Origin: Sons of Molly (Chuck Rogers)

Subject: RE: Origin: Sons of Molly (Chuck Rogers)
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jan 24 - 07:14 PM

Links to several different versions of Sons of Molly, Ghosts of the Molly Maguires. Check them out and see which ones you like the best. The first version is Chuck Rogers and the Irish Balladeers. It's a slower tempo, but it's great!

https://youtu.be/R4ptz628TZQ?si=AKJppEkK31tcA5VC,
https://youtu.be/mr2uSuNj_IM?si=HAyhhSr3eRGQHf_d,
https://youtu.be/dkn2HqYlm9w?si=fTz1S2ui41Ijg4_m,
https://youtu.be/8Ovq4UpLF18?si=g0opJSXZhWjuUCmi,
https://youtu.be/UNnkOTXxLg0?si=ZJ6XNE7VYuSRILO8,
https://youtu.be/6ZgbRuzBCcw?si=q3H83cab0FD9spfn,
https://youtu.be/Ay22Hi9o8M4?si=0J4YNzO8Kt4b8RDE,
https://youtu.be/-uZKXZdU7eo?si=Mtb9uv6SB_Xwfiqp,
https://youtu.be/jTRCuwSGCSA?si=akdFfRhMqDBlavbP,
https://youtu.be/YbH_sgfKEDM?si=xQvaEo8w_yOlBT41
https://youtu.be/t3bNq-miQN0?si=TaXFJxLF3i2vpZWG

Subject: RE: Origin: Sons of Molly (Chuck Rogers)
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jan 24 - 06:40 PM

Molly Maguires is the recognized spelling. The Irish alphabet doesn't contain the letter "Q". (There's no J, K,V,W,X,Y,Z either.)

Subject: RE: Origin: Sons of Molly (Chuck Rogers)
From: GUEST,Ted Miller
Date: 15 Jan 24 - 02:43 PM

Chuck Rogers died on March 14, 2014 near Scranton, PA. He was 82. He wrote some great songs, including "Sons of Molly, better known as The Ghosts of the Molly Maguires" and "Barefoot in Gettysburg", a song about Robert E. Lee's attack on Gettysburg during the Civil War. ( there was a shoe factory in the city.)
After Sons of Molly was released in 1968, Paramount Pictures released a movie about the Molly Maguires in 1970 and sued "the Irish Balladeers" to prevent them from playing Sons of Molly. After a while, they were permitted to play their song again.
Chuck, as the songwriter never got around to copywriting his song.   

At the 1988 Ancient Order of Hibernians National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, County Mayo Irish Band performed the song as a part of our show. After the set, we were approached by some Hibernians from Scranton who invited us to do a show in their hometown. A month later we were performing in Nativity Hall in Scranton. After that show we were invited to the Hibernian Hall for a jam session and some drinks with some of the members of "the Irish Balladeers".   We asked for permission to sing and record the song, and someone that night gave us verbal permission to.
There are currently 20 or more different bands on YouTube with versions of Sons of Molly/Ghosts of the Molly Maguires. Some have multiple videos.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Sons of molly
From: GUEST,dahern
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 10:21 AM

does anyone have the sheet music to Sons of molly

Subject: RE: Another Molly McQuires Post....
From: InOBU
Date: 15 Aug 01 - 08:29 AM

Thanks Seamus. Did the trick, yer a hero... Larry

Subject: RE: Another Molly McQuires Post....
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 14 Aug 01 - 10:41 PM

Larry, I'll PM you with the info.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Another Molly McQuires Post....
From: InOBU
Date: 14 Aug 01 - 12:44 PM

That's the one, I suppose it was Chuck Rogers who wrote to me. A friend is looking for him, as the Library of Cong. seems not to be aware of his copywrite, and she wants to do right by him. He may read mudcat, as once (I believe it was he) wrote to me after a mudcat post. If you are reading this, Chuck, or any one knows him... PLEASE get in touch with me so I can hook you up with the artist looking for you, we all love the song, and want him to get his propers. Cheers, Larry

Subject: RE: Another Molly McQuires Post....
From: SINSULL
Date: 13 Aug 01 - 02:01 PM

McGuires, no?

Subject: Lyr Add: SONS OF MOLLY (Chuck Rogers)
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Aug 01 - 01:38 PM

Hi, Larry, is this is the one you mean?

SONS OF MOLLY (by Chuck Rogers)

When the wind blows wild at night past the breaker melancholy,
If you stand in the dark with your ears to the wind, you can hear the sons of Molly.
Deep in the dark of the old mine shaft you can smell the smoke and the fire,
And the whisper low from the mine below is the ghost of Molly Maguire.

I'll tell ya, boys, Mickey Doyle is my name and I come from Carbon County,
And I shot the boss of the Lansford mine. Now my soul is up for bounty,
But I will die with my head held high for I fought for the men below,
Those men who slave and sweat and die down in a black hellhole.

So I'll tell ya, boys, Edward Kelly is my name and I'm hanging in the morning,
For I shot Jack Jones for skinning my bones. How I curse the sound of mourning!
And I will die with my head held high for I fought for the men below,
Those men who slave and sweat and die down in a black hellhole.

So I'll tell ya, boys, Alex Campbell is my name and no pistol did I fire,
But I will fall from the gallows wall just for being a Molly Maguire,
And I will die with my head held high for I fought for the men below,
Those men who slave and sweat and die down in a black hellhole.

Subject: RE: Another Molly McQuires Post....
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Aug 01 - 10:23 AM

refresh

Subject: Another Molly McQuires Post....
From: InOBU
Date: 13 Aug 01 - 06:18 AM

I once asked for the workds to the song The Sons of Molly, and got them. I also got an email from the writer, a fellow from a band called, I believe, the Molly McQuires, some where in PA. A friend is desperate to find the writer. If ANY of our fellow mudcs know who the writer is (I lost the email...) PLEASE put him in touch with me at [e-mail]. All the best, thanks. Larry

Subject: RE: Writer of 'Sons of Molly'
From: GUEST,Pat Rogers
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 09:58 AM

The song was written by my father, Chuck Rogers who plays in a irish band in Northeastern PA called the Irish Balladeers. You can get in touch with him at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Writer of 'Sons of Molly'
From: Len Wallace
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 09:29 PM

Thanks Joe.

Seems a group called the Irish Balladeers recorded the song. However, no credit was given to the composer of it.

Len Wallace

Subject: RE: Writer of 'Sons of Molly'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 01:07 AM

He, Len - I didn't read the entire thread, but I think it might help you - Click here
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Writer of 'Sons of Molly'
From: Len Wallace
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 01:02 AM

Dear Compadres in musical crime,

I'm looking for help on a song called "Sons of Molly".

It's about the Pennsylvania coal miners in the last century labelled the Molly MacGuires. I have never heard of anyone else recording the song and have spent years trying to determine the composer so that he/she can be given credit on my upcoming recording of it.

The first and last verse go:

When the wind blows wild at night in the breaker's melancholy. If you stand in the dark with your ear to the wind You can hear the sons of Molly. Down in the dark of the old mine shaft You can smell the smoke and the fire. And the whispers low in the mines below is the ghost of Molly MacGuire.

Any help on this would be appreciated.

Len Wallace http://lenwallace.homepage.com/Len.html