When you marry into an Irish family – they take you whole heartily without asking for references or identification.

I am forever grateful for that.

So by way of my wonderful wife – we have some music on the cave

Can I still do a nice music blog?   We shall find out together.  

Fisherman’s Blues – The Waterboys

Inspired partly by Geoff and his excellent site @ https://1001albumsin10years.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/my-top-5-tapes-from-88/ who mentioned this album in cassette form (which is how, I too, met the Waterboys … and played them over and over in my beat-up chevette).  I loved that car and I love that tape!

Fisherman’s Blues is like a hot cup of tea on a rainy day-and I don’t mean no frou-frou fancy-ass hipster organic fair trade flavored tea —-I mean TEA—-Boiling water from the kettle poured in a pot (you don’t have to pre-warm it) —- enough to share with family or friends so we all feel better—- a good cup of tea! It does wonders.

I’m Shipping Up To Boston – Dropkick Murphys

ARRR Me Maties!- Hooligans and scoundrels need love too!– this is a beautiful gail force wind of skullduggery  to blow through ye sails while ye wee vessel gets tossed about on angry seas.

The City of Chicago – Christy Moore

This song packs a ton of punch  –  repression and survival – you can’t remove political strife and contempt for the crown from this art form – immigration is too often seen as people coming here to take a slice of our pie – when, as in this tune – there was little choice.

Much respect for Christy Moore.

The Gloaming – Samhradh Samhradh (Live in Cork)

The arrival of summer – A happy light ditty? Put some shorts on and go to the beach? – Noooo! — watch a flower grow and have a good cry.

Great song – Great band – Great record

Carrickfergus– Jim McCann

This is always a fav at the local Irish pub – the bands will do this one late in the show—-when everyone is good and drunk. I am not saying it sounds better when you are inebriated because that would be irresponsible to all you kids out there

But – a song about the perils of alcoholism that you can drink to – only the Irish can do that!

And also rip your heart out like a Mayan sacrifice (sorry, see my Mexican posts for reference).

Beautiful tune.

This music is meant to be enjoyed live.

So go out and support your local Irish pub.

And if you don’t have one- consider opening one yourself-We can never have enough.

Cheers, beers and tears from the cave!