A Song Made Me Cry Today.

Archie Nicol · Post by **Archie Nicol** » 29 Sep 2007 4:49 pm

I was watching last night's recording of Transatlantic Sessions on BBC at lunchtime today.
June was reading a book as she has no great interest in this type of music. About twenty minutes in, this tune came on and June looked up from her reading.
We watched together and I noticed June lifting her glasses to wipe a tear while I sipped my tea to disguise my involuntary swallowing.
At the end, she looked over and said; "You too?"
I just nodded.
I don't speak Gaelic, but the song's English title and Karen's sincere delivery, plus the fine playing and the fact that it is a beautiful tune reduced us both to tears.
Here it is:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=P-pi93YGd10

Arch.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 29 Sep 2007 6:04 pm

And some beautiful, ethereal playing by Jerry Douglas on his Lap King Bel Aire (his first one, now he has a second guitar from Jason Dumont).

Bobby Caldwell · Post by **Bobby Caldwell** » 29 Sep 2007 6:12 pm

Archie, That was wonderful. Great music that I goose bumbs from listening. My wife and watched that together and enjoyed that so much. My wife being Irish and never being to Ireland, was a special treat. Thanks so much for the post. Bobby

Richard Sevigny · Post by **Richard Sevigny** » 29 Sep 2007 7:55 pm

Lovely indeed. Thanks, Archie.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 29 Sep 2007 8:21 pm

Wow, that's nice, Arch. I agree, beautiful tune, great singing, and beautiful textures to the instrumental voices. Besides, I love anything with pipes in it.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 29 Sep 2007 8:59 pm

She's been my favorite female vocalist ever since I first heard "Fisherman's Dream" well over a decade ago. If you really want to hear the haunting quality of her voice,check out "Ma theid mise tuilleadh" on Capercaillie's "Crosswinds" CD. It'll make the hair on your arms stand up. The fundamentals in her voice are as pure an a wet finger on a wine glass.
I like this one too for the same reasons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC8vVXQQrz0
When I hear this stuff I feel like I should move to Scotland which is coincidentally the land of my forefathers. E9 pedal steel would fit right into this music.

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 30 Sep 2007 7:15 am

That was beautiful, Archie. You may enjoy this one as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUwTdqPkluY

Archie Nicol · Post by **Archie Nicol** » 30 Sep 2007 3:05 pm

Eva was just great. BBC Radio Two promoted her stuff over here about six or seven years ago. Her version of Danny Boy is another spine-tingler.

Arch.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 30 Sep 2007 4:44 pm

Arch, there's an English translation at this link:

http://www.geocities.com/celticlyricsco ... crucan.htm

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 30 Sep 2007 9:54 pm

I've never heard a set of bagpipes without a drone before. Those actually sounded good. Way better than the Scottish pipes.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 1 Oct 2007 1:07 am

The uillean pipes (from Ireland) are different than the Scottish pipes, having a wider range of capability of notes. I know a guy locally that plays them.

They can do the drone thing, but apparently when playing in a group situation, the player typically avoids it - that is more for solo work.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 1 Oct 2007 10:29 am

Here's the deal on Uilleann pipes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uilleann_Pipes

Joe Harwell · Post by **Joe Harwell** » 1 Oct 2007 12:18 pm

Some music transcends words.

Gaelic always seemed the perfectly matched language to its music.

I was hooked at an early age from listening to and performing Percy Grangier's "Lincolnshire Posey" for wind ensemble which many will say is the number one composition ever for wind ensemble.

Beautiful. We need a tear from time to time to remind us that we are humans and share common experiences.

Thanks...I needed that.

Gary C. Dygert · Post by **Gary C. Dygert** » 5 Oct 2007 8:42 am

As I understand it, the Irish pipes (and pipes of other parts of the world) are melody pipes, while the Scottish pipes were war pipes, meant to scare the pants off the enemy.

Archie Nicol · Post by **Archie Nicol** » 26 Oct 2007 8:36 am

Here is another beautiful Gaelic song from the `Transatlantic Sessions`. This time sung by young Julie Fowlis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsl7ruSE3DY

Arch.

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 26 Oct 2007 6:09 pm

Thanks Arch. Beautiful beyond words.

Terry

Mike Winter · Post by **Mike Winter** » 27 Oct 2007 8:17 am

I was driving to work one morning some years back...listening to Waylon. The song "Sandy Sends Her Best" came on and tears rolled down my cheeks. For whatever reason at the time it hit a nerve...I guess I'd been thinking of my first marriage and where I was with the new one. We're all great friends and get along well, so it's all good. It really is a great thing when music can take you to places and affect you emotionally, whether up or down.

Archie Nicol · Post by **Archie Nicol** » 29 Dec 2007 5:59 pm

Just a bump for some `real` music.
No Pop Idol, X-Factor,...somebody,...somewhere's got talent(?)!

Arch.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 29 Dec 2007 7:41 pm

Nice music. I was in a real nice zone with the girl singing and then that pipe thing came in. Not a real good match for the mood in my opinion. I would have traded a Jerry Douglas solo for it any day.

The harp girl is hot.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 29 Dec 2007 8:47 pm

Thanks, Arch. No gimmicks, just pure music, played and sung with heart. Roots music!

Archie Nicol · Post by **Archie Nicol** » 30 Dec 2007 5:24 pm

Sorry you feel that way, Bill. But it is a traditional instrument, playing traditional music.
To great effect, IMO.
Here are Ronan and Jerry together in a different mood:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=d7eMzJOGyvA

Arch.

Bob Ritter · Post by **Bob Ritter** » 30 Dec 2007 7:10 pm

I liked it too..6/8 time is sooo smoooth

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 30 Dec 2007 7:26 pm

Archie Nicol wrote:Sorry you feel that way, Bill. But it is a traditional instrument, playing traditional music.
To great effect, IMO.
Here are Ronan and Jerry together in a different mood:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=d7eMzJOGyvA

Arch.

Listened to that also. I appreciate it for what it is, but I cannot get in to the squawking it does at the end of notes and the pitch and the brashness of it etc. I just need to hear some other players on it till I find one I like. I will search around on the net and see if I can find something I like on it.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 31 Dec 2007 8:56 am

Thanks for the link. I loved it! I thought the mix of Dobro, piano and Ulian pipes was haunting and beautiful. Jerry Douglas' phrasing was awash with feeling and in fact, I lke his playing better here than on his flashier showpieces, like Monkey Let the Hogs Out. The piper's tone was a bit on the shrill side but still in the pocket. There may be more virtuosic pipers out there but Paddy Maloney's sound with the Chieftains defined the pipe tone for me and all others are measured against his sound and ornamentation.

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 31 Dec 2007 9:50 am

What is it about so many of us Americans that we are so nostalgic about our European ancestry? Especially Gaelic ancestry, it seems. This thread certainly stirred up the old Magowan and Douglas blood in me.
I don't understand a word of Gaelic. But Ms. Matheson made herself well understood. And that excellent band sure didn't hurt the delivery. While the harp player was, in fact, hot, She's more my grandchildren's age.