Geek Pub Songs With Marc Gunn

I wrote my first ever murder ballad inspired by an album Andrew and I came up with called Happy Songs of Death. Songs: "Won't You Come With Me" by Marc Gunn "My Own Hero" by Joni Minstrel from Joni Minstrel Kicks the King Notes: Writing Murder Ballads Songs that Inspire Emotion IRA Songs Won't You Come With Me? words and music by Marc Gunn I left my ship with storms on my mind, High wind and tossing seas. I sought a girl with soft green eyes To take my mind off me. Hai diddle-dai-dum Ba du diddle-dai-dum Ba du diddle-dai diddle-dai dee Hai diddle-dai-dum Ba du diddle-dai-dum Won't you come with me? I met a maid by waterside Gutting the herring clean. She took my hand, laid down her knife. Then we walked along the beach. Singing... She set herself down on a rock And bade me sit at her feet. The sun settled down and the wind did blow The curlets across her cheek. We sang... I took her gently in my arms Our bodies rolling in the sand. When I pulled the knife out of her side Her body stopped lurching at last.

Which came first the chicken or the egg. I first learned about "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye" from a popular American version written during the Civil War. That song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" was first published in 1863 as "Words and Music by Louis Lambert," which was a pseudonym for Patrick Sarsfield, 1829-1892. Patrick was a native of Ireland who emigrated to Boston. "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" is a rousing song about a hero returning from war. The first published version of "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye" came out several years after Sarsfield's song. Nevertheless, it is strongly believed to have originated in Ireland. It's a much more somber song that tells about the woes and horrors of war in the popular folk tradition of describing the body parts blown off a soldier who does not come home to his love. Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye Lyrics: While on the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurrooWhile on the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurrooWhile on the road to sweet AthyA stick in me hand and a drop in me eyeA do

If you enjoy American folk music you might be familiar with this tune. The American version is called "The Girl I Left Behind", but this is the Irish version of the song. It's called "Waxies Dargle". What does that mean? "Waxies" were candlemakers. "Dargle" referred to an annual trip that the Waxies made to the seaside town of Bray in county Wicklow, Ireland just 12 miles from Dublin. The melody is believed to be from the time of Queen Elizabeth the first in the late 1500s. The tune was known in America as early as 1650 where it was believed to be from England. In Ireland it was first published in 1791 as "The Rambling Laborer and the Spailpin Fanach". I first heard it on a cassette called Irish Drinking Songs from Columbia River by an anonymous band.  I recorded "Waxies Dargle" on my CD Happy Songs of Death in 2009. Waxie's Dargle Lyrics: Says my aul' wan to your aul' wan"Will ye go to the Waxies dargle?"Says your aul' wan to my aul' wan,"Sure I haven't got a farthing.I've just been down to Monto townTo see