Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: GUEST,Guest Anon Date: 15 Mar 22 - 03:21 AM on the subject of songs about towns or areas it also falls short in comparison to Ring f Iron by graeme miles It's all around the town All around the town It's all around the town This hard ring of iron There's smoke up in the sky Smoke up in the sky There's smoke that's black and chimney stacks As far as the eye can see There's shipyards to the north Chemicals to the south Factories, stills and rolling mills Right down to the river's mouth But there's fields and pastures green Fields and pastures green There's fields and pastures green Outside this ring of iron So it's out of town I'm bound Out of town I'm bound It's out of town I'm bound And I'll break this ring of iron |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: meself Date: 15 Mar 22 - 02:41 PM Did you notice that the speaker in Rare Ould Times is an embittered old drunk? |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: GUEST,Guest Anon Date: 15 Mar 22 - 07:02 PM The Message of the song is reactionary, and that awful verse And I courted Peggy Dignan, as pretty as you please, A rogue and child of Mary, from the rebel liberties, I lost her to a student chap, with skin as black as coal, When he took her off to Birmingham, she took away my soul. I suppose it would have been alright would it if the student chap was a fine upstanding Offaly man, like Biffo big ignorant faeller from offaly its sentimental clap trap with racist undertones and kind of student dislike |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: GUEST,Guest Anon Date: 15 Mar 22 - 07:06 PM an embitterd old drunk? ,that is your interpretation, an embittered old racist bigot who dislikes students a sort of dublin ALF GARNETT |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: Steve Shaw Date: 15 Mar 22 - 08:44 PM The same conversation about that verse seems to be being held in two different threads. Not ideal. I don't like those words much but we should remember that the fellow is no longer here to explain himself. We can sing it, not sing it, alter the words, listen to it or go for a wee when it's being sung. How about that. |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: Joe Offer Date: 15 Mar 22 - 11:12 PM Yeah, I'm peeved at Felipa for starting an obituary thread, and then refreshing another thread on Pete St. John songs. It has been a longstanding practice to have only one active thread on a subject at a time. She should know better. She's been told before. Not knowing what else to do, I've moved all the song messages to this thread. But it would have been better to let the obituary thread live, and to have it open for comments on the life of Pete St. John and discuss the songs later. -Joe Offer- |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: GUEST,Guest Anon Date: 16 Mar 22 - 12:10 AM An analysis of why RARE OULD TIMES is not as well written as Fields of Athenry or Town I loved so well. This is a music forum and songs should be able to be discussed, it is not my fault if Felipa starts threads , Joe if you dont like it close the thread until you feel it is suitable and a polite time after his death, after all I am only discussing and comparing two of his songs not discussing him personally. |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: meself Date: 16 Mar 22 - 12:16 PM "an embitterd old drunk? ,that is your interpretation" - Of course it's my interpretation, although I would have thought it's a fairly obvious interpretation; I don't pride myself on it being particularly insightful or original. Anyway - you don't seem terribly interested in discussion; rather, you're here to lecture us on the demerits of this popular song, apparently. Fair enough. I'm out. |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: GUEST,Guest Anon Date: 16 Mar 22 - 01:53 PM Iam happy to discuss the song in an informed way with anyone who has sensible interpretations, there is no evidence in the song that the speaker is a drunk |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: Manitas_at_home Date: 16 Mar 22 - 02:23 PM But he tells us the gargle has dimmed his brain. |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: GUEST,Guest Anon Date: 16 Mar 22 - 04:49 PM Dublin in the rare ould times has a very catchy singeable melody. But he tells us the gargle has dimmed his brain." that does not mean he is a drunk, alcohol even in moderation dims everyones brain, that is why there are drink driving laws, even a pint affects or dims your brain. no i dont buy that, just because he saysits dimmed his brain does not make him a drunk or alcoholic and even if he was an embittered old drunk, which is debatable, there is no need for the racist stuff, would it be ok if she had gone off with a dub or a tipperary man |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: GUEST,Don Meixner Date: 16 Mar 22 - 05:00 PM I am fine with Guest Anon not being a fan of Rare Ould Times. I have long had issues with skin as black as coal and have used a few work arounds to get away from it. ( lost her to a student chap one summer after school) Also lame but not blatant. And I have to say I never got the Embittered Drunk idea. I always felt this guy would occasionally get into his cups and remember the past where he grew up. The song has a few warts but otherwise there is a reality to the narrators tale that I can believe. There are a great many songs of which I am not a fan. And my band does several. To this day I can't see the fascination of Galway Girl. That Steve Earle could write so lame a song as Galway Girl and so near perfect a song as Nothing But A Child baffles me. We do The Old Man which I find too full of sap but not any of the many brilliant Phil Coulter songs. Pete St. John left a trail of songs. Some are bound to be not his best. Some won't stand the test of time but a few are jewels and they will last. Don |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: GUEST,Guest Anon Date: 17 Mar 22 - 04:26 AM Fair comment. |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: GUEST Date: 06 Apr 24 - 01:48 PM Skin as black as coal is as racist as saying skin as white as snow. Its not being derogatory to say skin is black when some peoples skin is black. Even if it was racist its a character and songs are meant to represent true characters not perfected angels. |
Subject: RE: Pete St. John Song List & Lyrics From: GUEST,Steve Shaw Date: 06 Apr 24 - 05:17 PM As Mudcat's numero uno Liverpool fan, I can't help but post the lyrics of the version of Fields of Athenry as sung by the Kopites (aka the Liverpool FC fanatics who stand behind one of the goals, the end known as the Kop). Here goes. Same tune: "Fields Of Anfield Road" Outside the Shankly Gates I heard a Kopite calling: Shankly they have taken you away But you left a great eleven Before you went to heaven Now it's glory round the Fields of Anfield Road All round the Fields of Anfield Road Where once we watched the King Kenny play (and he could play) We had Heighway on the wing We had dreams and songs to sing Of the glory round the Fields of Anfield Road Outside the Paisley Gates I heard a Kopite calling Paisley they have taken you away... You led the great 11 Back in Rome in 77 And the redmen they are still playing the same way All round the Fields of Anfield Road Where once we watched the King Kenny play (and he could play) Steve Heighway on the wing We had dreams and songs to sing Of the glory round the Fields of Anfield Road Beside the Hillsborough Flame I heard a Kopite mourning Why so many taken on that day? Justice has never been done But their memory will carry on There'll be glory around the Fields of Anfield Road |
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