Subject: RE: Seamus Kennedy New CD: Sailing Ships & Sailing
From:
Seamus Kennedy
Date: 01 May 08 - 10:21 AM
Joe, thank you .
As regards the 'Volare', I recorded that on my Party Pieces CD.
In the liner notes booklet I say:
The Irish love songs. All songs. Opera, hymns, country (and western), folk, bluegrass, blues, rock–and-roll. Songs in English, Irish, French, Italian, Latin, Spanish.
We're pretty catholic – with a small "c" - when it comes to our taste in songs.
We listen to, and sing everything.
In Ireland when we have a party or a gathering of family and friends, we like to entertain one another by singing, story-telling, recitations, or even an ould step or two of a dance.
Nearly everyone has a song, a story, a poem or bit-of-business for which they are known - their "party-piece" - and when a hooley breaks out, he or she will be called upon to perform said piece for the group.None of your standing around sipping cocktails, nibbling canapés, schmoozing and passing out business cards at our parties!
No, we sing our heads off, drink beer or stout and hoover up little sandwiches with the crusts cut off.
Encouragement is usually offered, followed by a respectful silence while the person does his or her bit, with a round of applause when it's over. Then someone else will be called on to do something, and so it goes round the room until nearly everyone has done a turn.
I have seen painfully shy people emerge from their cocoon to stand up and sing or recite – sometimes accompanied with full dramatic or comedic gestures – and then bask in the ensuing applause.
As we say at home, it's a great night's "craic" altogether.
This CD is a collection of songs which were (and some of which still are) the "party-pieces" of my family and friends. There's my mother's, my father's and even my own "party-piece' from when I was a teenager learning the guitar. I have included a few of my uncles' and aunts' favorites, too. And there are a couple which aren't "party-pieces"……yet.
If you don't have a "party-piece" of your own, have a listen to this CD and if you hear one or two you like, learn them, and become the hit of your next party.
That's how traditions get started, y'know.
'Volare' isn't precisely a 'folk-song' (oh no, here we go again!),
but it was a party-piece, hence its inclusion.
Seamus
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sj
