He's into the MUSIC, the MELODY, the unque IRISH CADENCE . . heart and soul [ and fingers ! ]. So, quit distracting him with "smiles" and "smiling" ! The only button-box accordion players who smile are SOME Swiss guys, while playing their traditional dance tunes, playing to the camera, with their Alps in the background. But the SOUND created by Paddy DOES get THIS Prairie Grandpa -I'm a "cradle" accordion-sound lover, will turn 80 this August ] dancin' and excited and SMILING with joy " in me heart". Paddy's very focussed "straight face" is "A SECRET" which HIDES [ but barely ] all the celebration conveyed in his accordion's superbly-played musical tones. So, don't bother him; he's got work to do . . if ye know what I mean.
Some people are smilers and some are not; we are all different. But wow! such a vibrant player and handsome also. I recall the Ted Mack show as a child in the 50s. I never saw the program much because my parents seldom watched it. Perhaps the host's personality had something to do with it.
The host was so out of touch. You're witnessing, first-hand, that Americanising, "Plastic-Paddying" of Irish music that is prevelent everywhere today. He even referenced "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" as some kind of back-up to his request for a smile, but that song has nothing to do with Irish people and wasn't part of our Irish song tradition. I get it occassionally, particularly from Americans. "Why don't you smile when you play?". "Why should I?".
Thank you ...great uploads. Didn't know Paddy , but met his father a long time ago now ...there were a few fine musicians on the accordion around then that are almost forgotten with few recordings of their playing ...but the music revival was only getting going then .
Smile ...we were on the road to long hair black hats shoddy clothing 200mph tempo...and a notion that if you were not drunk you had hopes in that direction...any views ...??
Thank God we're now generally without that awful, angular piano accompaniment approach that you can hear in this - his wonderful playing would be more wonderful without it. The great innovation of the late 20th Century was the revolution in the accompaniment to Irish traditional music - lead by people like Donal Lunny and Arty McGlynn. Before that, it wasn't understood that Irish music pre-dates 'classical' music - you have to play more 'open' chords against it to celebrate its 'lilt' - or sometimes just a drone, as with the uilleann pipes.
Quite agree. The clanking joanna does nothing for the music, but it's something that crops up in many genres over the years. It's almost as if music can't be "proper music" without a piano accompaniment.
@@InArcadiaSum Thanks - so you're 'Et in Arcadia (sum)' - would you not prefer to be 'Et in Arcadia (erat)' - I'm just thinking of the ambiguity regarding the phrase 'Et in Arcadia Ego' - Poussin's two paintings, both with that title, represent both meanings - but I presume you know about that?
Marvellous. Brought a tear to my eye, thinking of my late uncle, who played the button accordion, as well as a general it's-neat-being-Irish-isn't-it feeling :)
My dad played the same type of accordion, self-taught. Back in `76 my parents went to Newfoundland where the instrument is still popular and he SMOKED all the locals. None of them rocked the left hand (bass) like he could. This guy Paddy did extraordinary things with a limited instrument. Masterful.
The aul musicians playing by ear were too busy concentrating to smile. You'd think some of them were chewing something but that was how they were. No fancy notes or reading music them times.
No need for Paddy to smile. He let the accordion do the smiling for him. One of the greatest box players that ever lived and composer of many traditional reels, jigs & hornpipes...R.I.P.
Its a real privilige that these tapes/videos survive so that the likes of myself can hear and appreciate the sublime playing skills of Paddy O'Brien. Thanks for posting ☘️👍
