Track Listing

1. Up Against the Buachalawns
2. Boil the Breakfast Early
3. Friel's Kitchen
4. No. 6 the Coombe
5. O'Sullivan's March
6. Sea Image
7. Speic Seoigheach
8. Dogs Among the Bushes
9. Job of Journeywork
10. Oh! The Breeches Full of Stitches
11. Chase Around the Windmill
12. Wind That Shakes the Barley/The Reel With the Beryle

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #874083 in Music
• Released on: 1992-01-28

Amazon.com essential recording
This set was culled from the Chieftains' seventh, eighth and ninth outings on the Irish Claddagh label, recordings that were released in America on Columbia. The Chieftains were still devoted primarily to Irish and some Scottish Gaelic material on this valuable selection of tunes. The CD provides an excellent overview of their style during that period (mid- to late '70s), a style that was a touch more academic and severe than it is now. As most of their seminal earlier recordings are now out of print in the United States, this is the only available compilation that traces the Chieftain's history and trajectory before they embarked on their bestselling intercultural expeditions and superstar collaborations. --Christina Roden

Amazon.com
No collection of Irish music would be complete without the Chieftains, who perform traditional songs without any annoying pop-music inflections or sappiness. A collection of their work for Columbia Records, The Best of the Chieftains is an excellent place to begin delving into their sizable catalog. From rousing foot-tappers like "Up Against the Buachalawns" and "Oh! The Breeches Full of Stitches" to wistful airs such as "No. 6 The Coombe" and "Chase Around the Windmill," it's all highly enjoyable music, performed by the finest musicians Ireland has to offer. I first heard this CD on someone's portable stereo in the Colorado mountains, but your living room should be sufficient if no mountains are available. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews

Sounds great ... I'll be buying more!
Was looking for an intro to Irish folk and it appears I picked the right group and CD with which to start!

The Originals
After having heard the Chieftain produced "Fire In the Kitchen" album, this CD was like taking a step back in time. It was the first true taste of traditional Irish music that I ever heard. No fancy computers to "beef up" the sound, just true Irish music played from the heart. The CD is well paced with a good mix of toe-tapping jigs and reels, and slower marches, but the emotion is always there. This CD is traditional, and it reminds us of the origins of the music that has made its impact on mainstream america, origins that should never be forgotten.

Good bagpipes!
I love bagpipes ("gaitas" in Galicia, Spain) I first heard The Chieftains play with Carlos Nunez, and I was hooked.