Paddy on the Road
1969—Mercury 20170 SMCL LP
Side One
Paddy on the road
Marrow Bones
Strike Weapon
Avondale
James Larkin
Cnla
Side Two
Spanish Lady
Belfast Brigade
Cricklewood
Curragh of Kildare
Maid from Athy
Father Mc Fadden
Credits
The Musicians:
Ray Swinfield: flute
Denny Wright: banjo and guitar
Ike Isaacs: guitar
Jack Fallon: bass
Produced by Dominic Behan
Steve Benbow was arranger and musical director for the sessions.
Sleeve Notes
Wherever his road has led
him, Paddy, the symbolic Irishman, has taken his songs and tunes with him,
whether it be across the world to America or nearer home in Britain. There
is no finer folk music than that of Ireland. Besides being rich in
traditional material, there is also a great crop of contemporary songs.
"Paddy on the Road" presents a cross section of both.
The Singer: An ex-bank clerk from Kildare, Christy Moore is one of the
best of the young solo singers to emerge from a flourishing Irish folk
scene. Now based in Halifax, Yorkshire, Christy has spent the past couple
of years establishing himself in folk music circles on both sides of the
Irish Channel.
Many of the songs in his
repertoire were learnt while Christy was working on the bank relief staff,
a job which took him all over Ireland thus enabling him to enlarge and
enrich his knowledge of Irish songs by collecting from singers in the
various localities that he visited.
This is his first album and it admirably showcases Christy's singing
talents. He has a clear, effortless approach uncluttered by superfluous
decoration, yet still stylish. The songs are never sacrificed for the
singer; consequently the listener is as aware of the words and tune as of
the actual performance - which is as it should be. The Songs: "The Belfast
Brigade" a descriptive song about IRA activities in Northern Ireland, 'The
Strike Weapon", concerning union and labour struggles and the gentle,
lyrical ballad "Avondale", a tribute to one of Ireland's great political
heroes, Charles Parnell, all come from the prolific pen of Dominic Behan.
From the singing of Frank
Lunny, Christy learnt "Father McFadden" which deals with the death of a
certain Inspector Martin at the hands of followers of Father McFadden a
Republican sympathizer in the 1870's, while Donagh McDonagh's "James
Larkin" recalls another noted Irish labour leader and his efforts to
organise the workers.
On a lighter side, the
tuneful "Spanish Lady" tells of the admiration from afar of a beautiful
woman by a young man and contrasts strongly with "Marrow Bones", a West of
Ireland variant of "The Blind Man He Could See", another chapter in the
battle of the sexes - ending in a male victory! The wistful "The Curragh
of Kildare" is a melodic love song that has found much favour among Irish
singers, "The Maid Of Athy" briefly and amusingly relates the winning of a
girl's heart and in "Cunla" we have a jaunty seduction song, translated
from Kevin Coneffs Gaelic version by noted Irish piper and folklorist,
Seamus Ennis.
The traditional employment
of Paddy on the road Is as a labourer and this aspect of his life is
represented in two "navvy" songs, "Cemented With Love" by Dominic Behan,
very much in the "McAlpine's Fusiliers" tradition, and "Cricklewood" a
light-hearted look at exile, words by Irish writer J. B. Keane and music
by Tony Grehan.
Steve (Benbow) deserves a
special mention for his tasteful, sympathetic arrangements. His knowledge
of the idiom - he was a pioneer in the British folk revival and is still
an acknowledged folksinger-has obviously been an asset in ensuring the
right type of treatment for the songs heard here.
Writer, broadcaster,
actor, singer, songwriter and possessor of a vitriolic wit, Dominic Behan
is nobody's fool when it comes to Irish folk music. He was responsible for
getting Christy Moore on to record and kept a fatherly eye on the
production.
Tony Wilson August 1969