Cheerful Irish love song?

Subject: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 03:44 AM

No, seriously.

One of my daughters has a not bad voice, but mainly listens to pop music.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear her singing "The lass of Glenshee" some years ago at a family gathering, and following the Michael Collins movie she added "She moved through the fair" to her modest repertoire.

Now she and some friends of divers nationalities are organising a conferring (graduation) party at which each will perform something from his/her national culture, and she has asked for suggestions for an Irish love song (in English) that's more cheerful than the average.

Any suggestions from the Mudcat oracle? I have to spend all my spare time practising me pipes because this is an intergenerational affair.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Scrump
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 04:05 AM

Courtin' In The Kitchen? That's fairly cheerful, even if the subject ends up in jail!

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 04:16 AM

Well of Spring Water, Sprightly Young Damsel, Miltown Malbay Fair (Nora Daly) - plenty of them around West Clare,
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 04:28 AM

Kitty of Coleraine, The Star of the County Down, Where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea, [recommened]

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Paul Burke
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 04:33 AM

My Lagan Love of course. Certainly not mizzeribul.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 04:33 AM

The Flower of Sweet Strabane works for me, although I have heard it done in a dirge-like manner I find it fairly upbeat

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 05:02 AM

There is a cheery little ditty called 'The Half Door'....though maybe your daughter might fingd it a little bit 'twee', I dunno.

Maybe you know it already, but if not:

Thread asking for, & giving, the lyric

Thread asking for, & giving, the tune

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Noreen
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 10:02 AM

First thought is the Draighnean Donn (blackthorn) which is one of the few 'happy' Irish songs I sing- not on this forum as far as I can see.
Haven't time to type it in now, and how would you get the tune anyway?

It starts:

'By road and by river the wild birds sing...'

Will put my mind to it.

When's the event?

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Scrump
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 10:51 AM

I would second the Flower of Sweet Strabane or The Star of the County Down. I hardly think Mountains of Mourne is cheerful though - it's about a bloke away from home in a foreign country badly missing his girl.

How about Zoological Gardens? :-)

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 12:21 PM

My Lagan Love may be positive and lovely, but 'cheerful' it is not.
I'm fairly stumped for female-voice happy love songs. From a male standpoint, the Agricultural Irish Girl is pretty zippy, Courting in the Kitchen, and the the one about the 6-foot-7-inch girl, the name escapes me.
There are chipper versions of the Spanish Lady, but that's not exactly a love song.

"All their wars are merry and all their songs are sad", well, an awful lot of them.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST,pattyClink
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 12:22 PM

The Spinning Wheel!

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 12:28 PM

I suppose it depends what cheers you up.

Eileen Og always cheers me up - particularly when sung by Una from No Fixed Abode.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: KateG
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 12:30 PM

"The Next Market Day"
There's a nice performace of it on Anam's CD "First Footing." It's about a young lass who is led astray by a piper who offers to teach her a new tune, but it doesn't end badly.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Snuffy
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 12:47 PM

The Maid of the Sweet Brown Knowe

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 01:36 PM

Joyful is one thing, happy is another - but cheerful, that can tend to be depressing...

Chesterton once had Father Brown say (and I've quoted it before in a different context): "If ever I murdered somebody I dare say it might be an Optimist...Cheerfulness without humour is a very trying thing."

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 01:47 PM

Whistling Gypsy Rover is cheerful

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST,JT
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 02:02 PM

Has to be "Galway Shawl"

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: alison
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 12:49 AM

Easy and Slow,

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 03:47 AM

Easy and slow - not really a ladies song unless you're that way inclined.

unless there are different words from the one I know.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Stewie
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 05:08 AM

Have a listen to Niamh Parson's recording of 'Horo Johnny'. The substance is rather melancholic but the melody and approach is sort of jaunty but totally infectious. Lovely! My daughter thinks it's 'awesome'. It is on Niamh's 'In my prime' album which is unreservedly recommended by my humble self if you like Irish stuff.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 06:02 AM

Trotting to the Fair? And if she's a cynic, When I was Married I Wore a Black Shawl...

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=694586&lastnode_id=0

Do you love an apple, do you love a pear,
Do you love a laddie with curly brown hair?
Oh still I love him, I can't deny him,
I'll be with him wherever he goes.

