Irish Drinking Songs

[garth]

I went to an Irish pub this weekend that had some live music. It was just two guys playing all sorts of Irish drinking songs that people would sing and clap (and drink!) to. They all sounded like they wouldn't be to hard to play, but I didn't know any of the songs. Does any body know the names to any Irish drinking songs, and where can I find tabs/lyrics for them?

Thanks,
garth

[jyee]

There's a band from nova scotia called "Great Big Sea" that plays some good drinking songs (and some good songs in general). "The Night that Patty Murphy Died" is a good one (http://www.angelfire.com/mi/Grenfell/guitar/night.txt). There's also Mary Mac, which is a great tongue twister song (http://nfldsongs.tripod.com/03/marimac.htm)

[tenthumbs]

To the Irish, all songs are drinking songs. (Just a joke. Back away from the keyboard)

[ME@VT]

To the Irish, all songs are drinking songs.

DARN RIGHT!!

Check out Flogging Molly. They play some great stuff.

Devon

[cpmusic]

Not all Irish drinking songs are directly about drinking, but here's a short list:

Whiskey, You're the Devil
Finnegan's Wake
Here's a Health to the Company
The Parting Glass (contemplative, a good closer)
Whiskey in the Jar
All for Me Grog
Spancil Hill
Star of the County Down
Wild Rover
Rocky Road to Dublin
Molly Malone
Gypsy Rover
Four Green Fields
The Foggy Dew

There's a nice book put out by Oak Publications called "Soodlum's Book of Irish Ballads," or something like that. It's not just slow songs, but a wide variety that includes many of the above, and a good reference.

If you want a good listening source, look up just about anything by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. They recorded a slew of records 30-40 years ago, and most are available for less than $10 new.

[jim_n_virginia]

I love playing Irish music. I also play the mandolin so their is a ton of fiddle songs I can do. I play a few Irish songs on the guitar and in fact I am going to a Irish music jam tomorrow night so I am changing all my strings tonight!

I got most of my tab off of the tab section on www.mandolincafe.com

It is mando tab but the chords are all there so should be easy to convert. Also almost every big music store now has a Celtic section. I suggest buying a compiled CD with different bands on it to get all the classic drinking songs.
You can also find the lrics and chords for almost any Irish song on the web.

My favorites are.

Seven Drunken Nights
Whiskey Before Breakfast
The Wild Rover (a must for any Irish bar!)
Black Velvet Band


good luck!

[Celtic Johnny]

Check these links out:

http://www.makem.com/discography/lyrics/a-h.html

http://www.liamclancy.com/tabs.htm

There are books available packaged with CDs that allow you to hear the chorus and verse from all of the included songs. Most music shops or "Irish Shops" should carry them.

A search o' the net with Irish Song Lyrics Or Celtic Music, should turn up a few hits for you. And Listen to Tommy Makem and / or the Clancy Bros. They are the godfathers who brought this music to the fore, back in the good ole days of folk.

It is the music I love and play.

Slainte

[Celtic Johnny]

Here are some more links that I've found to be pretty good:

http://www.jens-nicolaus.de/

http://chivalry.com/cantaria/lists/contemp.html

This next link is to Songs of Newfoundland. Many are of Irish origin, all are very good.

http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/

This is link to a fan site of Great Big Sea. A group from Newfoundland. Most of the stuff they play is terrific: Some traditional Irish, some original in Celtic traditional stylings.

http://www.geocities.com/greatbigsea...ook_debut.html

Slainte

[bobbyh]

Originally Posted by ME@VT

DARN RIGHT!!

Check out Flogging Molly. They play some great stuff.

Devon

Flogging Molly is a great band! Didnt think that anyone on the forum would have heard of them though

[Steve Z]

I am very fond of Woods Tea Company . Fantastic music of the Irish Bar genre.