Crossroad 9: And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

Tags

Anti-war songs, ANZAC, Archie Fisher, Clancy Brothers, Eric Bogle, Gallipoli, Liam Clancy, The Bushwackers, The Pogues, Tommy Makem, Waltzing Matilda

And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

The Bushwackers

In 1974 I had my very first – and very short-lived – university experience. Macquarie University. A few weeks into first term and I’d left. At that time 2 years of supporting yourself meant getting a government allowances to attend university – so full-time work beckoned.

Those few weeks were very enjoyable. The Bushwackers played on the main lawn – between the library and the administration building. Only a small audience – a few hundred students – witnessed what was a big performance.

The Bushwackers

The following year they released what I thought was their first album … taking its name from the Eric Bogle song And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda. I think the first time I’d heard the song was by The Bushwackers, which is why I’ve chosen their version from that album for this Crossroad.

It’s a compelling song, that calls upon some powerful Australian icons – ANZACS, ANZAC Day, Gallipoli, Waltzing Matilda – nevertheless it speaks vividly and emotionally about the horrors of war.

How are And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda and Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye connected?

Both songs are stark and grim pictures of the impact of war. Young men’s bodies have been maimed and their spirit stripped away.

The once beguiling, dancing Johnny  …

You’re a spineless, boneless, chickenless egg
You’ll have to be put with a bowl to beg.

And the once free-spirited rover returning to Sydney amongst “the armless, the legless, the blind, the insane” and as the ship pulls into dock, he

… looked at the place where me legs used to be
And thanked Christ there was noone waiting for me

Another connecting point is Liam Clancy – the youngest of The Clancy Brothers. Scottish folk singer, Archie Fisher who was producing an album for Liam & Tommy Makem, told them he had song they should include and sang them And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda. Liam’s reaction …

And I couldn’t sleep for three nights thinkin’ about that song, it was so powerful.

Here is the version from The Bushwackers album of the same name:

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Other Stuff You Might Enjoy.

* This is another song that has been performed by many, here are three:

– the composer Eric Bogle (with John Munro), performing it some 40 years after he’d written the song.
– a stinging version from The Pogues
– Liam Clancy live at The Bitter End in 2008

* Eric Bogle wrote another great song that reflects on war  – The Green Fields Of France

And the next road takes us to?

North:  Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye  – we just paid him a visit
East:     Khe Sanh by Cold Chisel.
South:  Uncle Sam Blues by Hot Tuna.
West:    John Brown by Bob Dylan.

Crossroad 8: Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye

Tags

Anti-war songs, Clancy Brothers, Irish Music, Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye, Liam Clancy, Tommy Makem, When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again

Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye

Tommy Makem & The Clancy Brothers

In my parents’ record collection was an album titled Green In The Green, like most of their collection most of the time, it was unlikely to get my attention, let alone my ear. (An illustration of the narrowness of my own mind when I thought I was expansive and my parents narrow – though I always knew they were more liberal than most of their generation).

Anyway, one day I looked at the cover and the contrasting images struck me … the clean cut boys in white woollen sweaters against a backdrop of rolling green hills, sitting atop images of violence, protest, upheaval and war.

Images of high contrast.

I listened. Though enjoying what I was hearing, the songs seemed to be more in accord with green hills & white sweaters than with social unrest & conflict … until track 4 – Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye – a track recorded live, it showcased the power and passion of these 4 Irish boys.

There is clearly a connection between this song and the American Civil War song When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again (which was written by Patrick Gilmore – an Irishman who’d emigrated to the USA). There is considerable contention about which came first. The published dates show that When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again was first published in 1863, while Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye was first put into print 4 years later.

However, a verse of Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye seems to indicate that it could have been written during the Kandyan Wars which were fought in Sri Lanka (Ceylon – Sulloon) between 1803 and 1818. 

I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo
I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo
I'm happy for to see ye home
All from the island of Sulloon
So low in flesh, so high in boon
Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye.

Adding credence to this, apparently a large number of troops were recruited from Athy in County Kildare to go to the Kingdom of Kandy. The first line in the song places the singer along the road to sweet Athy.

How does Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye connect with The Partisan?

War! Albeit from a different voice. Unfortunately, the sound on this clip is not great … it is from a TV program that looks like it has American history as its focus. The introduction by the host is an interesting perspective and seems to be somewhat at odds with the anti-war sentiment of the song.

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Also unfortunately I could not find the same version as I have on vinyl (and I don’t have the equipment to convert from vinyl to digital).

Other Stuff You Might Enjoy.

*  The Story of Tommy Makem & The Clancy Brothers (1984) (55m 52s) – a good little documentary that uses their reunion concert at the Lincoln Center, New York as launching pad for a look into their history. Some comments from Bob Dylan, Mary Travers, Tom Paxton and others.

*  This is a popular song and has been performed my many. Here are links to some of them:

– British opera singer Benjamin Luxon
– Punk rockers Dropkick Murphys
– I love choirs, so … Chicago Chamber Choir
– Janis Ian

And the next road takes us to?

It’s hard to move away from Leonard Cohen but …

North:  Breaking The Silence by Loreena McKennitt
East:     The Partisan was the last stop.
South:  And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda by The Bushwackers.
West:    Mrs McGrath by Bruce Springsteen.

Crossroad 7: The Partisan

Tags

Anna Marly, Buffy Sainte Marie, Emmanuel d'Astier, Hy Zaret, Javier Mas, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen, poetry, The Partisan, Unchained Melody

The Partisan

Leonard Cohen

I was intending to head South from Buster Voodoo to a track named after a Mexican revolutionary (Zapata) from an Argentinian saxophonist (Barbieri). I’ve changed my mind and headed North instead – now it is a Canadian poet singing a song from the French resistance.

