Star of the County Down

Star of the County Down performed by Orthodox Celts.  A hearty round of cheerful music.



Near Banbridge town, in the County Down
One morning last July
Down a boreen green came a sweet colleen
And she smiled as she passed me by.
She looked so sweet from her two bare feet
To the sheen of her nut brown hair
Such a coaxing elf, sure I shook myself
To make sure I was standing there.

Chorus:
From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay
And from Galway to Dublin town
No maid I've seen like the sweet colleen
That I met in the County Down.

As she onward sped I shook my head
And I gazed with a feeling rare
And I said, says I, to a passerby
"Who's the maid with the nut-brown hair?"
He smiled at me, and with pride says he,
"That's the gem of Ireland's crown.
She's young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann
She's the star of the County Down."

Chorus

I've travelled a bit, but never was hit
Since my roving career began
But fair and square I surrendered there
To the charms of young Rose McCann.
I'd a heart to let and no tenant yet
Did I meet with in shawl or gown
But in she went and I asked no rent
From the star of the County Down.

Chorus

At the crossroads fair I'll be surely there
And I'll dress in my Sunday clothes
And I'll try sheep's eyes, and deludhering lies
On the heart of the nut-brown rose.
No pipe I'll smoke, no horse I'll yoke
Though with rust my plow turns brown
Till a smiling bride by my own fireside
Sits the star of the County Down.

Here Comes the Sun

We all get our share of troubles and who doesn’t know what it feels like when the sun finally breaks through.

Here Comes the Sun performed here by Steve Harley
written by George Harrison

From Wikipedia
Harrison stated in The Beatles Anthology:
"Here Comes the Sun" was written at the time when Apple was getting like school, where we had to go and be businessmen: 'Sign this' and 'sign that'. Anyway, it seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So one day I decided I was going to sag off Apple and I went over to Eric Clapton's house. The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric's acoustic guitars and wrote "Here Comes The Sun".

Steve Harley said: I set out to be a winner. I don't want to lose. I spent four years in a hospital but I never expected favours from anyone. I don't give sympathy because I don't expect it. Nice guys don't make it.

As a child, Harley suffered from polio, spending four years in hospital up to the age of 16. It was in hospital that he first heard Bob Dylan, inspiring him to a career of words and music.

Hold On, I'm Comin'

Hold On, I’m Comin’ is what I would call a perfect song. It was perfect in 1966 and it's perfect still.

Vocals by Sam & Dave - Sam Moore & Dave Prater
Instrumentation by Booker T & the MG’s and the Mar-Keys Horns
Written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter

Colors of the Wind

Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas, lyrics below



You think I'm an ignorant savage
And you've been so many places
I guess it must be so
But still I cannot see
If the savage one is me
How can there be so much that you don't know?
You don't know ...

You think you own whatever land you land on
The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name

You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sun-sweet berries of the Earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth

The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends

How high will the sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon

For whether we are white or copper skinned
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountains
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind

You can own the Earth and still
All you'll own is Earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind

Oh Happy Day

From 18th century hymn, to a 60’s funk international hit, to the movie Sister Act 2, Oh Happy Day still expresses the timeless joy of redemption. 15 year-old Ryan Toby was the one who sang the piercing whistle register note, an Eb6, in this scene where he and his choirmates, led by the indomitable Whoopie Goldbreg, perform a feel-great rendition of "Oh Happy Day". Prepare to rock.

The Impossible Dream

The Impossible Dream (The Quest) comes from the 1965 musical Man of La Mancha. It's one of my shower songs - to reach the impossible note. ah, well, who cares if I hit it or not. While the song does not give me the happy feet, it does make my heart soar. Performing The Impossible Dream on American Idol are Rubbin Studdard, Fantasia Barino, Kelly Clarkson & Diana Digarmo.

Summer in the City

It was hot in August, 1966. It's still hot. But at night it's a different world. Go out and find a girl.