Pop Music -Irish Style - from the Bards to the Showbands - Barns to the dancehall.

CDfm · 31-07-2010 11:12am #1

7. Billy Brennan's Barn:

INNISKEEN ROAD: JULY EVENING Patrick Kavanagh
"The bicycles go by in twos and threes -
There's a dance in Billy Brennan's barn to-night,
And there's the half-talk code of mysteries
And the wink-and-elbow language of delight."

Brennans' loft was used as a dance venue in the '20's before the parish aspired to its own dance hall. The red windows of the loft are easily seen from the Bog Road.

( the actual Venue Billy Brennans)

http://www.patrickkavanaghcountry.com/html/trail3.htm

This has been an idea I have had for some time but havent been able to get a handle on.

For ever people have gotten together in venues and at events.

Ireland was not all dancing at the crossroads, for a start we dont have the weather. So there was music and dancing and love and romance.

So what were they and where were they held.

I cant imagine people spent their lives waiting for the next blind piper, seanachie or American Wake to happen.

So what was the Pop Music of the day like.

You also had various folk revivals etc. The late great Tommy Makems mother was the folk revivalist and ballad singer Sarah Makem. And there had been archivists.

So I dont imagine most ordinary people were invited up to the local Earls castle before the flight of the Earls as that would have been for Medieval VIP's .

You also had "stars" like Carolan and huge popular stars like John McCormack over time, Who were they and where did the perform.

I imagine we should have a cut off of 1980 and as back as far as you lik, but it is about public entertainment .rather than specialist tastes.

mikemac · 31-07-2010 4:50pm

We can't let this thread go without the most famous showband song of all

Brendan Bowyer began his career with the Royal Showband in 1957.

His ability to tailor American rock 'n' roll music to the tastes of Irish audiences, and his athletic, spirited on-stage performances made him a popular vocalist of the 1960s showband era.

On 6 September 1963, Brendan Bowyer and the Royal Showband became the first Irish artists to top the Irish singles chart, with the hit Kiss Me Quick, which stayed at the number one position for seven weeks.

They were to return to the top position later that year with No More, and repeated the feat in 1964 with Bless You. Their greatest success was to come in 1965 with The Hucklebuck, which spent a further seven weeks at the top and charted in the United Kingdom.

Some dodgy dancing there for sure :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgD5o0Ye67k

mikemac · 31-07-2010 4:54pm

Certainly in 1978, a troubled time for Derry this was good story to come out of the place.

Inspired a lot of bands, Ash from Downpatrick are one example, sure there are others

One the main tunes around, people still know it
The band reformed minus the lead singer and do tours

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oskM5XD_Yc4

mikemac · 31-07-2010 4:57pm

I posted this on another thread, may as well copy it here since John McCormack is mentioned in post 1

feelingstressed wrote: »

From Athlone where Athlone IT have named a hall after him, I've been in AIT.
There is also a statue in Iveagh Gardens, Dublin
At one time he certainly was the most famous singer in the world.

Had a number of minor film roles including Citizen Kane, the Orson Welles film.
I saw that film a number of years ago, can't remember his cameo part so I'll be watching again for sure.
Also in Wings of the Morning, the first British colour film. I did have a youtube clip of him acting but can't for the life of me find it. Maybe it was taken down, booo!

We all know it's a Long Way to Tipperary, adopted by the British Army in WW1, John McCormack was the first singer to record it.

And collaborated with Enrico Caruso for a number of songs.
He sold over 200 million records, is there any modern day artist to do that!

If ye don't subscribe to the Newstalk Talking history podcasts already, then do it now! There on itunes. There was an episode on him

Here is a short documentary and another for a well known song.
Now I know a lot/most people nowadays would have no interest in his style of music but all the same, 200 million record sales and worldwide fame, without doubt the most famous singer Ireland ever had and ever will have

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcz9WkIspe4

CDfm · 31-07-2010 7:37pm

Captain Francis O'Neill delved into the importance of music and the bards certainly were very important to Irish life and their deeds and deaths are recorded in the Annals.

http://billhaneman.ie/IMM/IMM-II.html

Roderic, King Of Wales in the sixth century, was so celebrated both in home and abroad for power, munificence, and princely virtues, that a King of Ireland sent a Joculator or Jongleur to the Welsh court to examine the truth of what fame reported. Being admitted, a writer in Anthologia Hibernica of 1793 continues, he sang and played on the harp and tambour and delighted the King and his nobles on the Christmas Holidays, after which the King ordered rich presents to be brought to the bard.

