Wolfe tones: Traditional music or Traditional Crap?

neil_hosey · 15-04-2009 7:42pm

i always found the wolfe tones to be quite good but the past few years they;ve gone to ****. They're music has turned very plasticy and not nice to listen to, the instrumentals that is. Not trad backing at all.

They have had some belters of songs though and they sing some songs better than the dubliners.. such as the dying rebel.

other good songs were.. paddle your own canoe, some say the divil is dead

, big strong man... etc etc.. they hve loads the more i think about it.. oh sean sabhat is done best by them 2, and broad black brimmer...

I hate them **** though in their celtic jerseys who i get associated with when i say i love trad music and rebel songs and ballads, really annoying, maybe thats why i dont like them anymore.

The Dying Rebel: such as good song.. god.. i still love hearing them singing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGlk1FTUN_Y

deisecelt · 22-04-2009 10:29am

Used to like them as a kid but used to love shoutin up de ra as a kid too who didnt have an iota what he was talkin bout. Went to see em in galway three years ago just for the craic, old times and that. They were like three alcoholics on da stage and youd be cringin watchin them. In all though they did write some hilarious songs with great instrumentals in em ie. paddle your own canoe, helicopter song, twice daily etc. and they are funny to watch too. I was busted up laughin at the interview they did on the late late few years back. Its on youtube and feckin hilarious!!!

Pollythene Pam · 29-04-2009 5:47pm

Is this not a free country?
Did not Padraig Pearse die for our right to listen to the Wolfe Tones?
(Im being ironic here so no nasty posts about Padraig Pearce, and how he was a great Irishman.)
But seriosly, its their right to be as patriotic as they like, and if people like that, Adh Mor!!!
Personally, Id much rather the Clancy's or the Dubliners.

Pollythene Pam · 29-04-2009 5:52pm

oh yea,
As a proud Galway man, I hate it when people shout Yea baby let the freebirds fly, and especially when they shout IRA in the middle of the fields of Athenry.
Come to think of it, why do Liverpool and Glasgow Celtic use it as an athem.
Screw that! It belongs to the Tribesmen !(He! He!)

CSC · 02-05-2009 5:22pm

Pollythene Pam wrote: »

oh yea,
As a proud Galway man, I hate it when people shout Yea baby let the freebirds fly, and especially when they shout IRA in the middle of the fields of Athenry.
Come to think of it, why do Liverpool and Glasgow Celtic use it as an athem.
Screw that! It belongs to the Tribesmen !(He! He!)

I think Celtic use it as an anthem as the song is about emigration from Ireland and that's the reason that club was formed and as for Liverpool their song is the Fields of Anfield Road which is the same tune with different words.

As for the original question, the Wolfe Tones were a good folk band and have wrote some great songs but have been past their peak for a number of years now.

EastTyrone · 04-05-2009 7:52pm

i went to see them last year I would say their a mixture, their not rebel, you want to see rebel see the irish brigade or anyone like that, their not trad, for them see the fureys, their ore just ballad group who TRY to think their rebels

Driseog · 04-05-2009 11:29pm

Pollythene Pam wrote: »

oh yea,
As a proud Galway man, I hate it when people shout Yea baby let the freebirds fly, and especially when they shout IRA in the middle of the fields of Athenry.
Come to think of it, why do Liverpool and Glasgow Celtic use it as an athem.
Screw that! It belongs to the Tribesmen !(He! He!)

I think the liverfoolers robbed the tune and sing "The Fields of Anfield Road"....cringing to say the least.

mosesgun · 06-05-2009 10:45pm

It's fair to say that the Wolfe Tones are just not as relevant in modern Ireland as they used to be. The country, or most of them anyway, have moved on and are less interested in stories and songs of the past. It's almost frowned upon nowadays to call yourself a patriot or a republican. I've seen them play live loads of times and I've always really enjoyed them. People feel ashamed that they still sing songs like "sean south" and "The ballad of Joe McDonnell" etc. However, these are real stories and they were real people. It is history and when listened to in this context can still be hugely entertaining and educational. To be fair to the Wolfe Tones, the last time I saw them they made a point of saying that there music was hostorical.
There are two types of Wolfie fans - the scummer with the Celtic Jersey and the average joe who loves ballads and Irish music.

A Dub in Glasgo · 06-05-2009 11:01pm

What are you trying to say? I have a Celtic jersey and I love ballads and Irish music

mosesgun · 07-05-2009 12:42am

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

What are you trying to say? I have a Celtic jersey and I love ballads and Irish music

Perhaps a bit of a generalisation there. Not everyone with a Celtic Jersey is a scummer. However, I've seen the Wolfies everywhere from the Barrowlands in Glasgow to the Gleneagles in Killarney and theres always a group of lads, invariably dressed in their Celtic Jerseys, locked out of their heads roaring "up the 'RA" and generally acting like idiots. This is not an isolated observation, it is evident at every wolfe tones gig. To be fair they're probably giving wolfie fans and celtic fans a bad name.

Elle Victorine · 07-05-2009 1:15pm

I quite like them to be honest. Wouldn't judge them based on their fanbase mind. Not my preference when it comes to this genre however.

Elliemental · 07-05-2009 1:34pm

My ex was a big fan of the Wolfe Tones, but they're not my cup of tea. I just don't like that style of music, so it's nothing to do with the content of their music, or the fact that i'm English.

However, I remember reading a letter from a lady in America who was home schooling her daughter, and using Wolfe Tone's music to teach her about Irish history.
Whereas i'm sure that their music is culturally important, i doubt very much that they're a valid educational tool.

Whiskey Devil · 07-05-2009 10:27pm

Although they're not to everybody's taste, Brian Warfield has written some good songs in his time (even aside from their better known 'RA songs), and he is clearly a talented man/businessman. The **** they have released since they 'split up' has to be heard to be believed - out of sync Dance Mixes - rapih! They also do 'the cause' no favours in the way they present their show, but I doubt they actually care! They're laughing all the way to the bank!!

So summing it up, they should have called it a day 15 years ago.. Not a fan.

Wolfe tones: Traditional music or Traditional Crap?

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