the web site.  The picture was taken during the blizzard with their flags blowing and the buildings downtown are just barely visible through the blowing snow.  You can see the picture here:  http://www.pittsburghirish.org/parade/Blizzard/index.htm

[chriscat53]

What a great photo! Thanks for sharing it. I know there is at least person in that photo--a real Irish man, Danny Gregor, whom we have lost. You never know the last time you will see a good friend. "It may be for years and it may be forever..."

I will look forward this season to hearing and enjoying your music.  I will listen and memorize the words and that way it will not be frustrating to sit in the audience. It's hard to explain, but I listen and focus better if I know the words. I have to feel the song that way. I also need to schedule what I do at Ren Fair to actually get there in time to get a good seat. I am definitely going to ask them about handicapped access up the hills too. It would take a lot of stress off the visits to the Faire.