“The Portuguese call it saudade: a longing for something so indefinite as to be indefinable. Love affairs, miseries of life, the way things were, people already dead, those who left and the ocean that tossed them on the shores of a different land - all things born of the soul that can only be felt.” Anthony De Sa, Barnacle Love . Will
I lived in Dublin for most of the 70’s. I got to see most of the great Irish folksingers of the time, the Chieftains, Planxty, Clannad, DeDanaan, the Bothy Band. It was a magical time.
@@nbenefiel”Just once”, he says. I would kill to get the chance to hear one of the greatest voices of the last century in person. And the bloody Dubliners had two of them too, Ronnie Drew’s voice being what it was
Based on this and another tune I went to see Andy last month - aged 80 and still performing! Still has the voice and hoped for more traditional but naturally playing a lot of his own material. Still his voice brought me to hold my breath. Pure gold. It was the smallest venue, just feet away could hear every note. Recommend Ye Vagabonds if you're looking for new young traditionalists. Ye won't be disappointed. Weirdly they played the same week. Amazing Harmonium player too.
As I roved out on a bright May morning To view the meadows and flowers gay Whom should I spy but my own true lover As she sat under yon willow tree I took off my hat and I did salute her I did salute her most courageously When she turned around well the tears fell from her Sayin’ “False young man, you have deluded me A diamond ring I owned I gave you A diamond ring to wear on your right hand But the vows you made, love, you went and broke them And married the lassie that had the land” “If I’d married the lassie that had the land, my love It’s that I’ll rue till the day I die When misfortune falls sure no man can shun it I was blindfolded I’ll ne’er deny” Now at nights when I go to my bed of slumber The thoughts of my true love run in my mind When I turned around to embrace my darling Instead of gold sure it’s brass I find And I wish the Queen would call home her army From the West Indies, Amerikay and Spain And every man to his wedded woman In hopes that you and I will meet again.
The tune is simple with the whistle and hurdy-gurdy playing the same melody line then the stunning voice floating over the wandering guitar. It’s rather like watching a meadow under a breeze, there is colour and beauty everywhere, despite the sadness. Thank you.
@raymonddixon7603 he must've grown up in Ireland, he has an Irish accent. He's also one of the most revered Irish music legends so you're talking shite basically
If you are a human person then you not fail to touch by this music/song with down into your soul. This totally haunting and brilliant music that reaches way back to times of long ago and yet refers to today life. It will not matter what lands you come from, what tribe you belong to or what religion you have, this music will be understood and felt by all people of this world no matter if you are rich or poor, or if you live in a castle high up on the hill or in than old shack with down in the valley O, YOU MAY be a city person wearing nice new clothes OR country person wearing your tatty working clothes, you will not be able to hide from the brilliance of this music, and the amazing voice of Andy Irvine.
This is an Aisling - a Dream Vision song. Andy sings and plays it to perfection. It has a double meaning. It is 'really' a metaphor for the tragedy of Irish men joining the armies of Queen Elizabeth I and fighting her battles. It is England who is 'the lassie that had the land' and Ireland who is the 'gold' that he has forsaken, to his lifelong grief. The last verse lifts the cover.
I have sang this song so many times and always wondered particularly about the meeting again and the queen calling home her army. All makes sense now! Thank you!!
What an amazing song. The lyrics are devastating. Who lives these days in such a thoughtful way to reflect on the politics of personal commitment and the politics of war?
Fathers a trad player and took me along to see this man many years ago in Derry, he's an absolute gentleman and incredibly humble. You'd need to be to construct music as close to the soul as this.
Andy Irvine...Paul Brady......Robbie McConnell.....Lord thank you for Ireland forever and ever and ever and my next prayer of thanks goes for Ireland's women, too. Dolores Keane and Mary Black, and on and on and on.
