Greetings all - we have a new fiddler who recently joined our local session who also has a beautiful voice. She would like to add a few songs to our sessions. After reading some other threads, it is apparent that some songs are welcome and others to be avoided.
Hence, I am curious what 3-5 songs you might recommend as a start for her and us to work on? Thanks for the suggestions.
I myself have always enjoyed singing "I'll Tell Me Ma," although many will probably gag at that particular suggestion. A nice upbeat song from a female perspective. My granddaughter seems to like it.
Airs that have been sung in one of our local sessions include The Lea Rig, Parting Glass, Raglan Road, Carrickfergus, Shule Aroon, and Down by the Sally Gardens. More upbeat songs have included the typical "rebel" and "green beer" songs as well as a humorous gem called "My Grandmother 'Shat' in the Corner".
Two popular songs in our session up here in North Antrim are 'Caledonia' & 'Garden Valley', both Dougie McLean songs plus Sweet Rose of Allandale & all the usual Irish Ballads.
However, recently an Piping Antrim exile has returned from Oz & is a fine singer of songs, including some in Gaelic, into the bargain, so I look forward to some new songs joining the local repertoire.
If someone is going to sing at a session, I would prefer it to be one that I've never heard before. It holds my interest. Well-known songs seem to turn sessions into singalongs, which are fine but they're not sessions.
Ah Ha Grego, so, in your opinion, after how many songs being sung does a session turn into a singalong?
e.g. Last night I found myself sitting at our weekly session surrounded by three fine singers who, unusually, just happened to outnumber the musicians. Are you saying I should have prevented them from singing? I reckon in a session with ever changing personnel it'd be churlish to lay down hard & fast rules about how many songs.
As it happened, I actively encouraged the singers - variety is the spice of life - in my book.
They are thousands of songs, sing whatever you like, I mean musicians play whatever they like.
With one provisio. There are a number of Irish "rebel" songs. Some of the older ones are wistful songs of struggle, some are lovely ballads. Even newer ones (1960s) like "Only our Rivers Run Free" is an anti-colonialism song, and acceptable. Some of the others are rabble rousing nonsense and should be strictly avoided.
Listening to songs requires an ability to appreciate the social history associated with the nation, and therefore to appreciate the tradition to a greater extent. That tradition includes the "modern session". The traditional session would have had loads of songs for obvious reasons, such as a shortage of instruments.
Our female lead likes "Galway Shawl," "4 green Fields," "Immigrant Eyes,"Boys of the old Brigade,"Green and Red of Mayo," "Daydream Believer," I don't know how the Monkees tune worked its way in, but she loves that tune
Some favourites (I mean to listen to and maybe back, not to sing) are the following:
I Am A Rambling Irishman
The Town I Love So Well
Ned Of The Hill
Loving Hannah
I Drew My Ship Into The Harbour (a song or version from NE England)
Lord Franklin
The Holmfirth Anthem (Yorkshire)
A Kiss In The Morning Early
The only song that should be sung in every pub, in every session and in every right minded persons home is All You Fascists Bound To Lose, written by the legendary Woody Guthrie. Oh, go on then, Scapegoats by Christy Moore tells the truth, as well. Then again, maybe they're both rabble rousing nonsense, what would I know? I'm just an Irish socialist.
I like "The Heart Is True", "All Around My Hat", "The Wind Blew Cold and Lonely Across the Widow's Moor" (shew the children out! ), Logan's Love, Mist Covered Mountains.......... we don't mind the standards - they're fun to harmonize, play along with on the chorus.
"They are thousands of songs, sing whatever you like, ***I mean musicians play whatever they like****." (Emphasis mine)
BB, you should know after all the arguments and discussions on this site that musicians DON'T/CAN'T/WON'T play what they like for a variety of reasons.
They may consider some tunes(OR other session members might consider this on their behalf!) "too tired", "too new", "too Balkan", "too Eurocelt", "Too Scottish", "Not Irish enough" etc, etc.
Also, they might not be able to play them at the speed(or style) they wish. After all, you've got to consider the other players in the session.
Anyway, re the tunes. The choice doesn't matter a great deal as long as the lyrics don't offend but I'd agree with Michael when he says "The shorter the better".
