Lyr Req: Broad Black Brimmer (Irish song)

Subject: Broad, Black Brimmer-Irish song
From: Jim
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 06:38 PM

Broad Black Brimmer was an Irish Republican song on an album of political/revolutionary music. The album came from a little record store in Cambridge, Mass. The lyrics I recall are It's just a broad black brimmer with the ribbon frayed and torn, By the carelessness of many a mountain breeze, An old trench coat that's all battle-stained and worn, And the trousers almost threadbare at the knees, A Sam Brown belt, with a buckle big and strong, And a holster that's been empty many's the year...

Thank you! This song has been stuck in my head, incomplete, for decades.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BROAD BLACK BRIMMER
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 07:01 PM

JIm
You can find this and lots like it HERE
But as it's the Christmas season, here are the lyrics

THE BROAD BLACK BRIMMER

There's a uniform that's hanging in what's known as father's room
A uniform so simple in its style
It has no braid of gold or silk, no hat with feathered plume
Yet me mother has preserved it all the while
One day she made me try it on, a wish of mine for years
In memory of your father , son she said
And when I put the Sam Brown on she was smiling with the tears
As she placed the broad black brimmer on my head

Chorus:
It's just a broad black brimmer with its ribbons frayed and torn
By the careless whisk of manny's mountain breeze
And old trench coat that's batlle stained and worn
And breeches almost thread bare at the knees
A Sam Brown belt with buckle big and strong
A holster that's been empty many's a day
When men claim Ireland's freedom,
The one should choose to lead them
Will wear the broad black brimmer of the I.R.A.

It was the uniform been worn by me father long ago
When he reached me mother's homestead on the run
It was the uniform me father wore in that little church below
When oul Father Mac. He blessed the pair as one
And after truce and treaty and the parting of the ways
He wore it when he marched out with the rest
And when they bore his body down that rugged heather braes
They placed the broad black brimmer on his breast


Cheers
Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broad, Black Brimmer-Irish song
From:
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 07:09 PM

Thanks Mick! And Merry Christmas to you! Jim

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broad, Black Brimmer-Irish song
From:
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 08:04 PM

see you have the lyrics try looking for "THE WOLFE TONES"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broad, Black Brimmer-Irish song
From: InOBU
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 08:04 PM

Hey Mick and Jim, I posted the same last week! With the request that it be sung with a bit more subtly than usual,
Nollag maith leis
Larry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broad, Black Brimmer-Irish song
From: paddymac
Date: 24 Dec 99 - 12:11 AM

As I recall the tale, the Wolfe Tones credit this song to Noel Nagle, their whistler player extraordinaire, who says he collected the song in Rebel Cork. I don't recollect that they gave any further info as to where or from whom. It is one of the classics of the genre.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broad, Black Brimmer-Irish song
From: seamus kennedy
Date: 24 Dec 99 - 03:22 PM

the song was written by a gent named McMillen and recorded by Paddy McGuigan who for years sang and played hamonica with The Barleycorn, and it can be found on their album The Men behind The Wire on the Outlet label (Belfast). Paddy's own compositions include: The Boys of the Old Brigade, The Men Behind The Wire, Freedom walk, and the Irish Soldier Laddie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broad Black Brimmer (Irish song)
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 25 Feb 13 - 05:55 AM

What's the first instance of the song? And who was this gent named McMillen?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broad Black Brimmer (Irish song)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 25 Feb 13 - 10:59 AM

Art McMillan from Belfast (info from another Mudcat thread click)

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Broad Black Brimmer (Irish song)
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 27 Feb 13 - 07:46 AM

Thanks, Wolfgang - Is there any knowledge out in the world about Art McMillen's (or McMillan's) father's history?