The First of the Irish Rovers
1966—DECCA DL 74835 LP
(re-release) MCA MCA-249 LP
Side One
The Irish Rover
My Boy Willie
Rattling Bog
Coulter's Candy
My Old Man's a Dustman
Side Two
Patsy Fagan
I Don't Mind If I Do
Many Young Men Of Twenty
Mick Maguire
Donald Where's Your Trousers
Nancy Whiskey
Credits
Will Millar
George Millar
Jimmy Ferguson
Joe Millar
Recorded Live at the Ice House, Pasadena, California
Sleeve Notes
The particular appeal of Irish music is an elusive, hard-to-explain phenomenon. What is “Irish music”? Spilling over with joy, yet tinged with a poignant sadness, it is a stew of contradictions simmered in a kettle of nostalgia, to be taken with a grain of salt. Irish music is the history and character of the Irish people recorded in song. The special message of this music is conveyed with authority and skill by a refreshing new singing group—The Irish Rovers.
The Irish Rovers are four boys twice blessed-with the gift of talent and the bounty of taste. These dashing young men of the ould sod, Will, George and Joe Millar, and Jim Ferguson, have already blazed a train of Gaelic glory across Canada and the U. S. with a successful sweep of nightclub, TV. and personal appearances. Will and George are brothers, who sing and play guitar. Joe is their cousin, who doubles on accordion and harmonica. Jim Ferguson is their close friend, who spikes the music with a lyrical tenor voice and a pungent wit (He's been called an Irish Jonathan Winters.) All four boys hail from the north of Ireland-the Millars from Balleymena and Jim from Belfast.
Equally at home with informal college groups and sophisticated nightclub audiences, The Irish Rovers sing their way through a rich, and varied repertoire of Irish folk music. The songs range from the mournful to the mirthful to the wildly hilarious. It's a brew as potent as Irish whiskey and it's served up with wit, style and spirit. The Irish Rovers are masters of the sing-along, with the uncanny ability to break down the barriers between an artist and his audience. Their warmth, sincerity and genuine friendliness have made Irishmen out of Americans of every origin and color. This special magic will touch you too, as you listen to their enchanting music. Close your eyes and you're in Ireland, strolling past a friendly pub, watching the mist rise over the sea. As Will Millar himself would say, “Come on in for a minute or two out of the rain. And give us a hand on a couple of choruses.”
Judith Tane
… Balladeers notes
This was the Irish Rovers’ first album and in my opinion, still to this day, stands as one of their very best. According to George Millar, they were signed to a one album deal by Decca to compete with Columbia records (The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem) for the St. Patrick's market.