Big Strong Man traces back to early British and Irish music hall traditions. Variations of the song have existed for over a century, often under the title My Brother Sylvest. However, it was The Wolfe Tones' lively rendition that solidified…
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Back Home In Derry
The lyrics of "Back Home in Derry" were written by Bobby Sands, an Irish republican who died after 66 days of a hunger strike while being imprisoned in Long Kesh (Maze Prison) in Northern Ireland. Sands led the hunger strike…
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Men Behind The Wire
“Men Behind the Wire” was written in 1971 by Paddy McGuigan of the Irish folk group Barleycorn and quickly became an anthem of resistance during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
On August 9, 1971, the British government implemented a policy…
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On The One Road
"On The One Road" was written in the 1940s by Francis O’Donovan, an Irish songwriter who sought to capture the division and hope within Ireland during a time of political turbulence. The lyrics acknowledge Ireland’s divisions but reinforce the idea…
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Thousands Are Sailing
"Thousands Are Sailing," by The Pogues' Philip Chevron, is a moving tribute to Irish immigrants who left their homeland for a better life in America. Released in 1988, the song's title evokes the countless Irish people who emigrated to the…
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Black Velvet Band
Black Velvet Band is a song of love, betrayal, and exile that has been a favorite among pub-goers for generations. The song is part of a broader tradition of “transport ballads” - songs about criminals (often unfairly accused) being sentenced…
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Haul Away Joe
Haul Away Joe is classified as a “halyard shanty,” which refers to songs sailors used to sing while hauling on the ropes used to raise or lower the sails of a ship. These shanties were often sung in call-and-response style,…
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And It Stoned Me
“And It Stoned Me” is the opening track of Van Morrison’s album Moondance, released in 1970. It was inspired by an event that occurred when he was 12 years old after a day of fishing with friends outside the village…
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