Members Notes_Norton Posted March 4, 2019 Members Share Posted March 4, 2019 OK, later this month we have 5 St Patty Parties (we call it our annual Patty Melt). Last year we had a new song requested. Most of the songs we play for the retirement crowd at a Patty Melt party are either Irish, written by an Irish American, or written by a non-Irish American. But all traditional Patty songs are about either real or imaginary Ireland or people who came to America from Ireland. Last year we had a few requests for "The Unicorn Song" Now this song: 1) Was written by a Jewish guy from Chicago (the brilliant Shel Silverstein) 2) Has absolutely nothing to do with Ireland 3) Has nothing to do wit Irish people 4) The subject about a biblical flood that happened in Mesopotamia which is present day Iraq 5) Was made famous by a band comprised of Canadian Citizens who happened to call themselves the Irish Rovers (although there is some Irish birth) With real Irish artists/bands like U2, Van Morrison, Sinead O'Connor, Dropkick Murphys, Dubliners, Cranberries, Pogues, and others, how did this Canadian Band singing a Jewish song set in the Mid-East get to be a St Patty song when these other fine artists who are really from Ireland are ignored? St. Patrick's day is a strange holiday and we US Americans are strange people who seem to take everything to an extreme. Thank you Irish diaspora for this celebration, I'll be wearing some green. But first I'll be French on Mardi Gras tomorrow. Of course, this is all meant in fun and not really a minor rant. I'm making a backing track for it today. If they wanna hear it, and it'll help their party, we wanna play it. Insights, incites and a little grin by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 4, 2019 Moderators Share Posted March 4, 2019 aw, c'mon, lad, twas the Irish Rovers, even if they twernt actually Irish...the masses are weak willed, they will buy anything well packaged...like O'Douls... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted March 4, 2019 Members Share Posted March 4, 2019 You seem surprised. I'm pretty sure "the pursuit of weirdness" was in the first draft of the Declaration of Independence. Give 'em what they want and have fun with it if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted March 5, 2019 Members Share Posted March 5, 2019 Here's the *real* thing. Written in the years after the famine/diaspora by an author who lived through it. The verse, which comes near the end, sends shivers up my spine. Of course, you couldn't play it -- too poignant and honest -- even if it's beautiful. So play Whiskey in the Jar one more time… [video=youtube;8_eowB1wty4] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 5, 2019 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2019 I think the GREEN alligators may have pushed the Unicorn Song over the top. And living in Florida I've seen thousands of gators, but never a green one - mostly shades of gray. But then I'm always gigging on St Pat's day, so perhaps they just dress up and be Irish like so many others. You're right, the Kerry Dance wouldn't work at our gigs. But then Molly Malone dies, whoever sings to Danny is going to, and a few others meet their demise. To tell the truth, I like the St.Patty Parties and enjoy playing them. I like Valentine's day better because the females look better in red than green , and we're doing a Mardi Gras party today, but at the age of our audience, nobody is going to be flashing their headlights. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted March 5, 2019 Members Share Posted March 5, 2019 … and we're doing a Mardi Gras party today, but at the age of our audience, nobody is going to be flashing their headlights. Notes low beams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kbeaumont Posted March 5, 2019 Members Share Posted March 5, 2019 Parking lights! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 5, 2019 Moderators Share Posted March 5, 2019 at the age of our audience, nobody is going to be flashing their headlights. Notes oh, spare me the image... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 aw' date=' c'mon, lad, twas the Irish Rovers, even if they twernt actually Irish...the masses are weak willed, they will buy anything well packaged...like O'Douls...[/quote'] No real Irishman would buy THAT swill! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted March 6, 2019 Members Share Posted March 6, 2019 the O’Flynn clan agrees with ye! slainte mhath! or pog mo thoin! whichever suits, id still buy each of you a dark, crunchy stout and listen to your tales until the wee hours... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 6, 2019 Moderators Share Posted March 6, 2019 sure, an' yer a fine lad to make sooch a gracious offer! Slainte! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted March 6, 2019 Members Share Posted March 6, 2019 No real Irishman would buy THAT swill! Not to disparage local product, bein' that it's brewed here in St. Louis, but would a real Irishman drink an AB product in the first place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 6, 2019 Author Members Share Posted March 6, 2019 Nobody flashed their headlights at the Mardi Gras gig, so there were no bruised knees. But we did have a lot of fun, the weather was cloudy, cool and windy but the deck was full with SRO anyway. Actually there were some nubile female guests, but fortunately they didn't flash, as we also have some male heart patients there. The deck is right across the water from a state park, and there is a sandy kayak launching area right next to our deck. While Tuesday afternoon is predominantly an old person's party (younger folks are working) we do get younger tourists who hear about the place and do our best to make them happy too. We have a couple of "normal" gigs this week, and next week starts the Patty Melt Parties. I give the condominium and retirement home places a discount if they book before the actual day. I changed "Unicorn" a bit, putting two full measures after each B part nuking the half measure, and added a couple of words to one verse so it would be the same length as most of the others (there is only one shorter A part left - the floating zoo verse). I figured if I'm only going to do this once a year, the arrangement should be simplified so I don't have to think much, just have some fun. I'm sure as long as we get to the "Green Alligators" B section the audience wouldn't know the difference. If they did they would figure it's the medication anyway . The gig we are playing on the actual Patty Day is one we've done for over 10 years now, and where Unicorn was requested last year. And not by one of the older residents, this woman was probably in her late 30s (probably a mum who sings it with her wee ones). While visiting with the condominium residents after the gig, I explained that it wasn't an Irish song, but about the great flood in present day Iraq and written by a Jewish-American guy. She said "That's OK, it's fun" and I said, "We'll have it for you next year." Actually I won't mind doing it at all, I might make some shtick out of it. Get the audience (aka the "Mormon Bait And Tackle Choir") to sing along, and of course, tell them, "If you can't remember all the words, do what the pros do - mumble." It's all about attitude. There is a time for serious music, and a time for 'junk food' music, and as a musician, it's my job to enjoy both. Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 6, 2019 Author Members Share Posted March 6, 2019 Re: O'Douls - all the calories without the buzz. Why bother? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 7, 2019 Moderators Share Posted March 7, 2019 Not to disparage local product, bein' that it's brewed here in St. Louis, but would a real Irishman drink an AB product in the first place? Saints Preserve Us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted March 7, 2019 Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 It’s always been a drunkin display of varying degrees of idiocy every gig I’ve played over the years. Lol! These days I don’t play Irish stuff or book it anymore but I’ve definitely seen some crazy stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 7, 2019 Author Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 When I played for the younger crowd it was pretty much a green drunken fest. When I turned 40 I started playing for the retirement audience, since it is a big market here in South Florida. It worked out to our benefit, the gigs are usually 3 hours, nobody gets fighting drunk, every gig is a party (no Thursday nights with only a salesman who would rather watch the game on TV), and at the end of the night they thank you for providing them with a good evening. It turned out the bar biz around here fell flat with DJ night, karaoke night, open mic night, football night, comedy night and one hired band night for the same wages they paid when Reagan was president. With the yacht club / country club / condominium / retirement community end of the biz, I have dozens of clients that each hire us a few times per year, a lot more that hire us once or twice a year, and one 11 year and running once a week lunchtime gig at a marina in public. It means moving gear a lot more often than playing 6 nights in a club, but in the end, it pays better too. If I can get 3 gigs a week, I make more than if I played 6 nights in a bar. And there are no 6 night gigs left around here even if I wanted one. So Patty Melt means married couples and widows dressed in green wanting a few "Irish American" songs a few line dances and a lot of baby-boomer era music for dancing. We'll add some bad jokes and lame shtick, a lot of smiles, and we'll have a great time which is contagious. With green alligators... ... ... ... ... ... ... Mesopotamia? Mess-o-fun. They call it PLAYing music for a reason. Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted March 8, 2019 Members Share Posted March 8, 2019 You mean you don't play Wasn't That A Party? This clip seems to be from the Irish Rover's Unicorn pub, although it's been closed for years now. At least a couple of the fellas sound Irish to me. IIRC the beer at the Unicorn was pretty good - but that pub was such a party, it was hard to remember anything the next day! EDIT: I just remembered that I knew the drummer that had the gig for a number of years. He's in Nashville now writing songs and such. Man the things you remember, out of the blue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted March 8, 2019 Members Share Posted March 8, 2019 Love the expression "Junk Food Music" pretty much describes my set, in fact I think it may become my tag-line on adverts. Steve Mac - Junk Food Musician Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 8, 2019 Author Members Share Posted March 8, 2019 I've also heard it called "chewing gum for the ears". I like "Junk Food Music" better though because for me junk food is a lot more fun than chewing gum. Basically if enough people request it, or if a regular audience member requests it, and we can do it, we learn it. We're not here to educate the audience, we're here to entertain them and to have fun with them. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted March 8, 2019 Members Share Posted March 8, 2019 Saints Preserve Us! Aye and begorra! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 16, 2019 Author Members Share Posted March 16, 2019 Into "Patty Melt Phase 4" and so far "The Unicorn Song" is a hit. A big portion of the audience sings along with the "Green alligator" chorus. And we haven't even gotten to the gig that requested it yet. Glad I learned it. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted March 17, 2019 Members Share Posted March 17, 2019 Looking around town at who's playing, we have "Paddy Whack," "The Shamrocks," some red-haired solo with an Irish name, and "Sweetleaf." The first is a pretty good semi-legit one-day-Irish duo, the second and third are completely unknown to me, the fourth specialize in metal. If I went out (I won't) I'd go to the fourth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 17, 2019 Author Members Share Posted March 17, 2019 Unicorn is a winner. They love it. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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