Brian Boru never left home without one.

The bodhran is a descendant of the war drum.

No one will question our being on reliable ground, when relating that a harper named Ilbrechtach accompanied Mac Liag, Chief poet of Ireland on his visit to Brian Boru at the beginning of the eleventh century.
From the Annals of Ireland we learn that in 1168 Amhlaeibh Mac Mnaighneorach, Chief Ollamh Of Ireland in harp-playing died.
In the year 1269 Hugh O’Finnachty, a learned minstrel died.
It is recorded in the Annals of Clonmacnoise that Mulronic Mac Kerval,
(Caruill), the blind chief Musician of the Kingdom, with his brother and many others, were slain in an uprising of the English in 1328. No man in any age ever heard. Or shall hereafter hear. An better timpanist. In other accounts Mac Kerval, or Mac Caruill, is proclaimed “as great a minstrel as the world ever heard.” By timpanist is to be understood a minstrel or harper.

We have a heard of O'Carolan but he came from a long tradition

In the Annals compiled by Friar John Clyn. Of Killkenny. Under date of
1329. vigil, of Pentecosr, he mentions Cam O’Kayrwill, a famous timpainst and performer on the cythat; a “fenix” in execution, and so pre-eminently distinguished with his school of about twenty musicians, that though he could not be called the inventor of stringed musical instruments. He was the master and director of all his own contemporaries. And superior to all his predecessors.
O’Carrol1. Like O’Carolan. Was allowed to be the foremost bard of his age.
With his pupils and his patron, Lord Bellingham. He met a tragic fate. For they were all cruelly massacred by an armed multitude which rose to oppose the oppressive measures of the nobles.
Donslevy Mac Carroll. A noble master of music and melody. Died in 1357.
He was the best of his time.
Gilla-na-naev O’Conmhaigh, (now Conway), chief professor of music in
Thomond. Died in 1360.
Magrath O’Finnachty, chief musician and timpanist to the Sil-Murray, died in 1361.
John MacEgan and Gilbert O’Bardan, two accomplished young harpers of Conmaicne in the barony of Dunmorc. County Galway, died in 1369.
William, son of Gilla Ceach Mac Carroll, the most eminent of the Irish n music, died in 1379.

The Bards were a feature of life and were always close to power.

The keenness of a harper saved the life of Art Mac Murrogh, an uncompromising opponent of the English in the year 1395. The latter accepted an invitation to a banquet from the Lords of the Pale. Not suspecting treachery, he was only accompanied by one attendant and his harper. Seated near a window the minstrel delighted the company with his music after the feast. The sudden cange from festive melodies to the “Rosg Catha” or war song invited his master’s reprimand. And the resumption of it drew down upon his loyal head the nobleman’s anger. Upon arising from the table to remonstrate, Mac Murrogh saw that the house was surrounded with armed men. Quickly brandishing his sword he cut his may through the surrounding forces and mounting his horse escaped in safety.

The Irish were celebrated performers internationally and skill at music was the sign of refinement. Henry VIII is reputed ti have written the sing Greensleeves.

James the Fourth of Scotland. Himself at famous performer, was quite partial to Irish harpers. In the Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer, many entries are found showing payments to them in the late years of the fifteenth century and the early years of the sixteenth. “It is interesting to find,” Bruce Armstrong says. “that Irish music was appreciated by King James. Who was, we know, accustomed to hear Italian minstrels, luterers, fiddlers, English Lowland, and Highland harpers, and other skilled musicians.”

So what we see is a classical tradition and a folk tradition.

But there wwere some people who were not fans and the Bards days were numbered

A proclamation issued January 28, 1603, by the Lord President of Muntser, in which the marshal of the province was charged to exterminate by martial law all manner of bards, harpers, etc., was followed by Queen Elizabeth’s orders to Lord Barrymore, “to hang the harpers, wherever found, and destroy their instruments.”