You know, during my school days Leonard Cohen‘s music was often described as music for the depressed – you either induced or augmented melancholia with Leonard.

Changes in perception over time supports the idea that the reader/listener decides meaning, which is often (possibly always) well beyond the control of the creator and by no means immutable.

I clearly remember interpreting this song with a level of pessimism, perhaps even a sense of futility. For me the chorus was saying that freedom will come but it is death that will bring freedom.

Oh the wind, the wind is blowing
Through the graves the wind is blowing
Freedom soon will come
And then we’ll come from the shadows.

I see it now as hopeful and paying homage to human strength, resilience, and ascendence.

I must admit that back then I had no idea this song was not written by L. Cohen.

In case you are unaware it was written by Anna Marly and Emmanuel d’Astier – it was La Complainte du Partisan. The English adaptation came from Hy Zaret – a prolific New York (Tin Pan Alley) songwriter, whose greatest success came from a partnership with composer Alex North. Together they wrote Unchained Melody.

(Note: Alex North composed the score for the film Viva Zapata – Zapata could easily have been the focus here had we headed South instead of North from Buster Voodoo.)

Joan Baez performs it on (and uses a phrase from it for the title of) her 1972 album – Come From The Shadows. It was also recorded by  Buffy Sainte Marie on her 1971 album She Used To Wanna Be A Ballerina.

How does The Partisan connect with Buster Voodoo?

Really, it is nothing more than the sound of the acoustic guitar – the playing is clearly less percussive and more melodic; less aggressive and more mellow. Nevertheless, The Partisan is what come to mind I was listening to Buster Voodoo and thinking about “what next” – (given another Rodrigo Y Gabriela is not encouraged).

An admission though … I wanted to hear the version recorded in Helsinki that is on the 2010 album Songs From The Road. And some of this desire is fired by the playing of Javier Mas (who is playing a bandurria – I think). If you haven’t heard or seen this – play it full screen, through a good pair of headphones.

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And here is Leonard performing the song on TV in 1969 in conjunction with the release of Songs From A Room.

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Other Stuff You Might Enjoy.

* Song of the French Partisan – this web page has comprehensive information about the song. It’s an interesting read but I had trouble with the sound files.

* Rock History 101: Leonard Cohen – The Partisan – a brief article about the song and the perceptions of the French at war. The last paragraph is about the last verse changing. The English version is as I have quoted above. The original is written:

Le vent souffle sur les tombes
La liberté reviendra
On nous oubliera
Nous rentrerons dans l’ombre

* An interview from 1966 – Leonard is a great interviewee. This one is from Canadian TV. (9m 55s).

* Ladies & Gentlemen … Mr Leonard Cohen (44m 06) – a fantastic documentary from 1965, well before he’d released his first album.

And the next stop will be …?

It’s hard to move away from Leonard Cohen but …

North:  Hallelujah from k.d. lang
East:     The Riegel by Pearls Before Swine
South:  Buster Voodoo brought us here.
West:    Johnny, I Hardly Knew You by Tommy Makem & The Clancy Brothers.

Crossroad 6: Buster Voodoo

Tags

Acoustic Guitar, Art Phillips, Carlos Santana, Damien Rice, Electric Ladyland, Flamenco Guitar, Hanuman, Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Latin, Red Eye Records, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Voodoo Chile

Buster Voodoo

Rodrigo Y Gabriela

Hailing from Mexico, Rodrigo Y Gabriela play acoustic guitars – with energy & fire.

Their 2009 album , 11:11, pays homage to 11 musical influences – they are diverse influences, from Dimebag Darrell to Paco De Lucia to Astor Piazzolla.

Tierra Acido was the name of the metal band formed by Rodrigo Sanchez in the early 1990’s. Gabriela Quintero joined in 1993. By the late 90’s the metal band was left behind in Mexico as they travelled to Europe to further develop musically. Dublin, Ireland became home, living from busking on Grafton Street and playing small pubs …

Busking In Ireland

Opening for Damien Rice early into the new century was a big break. The momentum this generated matched their performances and quickly a much broader audience was gathering.

11:11 was the first Rodrigo Y Gabriela production to land in my collection. It was simple serendipity …

I had been listening to Art Phillips‘ (a renowned local guitarist) disc – Chitarre Acustiche d’Italia – and I had a yearning for more acoustic guitar with a Latin flavour, but a bit more dramatic and lively. Perhaps not flamenco but heading that way. One day I was  browsing through Red Eye Records in Sydney, the cover caught my eye. I had a look, read bits of the information booklet and thought this could satisfy my desire. Purchased unheard … but I was more than pleased from the first moments of the opening track – Hanuman (which pays homage to Carlos Santana).

Album Cover – it got my attention.

Connection with Voodoo Chile?

Simple really. Buster Voodoo:

* is the track written to pay homage to Jimi Hendrix as a significant influence over the music of Rodrigo Y Gabriela
* the song title; Buster is the nickname Jimi had as a small boy and Voodoo is taken from the song we played at Crossroad #5.

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Other Stuff You Might Enjoy

* The website for RYG is www.rodgab.com. You’ll find some information about and video of their new recording Area 52 – which has them revisiting some of their previous composition with a 13 piece band.

* The site www.rodgabfan.com has been put together by a fan. In terms of resources – you’ll find interviews, concert reviews, concert videos in the archive.

Where to next?

OK, Buster the signposts are point the way …

North: The Partisan by Leonard Cohen
East:    Toussaint L’Overture by Santana
South: Viva Emiliano Zapata from Gato Barbieri
West:  Voodoo Chile, I suppose we could revisit … mmm.

What’s your choice?