Will Millar
The Keeper
1994 - Attic KACD 1400 CD
Track List:
Just a Little Bitty Ball
The Tree Planting Song
The Keeper
Waltzing with Bears [3]
Windy Old Weather
Hey li le li le le
The Unicorn
If We Try
A Place in the Choir
Sailing on the Bay
Bog Down in the Valley [2]
Biplane Evermore
Reel in the Flickering Light [1]
Credits
The music makers are: Will Millar, George Millar, Michael Creber, Mary Ross, Wilcil McDowell, Joe Millar, Joe Smith, Doug Cox, Kevin McKeown, Rick Van Krugel, Igor the Jazz cowboy and Joel
Produced by George Millar and Will Millar
Engineered by John Ellis, Melodeon Studios, Vancouver Island, B.C.
Front cover art: Irish artist William McKibbin
Back cover art: Rand Walsh
Graphic design: riff raff
Interior illustrations pages 3 & 11: Terry Willers
Photographs: Greg Athens
Special thanks to all the children and teachers of the Assnichton School B.C. for all the great singing.
To brother George, John Ellis, and Shirley Rainon for background singing.
All songs MAPL except where indicated
© 1994 Attic Productions Limited
Alternate releases
Songs of the Unicorn: 2003 - (?) CD
Re-release with 3 extra tracks: "Puff the Magic Dragon", "The Puppet Song" & "Tell Me Ma"
Songs of the Unicorn: 2007 - Chacra Music EP
4-track Digital release: "Hey Li Le Li Le", "Sailing On The Bay", "Windy Old Weather" & "Ho Ro The Rattlin Bog"
Songs of the Unicorn: 2008 - Chacra Music
Digital release. Includes "Puff the Magic Dragon". However, "Bog Down in the Valley", "The Puppet Song" & "Tell Me Ma" are omitted.
Notes
According to this article in The Seattle Times, Will (initially) left the Irish Rovers "to pursue a career in children's entertainment" — with the release of this album [4]. In addition, George Millar states, "We're lucky; we have no major internal bickering."
Unfortunately by July of 1995, things had changed: "Irish Rovers founder Will Millar launched a lawsuit against his former bandmates claiming they conspired to oust him from the group and misappropriated royalties owed to him." [5]
1 also appears on Songs from My Irish Rovings—Volume Two: 2007 - (?) CD
2 also appears on Songs of the Irish Rovers - Volume One: 2007 - Chacra Music (Digital release)
3 also appears on Songs of the Irish Rovers - Volume Two: 2008 - Chacra Music (Digital release)
4 The Seattle Times article is dated March 17, 1995 and states Will "is working on a children's recording called 'The Keeper'" — yet this CD is dated 1994.
5 Source: Coog's Blog (Darren Coogan of 99.3 — Prince George, BC)
The songs: "The Keeper", "The Unicorn" & "Biplane Evermore" also appear on the Songs from My Irish Rovings (1 & 2) and Songs of the Irish Rovers (1 & 2) releases. However, they are not above versions—those are tracks are from Rogues & Romancers ("The Keeper") & Songs from My Irish Rovings — One ("Unicorn" & "Biplane").
This album was nominated for a 1996 Juno (Canadian music) Award, as Best Children's Album. I think this is a very good album, for kids and adults alike. There is a nice reveiw by "bilbopooh", here.