Track Listing

1. O Donnell Aboo
2. The Croppy Box
3. The Rising of the Moon
4. The Foggy Dew
5. The Minstrel Boy
6. The Wind That Shakes the Barley
7. Tipperary Far Away
8. Kelly the Boy From Killarne
9. Kevin Barry
10. Whack Fol the Diddle
11. The Men of the West
12. Eamonn An Chniuic
13. Nell Flaherty's Drake
14. Boulavogue
15. Whiskey You're The Devil
16. The Maid of the Sweet Brown Knowe
17. The Moonshiner
18. Bold Thady Quill
19. Roisin' the Bow
20. Finnigan's Wake
21. The Real Old Mountain Dew
22. Courting in the Kitchen
23. Mick McGuire
24. A Jug of Punch
25. Johnny McEldoo
26. Cruisein Lan
27. Portairge
28. The Parting Glass

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26566 in Music
• Released on: 1996-02-09
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
If you can find a more stirring collection of Irish ditties, you'd better buy it, but it's doubtful you'll top this budget set. Not with the great Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem doing the honors and a price so low you'll be able to afford an extra pint for your mates. The wind is at your back all the way as the lads avoid chestnuts like "Danny Boy" along with Broadway-Irish show tunes, tearing into "Whack Fol the Diddle" and other "reel" deals instead. Highlights include the weeper "The Croppy Box," roof rattler "Finnigan's Wake," and "The Rising of the Moon," better known for the same-tune political song it spawned, "The Wearing of the Green." Tommy is in beautiful voice on "The Foggy Dew," earning his reputation as one of the best Irish singers of recent decades, and the Clancy Brothers excel on instruments and voice box. --Bob Tarte

Customer Reviews

The first time many Americans heard these traditional songs
How strange that someone would think these aren't the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem! These are they as I remember hearing them on Hootenany, the Ed Sullivan Show, even a special from the Kennedy White House. There is something so pure and thrilling about this music, Makem's "Wind That Shakes the Barley," is especially moving. Liam Clancy singing "Whack Fol the Fiddle" is another great song but there isn't a bad one on the cd. These songs were on two Tradition lp's, what a bargain on this cd!

Great songs and vocals-engineering - eh?
If you like Irish tunes you'll like this one. There are many tunes you may recognize but with slightly different lyrics. (Even Lyrics with different tunes) But that is par for the course with any folk genre.

This has quickly become a family favorite around here. While these are pub songs including the usual betrayal by loved ones and drinking, there are many militaristic songs. If you dislike anti-British sentiments I suggest you avoid this CD.

For the rest of us, this is stripped down Clancy brothers and Tommy Makem. My personal 3 favorites, from this collection are Nell Flaherty's Drake, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, and The Maid of the Sweet Brown Knowe. They are lightly accompanied by harp, violin or whistle. Many are pure vocal. My only complaint of this collection is the engineering. The CD sounds like it was recorded using the same technology used on Kingston Trio albums in the early sixties. However for the price I will not complain too much.

All in all I would highly recommend this to all fans of Irish songs and Clancy Brothers fans in particular.

68 Minutes of Terrific Music
I have had several Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem albums on vinyl for more than a decade, but nothing on CD until I came across this bargain-priced collection. It would have been nice if Madacy had included some information on the 28 tracks included here (recording dates, instrumentation, band members/history--the band has been recording for more than 40 years and founding member Tom Clancy died in 1990), but for the price this is an enjoyable collection. Unlike the Chieftains (whose recordings focus on their instrumental prowess), The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem (although competent musicians) emphasize their vocal talents. In fact, some of these tunes are a capella, and most feature only sparse instrumentation. At any rate, these are enjoyable songs and a terrific introduction to the band. RECOMMENDED