CDfm · 31-07-2010 9:48pm

The first "Star" I know of in England is William Kemp -Shakespeares Comedian who Morris Danced his way from London to Norwich earning lots of money for it

http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/William_Kemp

WILLIAM KEMP (fl. 1600), English actor and dancer. He probably began his career as a member of the earl of Leicester's company, but his name first appears after the death of Leicester in a list of players authorized by an order of the privy council in 1593 to play 7 m. out of London. FerdinandStanley, Lord Strange, was the patron of the company of which Kemp was the leading member until 1598, and in 1594 was summoned with Burbage and Shakespeare to act before the queen at Greenwich. He was the successor, both in parts and reputation, of Richard Tarlton. But it was as a dancer of jigs that he won his greatest popularity, one or two actors dancing and singing with him, and the words doubtless often being improvised. Examples of the music may be seen in the MS. collection of John Dowland now in the Cambridge University library. At the same time Kemp was given parts like Dogberry, and Peter in Romeo and Juliet; indeed his name appears by accident in place of those of the characters in early copies. Kemp seems to have exhibited his dancing on the Continent, but in 1602 he was a member of the earl of Worcester's players, and Philip Henslowe's diary shows several payments made to him in that year.

So was there an Irish Will Kemp who caught the popular imagination and got a measure of fame.

Even a Jedward ????

CDfm · 31-07-2010 10:12pm

Catherine Hayes from Limerick was famous as an Opera Singer

She toured the song Kathleen Mavourneen even to the US & Austrailia and wowed Italy.

She was a Star.

Catherine Hayes - the Limerick Nightingale (1818-1861)

Catherine Hayes was a legend in her own lifetime and afterwards.
She was born at 4 Patrick Street, Limerick, the third daughter of Arthur and Mary Hayes. Her father who was Bandmaster of the Limerick City Militia deserted his family causing great financial distress.
The young Catherine Hayes helped her cousin, Mrs Carroll who worked as a charwoman at Lord Limerick's home at Henry Street. She was heard singind as she worked by a Dr. Knox, the Church of Ireland Bishop, who lived nearby, and who described her as having "the most beautiful voice I have ever heard"and immediately set about helping the young girl to have her voice trained.
He arranged sponsorship for her to study under Antonio Sapio in Dublin where she gave her first public performance at the Rotunda in 1839. She travelled to Milan where she studied under Signor Roncono. By the year 1846, Catherine Hayes was prima donna at La Scala, Milan and in 1849 gave a Command Performance for Queen Victoria with the Royal Italian Opera Company.
Catherine Hayes returned to Limerick in March 1850 where she gave a performance of Bellini's La Somnambula at the Theatre Royal. She started tradition in Limerick by singing to the people outside St Mary's Parish Church where she had been baptised. ( Joseph O' Mara followed the tradition by singing to the people of Limerick from the balcony of his father's home at Upper Catherine Street, now Ozanam House).
Over the next three years, Catherine toured extensively in America and Australia. In San Francisco, her manager, William Avery Bushnell, whom she married in 1857, arranged huge fees for her performances. Her earnings were in excess of �650 per month. Catherine Hayes died in August 1861 and is buried in Kensal Green cemetery in London. She left an estate of �16,000.

1818 born in Limerick, Ireland located at the mouth of the River Shannon.
1841 in Dublin she shares the concert platform with the great pianist Franz Liszt.
1845 in Milan she becomes the reigning prima donna at La Scala with Verdi in the audience.
1849 in London at the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden she is a sensation.
1849 in London this young Irish soprano sings at Buckingham Palace for Queen Victoria and 500 guests.
1849 in Dublin, Cork and Limerick she is the returning great international prima donna of the opera.
1851 in Boston she sang for Daniel Webster and his family.
1852 in Washington DC she sang for the president of the United States and his family.
1853 in the Goldfields around Sacramento she sings for the miners and diggers.
1854 in the Hawaiian Islands she sings for King Kamehameha II with great success and amusement.
1854 in Sydney, Australia she becomes the first great European opera singer to perform there.
1855 in Calcutta, India, she entertains the British Army and their wives with great éclat.
1855 in Hobart, Tasmania where she gives concerts with great success.
1856 departs Sydney to return to England via the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.
1856-1861 gives concerts in England and Ireland.