Of course, I'm not being as nasty but in what is a tune session scenario long ballads and the like are really inappropriate.
A Kiss In The Morning Early - That was in the repertoire of The Mathews Brothers, a very good Irish duo who did the folk clubs in the UK round 1980. They also sang The Limerick Rake and (I think) Flash Company.
i remember one night in the liverpool bar in belfast when " i was a wild rover" was sung to the tune of " ghost riders in the sky" brillant. try it, its a good laugh.
Musicians can play what they like if they are not posers, dominated by elitism and imagined rules. Fortunately many sessions do not have these influences, so they play what they like.
Brigg fair is a lovely song and not too long. I think a song here and there can be a nice change, especially if their slow, like playing a slow air. After all the fast dance tunes.
"Any more then 2 songs in a session is not allowed".
This is a comment made by an ELDER at a local session .This was nearly a digging match and it had been tunes nearly all night .Worked a treat stopped manys the player turning up.Rules are Rules.Session POLICE . jesus!!
I dont sing myself but always enjoy a good singer find it adds to the session.
Shiiiiiiiiit! At the end of the day ..................... the Sun sets!
....... & the only rule at a session should be that there are no rules! Sessions should each have a natural life of their own & the only motto worth a damn is - 'Go with the flow'!
So if you've got singers, for jayzus sake, let them sing if they want!
The "session police" are not a recent ITM invention to stop singers and do not only exist in ITM sessions. They were very much in evidence 30 plus years ago when anyone tried to bring an accordion into a "trad singing" club, and concertina cases were also searched - english or duets are OK, anglos play diddley so are banned was their approach.
The current "session police" who patrol instrumental-only sessions are only a continuation of the "trad police" of past decades.
It isn't a matter of taking a turn - unless you are an outstanding singer, you have to be brave to run the gauntlet of instrumentalists. Similarly, an outstanding musician who can hold the attention of the room might get by with two or three tunes in a singers session (if they are lucky), but three is quite enough.
(only my own view).
No ptarmigan I dont sing apart from in the shower or when I am pi***d.Love any Fester and Aileen songs especially the one about the dead man up the chimney.Foster and Allen not even when Pi***d.Not sure about "open Arms" thedon on that one.
Today I read a story which came from an English folk club: A young woman on stage taped the words to her long and laborious ballad onto the back of her microphone to help her remember it. As she kept singing verse after verse after verse, someone put the audience out of its misery by setting her paper on fire!
Our thanks to the author, Stewart H.
Favorite songs in sessions
Favorite songs in sessions
Greetings all - we have a new fiddler who recently joined our local session who also has a beautiful voice. She would like to add a few songs to our sessions. After reading some other threads, it is apparent that some songs are welcome and others to be avoided.
Hence, I am curious what 3-5 songs you might recommend as a start for her and us to work on? Thanks for the suggestions.
Cheers
# Posted on February 2nd 2007 by irishrhythm
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
I myself have always enjoyed singing "I'll Tell Me Ma," although many will probably gag at that particular suggestion. A nice upbeat song from a female perspective. My granddaughter seems to like it.
# Posted on February 2nd 2007 by AlBrown
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Airs that have been sung in one of our local sessions include The Lea Rig, Parting Glass, Raglan Road, Carrickfergus, Shule Aroon, and Down by the Sally Gardens. More upbeat songs have included the typical "rebel" and "green beer" songs as well as a humorous gem called "My Grandmother 'Shat' in the Corner".
# Posted on February 2nd 2007 by vonnieestes
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
I still enjoy "The Curragh of Kildare", although I would hesitate to suggest any other song I know to have been recorded by the Fureys.
# Posted on February 2nd 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Two popular songs in our session up here in North Antrim are 'Caledonia' & 'Garden Valley', both Dougie McLean songs plus Sweet Rose of Allandale & all the usual Irish Ballads.
However, recently an Piping Antrim exile has returned from Oz & is a fine singer of songs, including some in Gaelic, into the bargain, so I look forward to some new songs joining the local repertoire.
# Posted on February 2nd 2007 by Ptarmigan
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
If someone is going to sing at a session, I would prefer it to be one that I've never heard before. It holds my interest. Well-known songs seem to turn sessions into singalongs, which are fine but they're not sessions.
