Aoife O'Donovan and The Moonlighters perform "The Lakes of Pontchartrain" during the November 16, 2013 broadcast Aoife's official website: aoifeodonovan.com/ prairiehome.publicradio.org/pr...
I'm so happy to have found this. I actually attended this recording of PHC last year, and I was in tears pretty much the entire song. It's one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard.
She was the musical guest with GK's live show in Santa Fe a couple of years ago, with pretty much the same band. She did this song that night and it was one of the most mesmerizing musical moments I've ever experienced.
We saw her live recently at Berkeley CA and she did this song. She wasn’t playing an instrument because she was with Not Our First Goat Rodeo. It was literally magic. I’ve been to amazing concerts, seen awesome live performers, but this was different. It was captivating.
Entrancing in every way.... a beautiful song by a beautiful singer. This girl and Paul Brady have put their mark on this song...... no one can approach them.
Sad to find out that LIVE FROM HERE is no longer.there is no more money to find it.I must say "Chris Thiele you did a great job while it lasted. That really breaks my heart. If you were into watching it,we only have reruns to watch. Thank you Chris for the great job you did and the fine guest you had.
That's because Aoife has the best voice in modern American music. I have seen her perform many times; she never disappoints. Aoife has one of those very rare, beautiful voices which can make you cry one minute and want to sing along the next!
In all seriousness, you can't be serious. This is lovely, no question, and truly heartfelt, this is one of current most wonderful talents we have, in a world absolutely swamped in mediocrity. I'm not enamored of the day's breathy style of singing that seems so ubiquitous, but it's the trend for hacks as well as the great ones like this young woman it seems. I'm sure she has heard and been stunned by the greatest version of all time in 1977 Paul's live show
+Don Caspary Agreed. This is what you hear when you have actual artists playing and singing; when you have excellent equipment and sound engineers and a great sounding room; and when you have an audience who are there to enjoy the music, rather than talking amongst themselves as if they're at home or in a bar, or too busy taking selfies to pay attention.
This sounds so much like the Trapezoid version from Now and Then (Lorraine Duisit, Freyda Epstein, Ralph Gordon and Paul Reisler). I think they may have played it on PHC way back in the day, it would have been in the 1980s.
It was on one bright March morning I bid New Orleans adieu. And I took the road to Jackson town, My fortune to renew, I cursed all foreign money, No credit could I gain, Which filled my heart with longing for The lakes of Pontchartrain. I stepped on board a railroad car, Beneath the morning sun, I road the roads till evening, And I laid me down again, All strangers there no friends to me, Till a dark girl towards me came, And I fell in love with a Creole girl, By the lakes of Pontchartrain. I said, "My pretty Creole girl, My money here's no good, But if it weren't for the alligators, I'd sleep out in the wood". "You're welcome here kind stranger, Our house is very plain. But we never turn a stranger out, From the lakes of Pontchartrain." She took me into her mammy's house, And treated me quite well, The hair upon her shoulder In jet black ringlets fell. To try and paint her beauty, I'm sure it would be in vain, So handsome was my Creole girl, By the lakes of Pontchartrain. I asked her if she'd marry me, She said it could never be, For she had got another, And he was far at sea. She said that she would wait for him And true she would remain. Till he returned for his Creole girl, By the lakes of Pontchartrain. So fare thee well my Creole girl, I never will see you no more, But I'll ne'er forget your kindness In the cottage by the shore. And at each social gathering A flowing glass I'll raise, And I'll drink a health to my Creole girl, And the lakes of Pontchartrain.
I've listened to this song by the supposed leaders in this genre and IMHO they suck, this rendition by Aoife O' Donovan is not only beautiful but is simply "the best that's every been".