__________________________________

http://www.limerick.com/history/catherinehayes.html

CDfm · 31-07-2010 10:51pm

George Gaskin 1853 to 1920 the Silver Voiced Irish Tenor from Belfast

This guy was hot.In the 1890s he was the best selling singer in the USA

One of the leading pioneer recording artists, George J. Gaskin, “The Silver Voice Irish Tenor” was born in Belfast Ireland in the mid 1850’s.

In the 1890s George J. Gaskin's voice could be duplicated better than most voices. Edward B. Marks recollected that "Few voices reproduced well, and these, for some reason, were not always voices one should have wished to reproduce...George had one of the best reproducing voices in the old phonograph days--one of the tinniest voices in the world."

From 1890-1899, Gaskin was the #1 recording artists. Of his 31 top ten recordings, over 20 were #1 hits including ‘Drill, Ye Terriers, Drill’ (1891), ‘Slide, Kelly Slide’ (a song about the 1880’s baseball star Michael “King” Kelly, 1892), ‘O Promise Me’ (1893), ‘After the Ball’ (1893), ‘The Fatal Wedding’ (1894), ‘Sweet Marie’ (1894), ‘We Were Sweethearts, Nell and I’ (1894), ‘The Sunshine of Paradise Alley’ (1896), ‘She May Have Seen Better Days’ (1896), ‘Down in Poverty Days’ (1896), ‘On the Benches in the Park’ (1896), ‘Sweet Rosie O’Grady’ (1897), ‘On the Banks of the Wabash’ (1897), ‘Break the News to Mother’ (1898), ‘She Was Bred in Old Kentucky’ (1898), ‘My Old New Hampshire Home’ (1898), ‘My Wild Irish Rose’ (1899), ‘When Cloe Sings a Song’ (1900) and ‘When You Were Sweet Sixteen’ (1900).

George J. Gaskin died in 1920.

http://www.tinfoil.com/cm-0001.htm

http://www.archive.org/details/GeorgeJGaskin

http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/artists/C4070

Ostrom · 04-08-2010 5:44pm

If it is to be found, the short film 'The Ballroom of Romance' (based on William Trevor's short story) is worth a look. It may have been produced by the BBC, with Mick Lally and Brenda Fricker.

CDfm · 11-08-2010 7:47pm

This has proved to be far harder than I thought. What I want to do is sort of try to see who and what was "pop".

So you have different genres and showbands etc now called "the Green Scene" and you also had roots and crossover music.

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling (1912)

This song was loved by the Irish immigrants in the years before World War I. Chauncey Olcott and George Graff Jr wrote the sentimental lyric and Ernest R Ball composed the music as a waltz-like tune. It was introduced in the Broadway show The Isle O'Dreams (1913). It became really popular many years later when Morton Downey put it on his radio show, singing it over a thousand times on the air.

CDfm · 13-08-2010 10:48pm

The Teddy Bears Picnic has an Irish Lyricist who sold millions of records

Jimmy Kennedy - The Irish Troubadour

Writer of songs for Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

Born in Omagh in 1902, Jimmy Kennedy was one of the greatest songwriters of the twentieth century. Indeed, know it or not, just about everyone is familiar with the lyrics he penned in an illustrious and hugely productive career.

Situated amongst the beauty and splendour of the Causeway Coast, Portstewart was home to the young Kennedy and would, in later years, be the inspiration behind some of his most famous songs.

He was educated at Trinity College Dublin after which he moved to England and entered the teaching profession. He also worked for a short time in the Civil Service. From the 1930s onwards, however, Kennedy wholeheartedly pursued his true vocation, songwriting.

For some twenty-five years he devoted himself to the songwriter’s craft and either separately, or working alongside George Grosz or Michael Carr, he created some of the most popular songs of the day.

His first notable success came in 1932 when he was asked to add the words to a jaunty number by the American composer JK Bratton. Originally titled The Teddy Bear Two-Step, and soon renamed The Teddy Bears’ Picnic, the song was a resounding success and sold some four million records.

The prolific Kennedy would go on to write over 2,000 songs with sales in sheet music and records counted by the million. The figures aside, what is truly remarkable is that he managed to maintain this prodigious output without ever compromising the quality of his work.

http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article.aspx?art_id=1244