# Posted on February 2nd 2007 by grego
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Ah Ha Grego, so, in your opinion, after how many songs being sung does a session turn into a singalong?
e.g. Last night I found myself sitting at our weekly session surrounded by three fine singers who, unusually, just happened to outnumber the musicians. Are you saying I should have prevented them from singing? I reckon in a session with ever changing personnel it'd be churlish to lay down hard & fast rules about how many songs.
As it happened, I actively encouraged the singers - variety is the spice of life - in my book.
# Posted on February 2nd 2007 by Ptarmigan
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
the shorter the better
# Posted on February 2nd 2007 by llig leahcim
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
They are thousands of songs, sing whatever you like, I mean musicians play whatever they like.
With one provisio. There are a number of Irish "rebel" songs. Some of the older ones are wistful songs of struggle, some are lovely ballads. Even newer ones (1960s) like "Only our Rivers Run Free" is an anti-colonialism song, and acceptable. Some of the others are rabble rousing nonsense and should be strictly avoided.
Listening to songs requires an ability to appreciate the social history associated with the nation, and therefore to appreciate the tradition to a greater extent. That tradition includes the "modern session". The traditional session would have had loads of songs for obvious reasons, such as a shortage of instruments.
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Some that I offer when appropriate:
Black is the Color
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOzVUIXzLns
Minstel Boy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-8iUfHiUOU
Green Fields of France
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyiLfSHSqds
Isle of Hope
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pels24AFFEc
Christmas in the Trenches
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9coPzDx6tA
Mull of Kintyre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBTNOu06hng
Here's a health
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbCAYRtP1cM
Heart is low
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGx41rL9ohU
I Loved the Ground
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zi2_SglqLc
The Dutchman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X2ks03OLCk
Parting Glass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J9518zSqWk
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by feardearg
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
No, Ptarmigan I'm not saying you should prevent them from singing - I certaintly wouldn't.
I'm just saying if they kept lashing out old favourites with everyone joining in the chorus I would sit there seething in resentment.
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by grego
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Our female lead likes "Galway Shawl," "4 green Fields," "Immigrant Eyes,"Boys of the old Brigade,"Green and Red of Mayo," "Daydream Believer," I don't know how the Monkees tune worked its way in, but she loves that tune
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by pastrings
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Some favourites (I mean to listen to and maybe back, not to sing) are the following:
I Am A Rambling Irishman
The Town I Love So Well
Ned Of The Hill
Loving Hannah
I Drew My Ship Into The Harbour (a song or version from NE England)
Lord Franklin
The Holmfirth Anthem (Yorkshire)
A Kiss In The Morning Early
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by nicholas
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Haven't heard "Kiss in the morning early" since I left England 20 years ago. Great song.
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
The only song that should be sung in every pub, in every session and in every right minded persons home is All You Fascists Bound To Lose, written by the legendary Woody Guthrie. Oh, go on then, Scapegoats by Christy Moore tells the truth, as well. Then again, maybe they're both rabble rousing nonsense, what would I know? I'm just an Irish socialist.
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by strayaway
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
If you are in the SP you are probably right, what would you know?
Your failure to grasp what constitutes "rabble rousing" in rebel songs, and songs depicting the class struggle, would suggest as much
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
And you must be the only socialist in Fermanagh judging by election results. Are you Davy Kettle?
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Lakes of Pontchartrain
Arthur McBride
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by *Misha*
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
What about "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore" and "She moved through the Fair" ?
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by Matt_Celta
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
I like "The Heart Is True", "All Around My Hat", "The Wind Blew Cold and Lonely Across the Widow's Moor" (shew the children out! ), Logan's Love, Mist Covered Mountains.......... we don't mind the standards - they're fun to harmonize, play along with on the chorus.
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by morning star
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
"They are thousands of songs, sing whatever you like, ***I mean musicians play whatever they like****." (Emphasis mine)
BB, you should know after all the arguments and discussions on this site that musicians DON'T/CAN'T/WON'T play what they like for a variety of reasons.
They may consider some tunes(OR other session members might consider this on their behalf!) "too tired", "too new", "too Balkan", "too Eurocelt", "Too Scottish", "Not Irish enough" etc, etc.
