St. Patrick’s Day Piano Medley

            Back when the 21st century was dawning, I developed an affinity for authentic Irish music – not the sentimental Irish-American favorites, but the real stuff. Sure, the lyrics were a little overwrought – emotional tales of doomed uprisings and mournful lovers, heartfelt odes to the bottle. But the melodies – divorced from the emotional lyrics and rendered simply on the piano – really got to my non-Irish soul. 

            So in 2002 I recorded a CD album, titled Wearing of the Green – my piano versions of three dozen Irish favorites. I still listen to it a lot – especially as St. Patrick’s Day rolls around each year. 

            This year, now that I’m using my blog, I decided to record a dozen authentic Irish tunes (none of which were included in the original album) and provide them to my blog audience in the week before St. Patrick’s Day. So, for the next 16 minutes, return with me to the auld sod – any of you (Irish heritage not required) who like to hear some good melodies (albeit they’re celebrating battles, saluting martyrs, acclaiming love, reveling in rapturous surroundings, and toasting the juice of the barley).  

            The songs included are, in this order:

The Minstrel Boy

The Flower of Sweet Strabane

The Spanish Lady

I Know My Love

My Own Dear Galway Bay

Home Boys Home

Slievenamon

Brennan on the Moor

Juice of the Barley

The Homes of Donegal

The Patriot Game

The Water is Wide

             I hope you enjoy them. For optimum fidelity I recommend (although it’s not necessary) listening to this through ear phones or ear buds. For anyone who would like a copy of the original CD album (no charge, of course), just send a note to my email and provide your postal address.

                                                                                                Jim