I got this one from a large chain bookstore because Sparky bought me a giftcard there for Valentines Day. I would have scoffed at this kind of CD just a few years ago but now I really dig it. It's got a ton of great songs on it and it's easy to see why these guys were so influential to not only the Irish music scene but to the folk explosion in this country and to country and bluegrass music as well.
I got this CD, and the next one as well, from a locally owned music store in Bristol, TN. I had never heard of this group before but I plunged ahead and bought it anyway, sometimes I'm impulsive like that yo, and I'm glad I did because it's a damn fine CD chock full of instrumentals and songs sung in Gaelic and in English. The fiddles are smokin' on this CD and I almost want to "Riverdance" my ass off every time I hear it.
Ah, what can I say about this CD? It rocks on every level. Black 47 is an underrated band that deserves more airplay but will never get it because their sound is too strange for corporate radio. This is my second Black 47 CD, I have their "live" CD, and it's probably not going to be my last. This CD has the great songs "Rockin' The Bronx," "Funky Ceili" (Ceili is pronounced Kail-ee), "Fire of Freedom," and "James Connolly," among others, on it. Black 47 rock harder than you'd ever expect a bunch of pasty Irish guys to ever rock.
6 comments:
I've never heard of Black 47, and I probably should have, but I love the album cover and your description of the music, so I know I have my googling cut out for me.
The Clancy Brothers started it all.
The Clancy Bros w/Tommy Makem were the first concert I attened as a kid. My folks had a bunch of their albums (along with other folkies such as Oscar Brand and The Kingston Trio). The spirited Clancy's were always my favorite. I recently listed to Liam Clancy's wonderful autobiography "The Mountain of the Women: Memoirs of an Irish Troubadour." Liam read the book himself, which made the experience that much more satisfying. Discovered by Dianne Gugenheim, Liam leaves Ireland and lands in Greenwich Village just as the folk scene is exploding. The Clancy's were so popular that when Bob Dylan signed his first record label, he told Liam "I'm gonna be as big as the Clancys." Monkey, you may be surprised to learn that Liam did some "song hunting" in the mtns of nearby western North Carolina in the late 50s. I highly recommend Liam's book.
Oh my god, is St. Patrick's Day really just around the corner?
By the way, just what is blackguarding? How can I teach Slim to fully express his bit o' Irish heritage if I don't know what the hell it is?
Kirby-Blackguarding is the practice and art of bullshitting people.
Barb-Check them out, I think you'll dig them.
Saltchunk-I'll check that bio out one of these days. You don't happen to own it do you?
Black 47 -- I'll look 'em up. I am particularly partial to the work of Christy Moore (and his band Planxty,) who is from another old Irish singing family. Thanks, Monkey!
I love the Clancy Brothers. I've never heard of the other two. Thanks for the tips. Monkey, you have such broad and varied tastes in books, music and films. That makes me think it's time for you to do another cooking post.
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