Suggestions for new songs to learn. Not the usual ballads etc.

seachto7

Howdee,

I do the odd few gigs with a guy (he would do them way more than me), and I sing some songs, and play some tunes on mandolin. Songwise, I'd do a few Christy Moore ones, a John Spillane (Johnny don't go) one, the usual suspects really..

I'm looking for a few new lively ones to learn. I suppose in the vain of trad/folk.

I don't want to go for the usual Dubliners/Planxty etc. I'd like to learn something different but familiar at the same time, but I reckon it would have to work with just a guitar and vocal.

Are there any lively Spillane songs? I like his lyrics, and wouldn't mind finding an uptempo song of his.

Any other modern Irish singers? Luka Bloom maybe. Kila?

We already do a few waterboys ones as well, so that's that as well..

Neil Young and the likes has some great songs that wouldn't be considered "hits", so I have to rule them out for now.

As Béarla nó as Gaeilge. Is cuma liom.

Famous45

Reluctant to post here again in case the sticks come out!

David Gray could possibly be an avenue, although, it wouldn't be so up tempo, be more mellow. Sail away springs to mind, possibly Silver Lining too.

Paddy Casey - Saints & Sinners, Addicted to Company.

The Corrs?

U2 - One, Folk version of The Sweetest Thing would be cool,

Possible songs to get the crowd on your side:

Monto - Luke Kelly

Blast the bodhran to Some Said the Devil is Dead

Rocky Road To Dublin

Spanish Lady

All For Me Grog

Poor advice no doubt, hope you work something out. Best of luck

seachto7

I'm not gone on the Corrs or P Casey myself, but a folk version of the Sweetest Thing sounds like it could turn out interesting...

Yeah, David Gray could be a bit too mellow, though he's not bad.

Rocky Road, we already do..

I'll check out the Spanish Lady and All for me Grog..

fh041205

Donegal Danny
Parcel of Rogues
Lowlands of Holland


All Dubliners but they're a few of my favourites. Might be worth checkin out some Flogging Molly.. They tend to be quite 'noisy' but a good few of their songs would lend well to your situation. Good luck..

Latchy

Eirc Clapton does some intresting vocal stuff on acoustic guitar .

Futurecrook

What about doing some of the stuff Paul Brady does, such as Gleanntáin Ghlas Ghaoth Dobhair or the Lakes of Pontchartrain? They're great songs and recognisable/common enough without being overused ballads.

seachto7

yeah futurecrook. paul brady would be good....
flogging molly. i never thought or em...I have one of their albums so must go through it again and find something...

cue brute

anything by dylan or cohen might be good, also dervish - not my favourite but they have done some good songs

by the way this is a great thread i think - it could be a very useful resource for anyone putting together a repetoire

Whiskey Devil

Some stuff I do myself on and off.. I'll add more when I think of them.

Paul Brady - Mary & The Soldier, Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore - Bit livelier than the ones already listed. But I'd also recommend The Island, Follow On (you'll know this from a tv ad a few years ago), Nothing But The Same Old Story. His 'slower' songs are better known.

Luka Bloom - You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time

Some Pogues songs you could do with a guitar - Sally McLennane, Streams of Whiskey, A Pair of Brown Eyes, The Old Main Drag.. also give their version of The Leaving of Liverpool a listen.

Bob Dylan - You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
Bob Dylan & Van Morrison - Crazy Love
Bob Dylan/The Band - I Shall Be Released
The Band - The Weight

Van Morrison - And It Stoned Me

Steve Earle - Copperhead Road

Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues, Jackson..

Dolores Keane - Caledonia (Great song that most people know.)

Billy Joel - Piano Man (if you have a harmonica)

Waterboys - Fishermans Blues

Planxty - Raggle Taggle Gypsy

The Fureys - When You Were Sweet Sixteen, Green Fields of France, Gallipoli

All great songs and usually go down well.. some are better known than others. Should be able to hear them all on Youtube.


Amhráin as Gaeilge:

Peigí Leitir Móir
Oró, 'Sé Do bheatha 'Bhaile
Cailín na Gaillimhe (Galway Girl)

seachto7

The guy I play with sings all the good ones of that list Whiskey Devil.
I'm learning copperhead road at the moment, on the mandolin..

I think Paul Brady's version of Arthur McBride is amazing, but may be a bit too slow and long for a pub gig, where most people want the "hits" and lively at that. I'd play slow Paul Brady stuff at a session where people were there to actually listen...

Mark#1

Music For A Found Harmonium?

An instrumental, and not Irish, but adopted by many Irish (and global) players.

Patrick Street version:

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=PltA5woXKaA


Homemade cover version I particularly like (great player):

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=p5HIPjvkqrc


Original version:

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=yJg1NNyke2E


Mark

cue brute

i find tom paxton songs handy - including

bottle of wine
the last thing on my mind

Whiskey Devil

Good suggestion cue brute. I play Last Thing On My Mind quite a lot.

FMG

Great list Whiskey Devil.I have just begun to learn the acoustic guitar and find trying to put a list of (easy enough to play) songs to learn a bit of a job in itself.Sorry for hijacking your thread Seachto7:o.

FMG

just utubed the list ,great tunes but way over my head for the time being (jumps back into the cot and cries).I should have read the original post properly:(

Whiskey Devil

Good luck with the guitar playing FMG!

seachto7

"going to my hometown" or "too much alcohol" , the rory gallagher versions, are pretty cool as well...

fitz0

Maybe try some grateful dead? Ripple or Friend of the Devil.

Or Bruce Springsteen. Anything by him really