Dear Collette- the instrument is able to coordinate our bones to vibrate in way no other can. When I sometimes sob to this tune, my body rhythm seems to be highjacked ..and all of the sad partings of mine come tumbling back into being
I´m in awe of this man and his lifelong devotion and contribution to Irish Musik. He´s coming to the town I live in here in Germany in Nov. and it will be my first time seeing him live (and that at his tender age of 68yrs!!). Thanks for these brilliant postings.
beybarys The way I understand the line is this: he lost his true love and ended up marrying a woman for whom he feels much less. When he awakes and turns to embrace, in his imagination, his true love ("my darling"), to his great disappointment and sadness he realises it's the poor substitute ("brass" "instead of gold") who's lying next to him. It's the tragedy of love lost that can never be regained - the dull compromise with which so many of us have to come to terms - that makes this song so deeply moving.
Well, I'm glad that YOU are not compelled to stick with someone you don't truly love, but sadly that IS the reality for very many people. Even in so-called 'developed' countries, people stay for years in relationships with incompatible partners. I work as a relationship therapist, and I see it often. In less liberal, more traditional cultures, many people -- especially women -- are literally forced to stay with terrible partners.
Takes me back to the 70s. Andy and Paul and Planxty were so good. Saw them in Edinburgh around 1976. Wonderful musicians and the songs were fantastic. And what voices!
You might want to avoid the song Bonny Woodall if you ever want to come back from wherever 'away' is. I don't appear to be able to stop crying when I hear that little number.
As an Englishman (cockney by birth) I got introduced to Traditional Irish folk, discovered Paul Brady/Andy Irvine and my Goodness I'm obsessed. Irish music is very rich beautiful music. :)
This man is the most wonderful singer ,thank you England for sending him to us ,where he has found his spiritual home .His empathic renditions of song ,Irish,English and those he wrote himself are truly unique..........May he and his songs live forever...
Words spoken by this human person cannot full or property explain the sheer brilliance and the total beauty of this man voice, the playing, the story told and the feelings felt so I will not try
I had the absolute honour to see Planxty when I was at UNI in 1975. By that time, Donal Lunny had tired of touring and Christy Moore had gone off to do his own thing, but Johnny Moynihan and Paul Brady had joined the line-up. So, it was a different Planxty, but magical all the same. Andy Irvine and Paul Brady bounced off each other, Liam Óg O'Flynn was sublime - and Johnny Moynihan was no slouch either! They reawoke in me a lifelong love of Irish music........ and the London-born Andy Irvine was a big part of that. Long life to him.
First heard this song when i was 12 years old ,instantly loved it ,20 years later it still draws the same feelings up..incredible musicians'the likes we will near see again☘
what style. what lyrics. what skill. AND backing guitar by no less than paul brady. it does not get any better than this. the theme of wistful regret for one's own foolishness is a rich vein to mine.
This is wonderful and Andy does the tune credit...lovely rendition. I would have loved to have heard Luke Kelly's take on this song. I recon he could do it justice and work his magic. It's a nice thought.
This song is forever in my mind and on my heart, it constantly causes me to reminisce on every happy and sad moment of my life at times it causes me to wonder if being human is worth it or if it is simply a curse to exist in this world especially one thats fallen so far from romance and beauty
Goddamn how many instruments do they all play? So far I've seen Paul on guitar, mandolin, tin whistle, bouzouki, Andy on mandolin, hurdy gurdy, harmonica, bouzouki, Donal on bouzouki, guitar...anything else? Anyways they are truly incredible. So grateful this exists
It's funny really I've been listening to Andy singing this song for over 40's years yet it get's nicer on ever hearing but Andy never sounds any older. Lovely thank you for the honour
I was gutted a year or two ago when I made arrangements to go out with a friend to see a local band and discovered that Andy Irvine was also playing somewhere else nearby. It was a dilemma and I know I missed a golden opportunity to see him.
Quite magical. A song that has haunted me since my first hearing - visiting my friend in 1979 in Manchester. In this student house share an Irish student played this LP at full volume.The whole house sang.
Fell in love with this song when I was traveling in Ireland and bought a compilation CD to play in the car. Had to find all the renditions I could and this one is top o' the heap. What a voice and what a band. And what a song. Thank you, Andy and Mick Connell. P.s. I'm a Connell, too. Co. Tyrone from long ago.