Before I got married I wore a black shawl,
But since I got married I wore bugger-all.
But still I love him, I can't deny him.
I'll be with him wherever he goes.

He stood at the corner, a fag in his mouth.
Two hands in his pockets, he whistled me out.
But still I love him, I can't deny him.
I'll be with him wherever he goes.

He works at the pier for nine bob a week,
Come Saturday night he comes rolling home drunk.
But still I love him, I can't deny him.
I'll be with him wherever he goes.

Before I got married I'd sport and I'd play,
But now the cradle it gets in me way.
But still I love him, I can't deny him.
I'll be with him wherever he goes.

Do you love an apple, do you love a pear,
Do you love a laddie with curly brown hair?
Oh still I love him, I can't deny him,
I'll be with him wherever he goes.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST,HSA
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 06:06 AM

When a cheerful Irish love song (or indeed something suitable for a wedding) is required, I usually go for "Sweet Forget Me Not". It's an Irish parlour song rather than a traditional song per se but is well known on the Irish scene. De Dannan recorded it.
Helen


The Sweet Forget-Me-Not

Fancy brings a thought to mind
Of a flower that's bright and fair
Its grace and beauty both combine
A brighter jewel more rare
Just like a maiden that I know
Who shared my happy lot
She whispered when we parted last
"Oh, you'll forget me not"

    She's graceful and she's charming
      Like the lily in the pond
    Time is flying swiftly by
      Of her I am so fond
    The roses and the daisies
      Are blooming 'round the spot
    Where we parted, when she whispered
      "You'll forget me not"

We met, I really don't know where
But still it's just the same
For love grows in the city streets
As well as in the lane
I gently clasped her tiny hand
One glance at me she shot
She dropped her flower, I picked it up
'Twas the sweet forget-me-not

And then there came a happy time
When something that I said
Caused her lips to murmur "Yes"
And shortly we were wed
There is a cott' down in the land
And a tiny plot
Where grows a flower, I know it well
It's the sweet forget-me-not

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST,HSA
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 06:09 AM

I've just checked - it was on "Ballroom".
Helen

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Mo the caller
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 06:39 AM

Kate said
""The Next Market Day"
It's about a young lass who is led astray by a piper who offers to teach her a new tune, but it doesn't end badly. "
I thought it ended up with her cheerfully going off to search for him, leaving you wondering how happy she might be 9 months on.

And I thought "Do you love an apple, do you love a pear," was from the N.E|. of England.
Another cheerful sounding song until you stop to think about it.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: JulieF
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 07:43 AM

When I sing Do you love an apple I think of it as a song of exasperation rather than cheerfulness - ie you are exasperated with yourself for feeling that way.   Seems to get the right emotion over.

J

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Stu
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 07:56 AM

Bridget Flynn

At The Racket do a smashing version of this on their album Mirth Making Heros.

It's a humorous little ditty about a chap whose parents want him to get wed to increase his acreage but the girl he fancies is having none of it and he's not to sure himself.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Scrump
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 08:10 AM

Sounds a bit like "Combine Harvester" - that was originally a hit in Ireland, before the Wurzels covered it in the UK.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Snuffy
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 09:23 AM

BIDDY MAC GRATH / MCGRATH / MCGRAW

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: leeneia
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 12:06 PM

buy or borrow the book described here

http://store.doverpublications.com/0486426696.html

You and your daughter might start a partnership that can last for the rest of your life.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: dermod in salisbury
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 12:43 PM

The tune 'Give me your hand' featured on the Jay Ungar album Lover's Watzes is a good one for a wedding. But I never heard words for it. The title suggests there should be some. If not, write them yourself. A google search of the title turns up the sheet music.

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:28 AM

Acutally, I don't know that Do You Love an Apple *is* a Dublin song - I've just heard it all my life and assumed so! So maybe it's English, after all!

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:54 AM

What about Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go - that at least is definitely Irish, though people often think it's Scottish.

I will build my love a bower
By yon clear crystal fountain
And on it I will strew
All the flowers of the mountain...

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 08:04 AM

Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 12:27 PM

Thanks to all of you. The Mucdat never lets you down when it drifts back on topic!

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST,maire-aine
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 02:46 PM

How about "I Know Where I'm Going"?

m

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 01:15 PM

Pride Of Petrovar (sp?)

Subject: RE: Cheerful Irish love song?
From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 03:13 PM

Thanks also for the two addenda.