Also, they might not be able to play them at the speed(or style) they wish. After all, you've got to consider the other players in the session.
Anyway, re the tunes. The choice doesn't matter a great deal as long as the lyrics don't offend but I'd agree with Michael when he says "The shorter the better".
Of course, I'm not being as nasty but in what is a tune session scenario long ballads and the like are really inappropriate.
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by Johannes J
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
"Anyway, re the tunes."
Sorry, I meant to say *songs*
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by Johannes J
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
A Kiss In The Morning Early - That was in the repertoire of The Mathews Brothers, a very good Irish duo who did the folk clubs in the UK round 1980. They also sang The Limerick Rake and (I think) Flash Company.
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by nicholas
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
i remember one night in the liverpool bar in belfast when " i was a wild rover" was sung to the tune of " ghost riders in the sky" brillant. try it, its a good laugh.
# Posted on February 3rd 2007 by molloy
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Musicians can play what they like if they are not posers, dominated by elitism and imagined rules. Fortunately many sessions do not have these influences, so they play what they like.
# Posted on February 4th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Brigg fair is a lovely song and not too long. I think a song here and there can be a nice change, especially if their slow, like playing a slow air. After all the fast dance tunes.
# Posted on February 4th 2007 by velvet
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
"Any more then 2 songs in a session is not allowed".
This is a comment made by an ELDER at a local session .This was nearly a digging match and it had been tunes nearly all night .Worked a treat stopped manys the player turning up.Rules are Rules.Session POLICE . jesus!!
I dont sing myself but always enjoy a good singer find it adds to the session.
# Posted on February 4th 2007 by Dphil
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Shiiiiiiiiit! At the end of the day ..................... the Sun sets!
....... & the only rule at a session should be that there are no rules! Sessions should each have a natural life of their own & the only motto worth a damn is - 'Go with the flow'!
So if you've got singers, for jayzus sake, let them sing if they want!
# Posted on February 4th 2007 by Ptarmigan
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
I,m with you 100% on that one Ptarmigan
# Posted on February 4th 2007 by Dphil
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
You wouldn't be a singer by any chance Dphil?
# Posted on February 4th 2007 by Ptarmigan
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
I'll listen to any singer that can hold your attention, and I don't care what they sing
# Posted on February 4th 2007 by Bren
Re: Three Favorite Songs (or fewer) in sessions
The "session police" are not a recent ITM invention to stop singers and do not only exist in ITM sessions. They were very much in evidence 30 plus years ago when anyone tried to bring an accordion into a "trad singing" club, and concertina cases were also searched - english or duets are OK, anglos play diddley so are banned was their approach.
The current "session police" who patrol instrumental-only sessions are only a continuation of the "trad police" of past decades.
It isn't a matter of taking a turn - unless you are an outstanding singer, you have to be brave to run the gauntlet of instrumentalists. Similarly, an outstanding musician who can hold the attention of the room might get by with two or three tunes in a singers session (if they are lucky), but three is quite enough.
(only my own view).
# Posted on February 4th 2007 by geoffwright
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Are you serious about the concertina cases geoff? That's scary! But maybe explains why certain people took up the English - stealth tune-bombers
# Posted on February 4th 2007 by Bren
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Sing anything by Foster and Allen and you'll be welcome at any session with open arms.
# Posted on February 5th 2007 by woops
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
No ptarmigan I dont sing apart from in the shower or when I am pi***d.Love any Fester and Aileen songs especially the one about the dead man up the chimney.Foster and Allen not even when Pi***d.Not sure about "open Arms" thedon on that one.
# Posted on February 5th 2007 by Dphil
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Ignore the winking smiley at your peril Dphil!
# Posted on February 5th 2007 by Ptarmigan
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Oh! Dopey me Thats what shift work does to you.Thanks P tar !!!!
# Posted on February 5th 2007 by Dphil
Re: Favorite songs in sessions
Today I read a story which came from an English folk club: A young woman on stage taped the words to her long and laborious ballad onto the back of her microphone to help her remember it. As she kept singing verse after verse after verse, someone put the audience out of its misery by setting her paper on fire!
Our thanks to the author, Stewart H.
# Posted on February 7th 2007 by morning star