Barney's Goat Sample some songs from our debut CD
1. St. Brendan's
The Irish monk St. Brendan is believed to have crossed the Atlantic and discovered
2. Newrytown (Traditional)
There are many versions of this old ballad, some of them called The Highwayman.
Our late friend Tony McAuley wrote about the common theme of the heroic outcast –
the outlaw – in Irish balladry. We dedicate this fine example to his memory.
3. Rare Old Times (Pete St. John)
The writer laments the changes that progress has brought to
at home in their home town can identify.
4. The Errant Apprentice (Bill Watkins, Andy M. Stewart, Gerry O’Bierne)
After your man’s lover proves faithless while he tries to impress her by fighting in the Boer War,
his hapless attempt to get back at her husband gets him in deep water – literally. A hilarious patter
song worthy of Gilbert and Sullivan.
5. The One Dancing (Mary Brockmiller)
Dad, this one’s for you.
6. The Road to Lisdoonvarna/Swallowtail Jig (Tradional)
Two of Carol’s favorite Irish fiddle tunes.
7. Nobody's Moggy Now (Eric Bogle)
We’re all cat lovers, honest. Think of it as a tongue-in-cheek public service message. “Moggy” is an
Australian term of endearment for “pet cat.”
8. Star of the
One of the most beloved Irish songs. The writer is lovesick for a woman as beautiful and
enchanting as
9. The Road to Dunmore (Robby McConnel)
A wistful song of ill-fated romance against the background of Irish emigration. The singer
and his lover have parted on the shore, expressing their hopes of being reunited – but knowing
that will probably never be.
10. The Ballad of St. Anne's Reel (David Mallett)
On a winter night on
welcoming arms of strangers and the strains of a fiddle tune from his childhood. A lovely ballad
wrapped around a fine traditional tune.
11. On We Go (Traditional)
A traditional Irish murder ballad, we like to call this the Irish Divorce Song.
12. Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss/Clinch Mountain Backstep (Traditional)
As they settled in the Appalachian backcountry, some Scotch-Irish immigrants learned to play their
fiddle tunes on the lap dulcimer (also known as a mountain dulcimer) an instrument that evolved
from the German scheitholt. Here is the charming sound that resulted.
13. Mary Ellen Carter (Stan Rogers)
An "uplifting" true story turned into song by one of our favorite Canadian folk balladeers. This
brilliant songwriter died much too young; this is one of the little treasures he left us.
14.
The 19th century Potato Famine drove an estimated eight million desperate Irish folks to American
shores. The writer based this deeply moving song on letters written to a Great Famine immigrant
from his familyin
all to the good.
15. The Moonshiner I (Traditional Irish)
We do have a substantial repertoire of pub songs, in case you’re wondering if you should hire us for
St. Patrick’s Day. (You should.) We learned this one from the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem,
without whom Irish folk music would not be nearly so popular today in the
16. The Moonshiner II (Traditional American Version)
It seems that the jovial moonshiner of Irish origin morphed into a sultry criminal in our
Mountains
17. Reel in the Flickering Light (Colm Gallagher)
The strangest and most whimsical song we know! This tale of what an Irishman came upon in the forest
late one night raises the question: Is it really a good idea to introduce your sister to a stranger of Arachnid
persuasion?
Producer: Carol Moser
Mixing Engineer:
Graphics Design: Mary Brockmiller
Photography: Gary Brockmiller, Chris Moser
Copyright 2009
