Home by the Sea

Home by the Sea

I've always loved sea chanteys, so this was one of the first songs I wrote. The story, lyrics and melody are all original in this homage to the great clipper ships that sailed in the mid-19th century. It's one of my most requested songs.

Connemara Nightingale

A story about a poor fellow who loses his heart to a mysterious auburn-haired songstress he sees on a lonely Connemara beach in County Galway, Ireland. I first heard the melody of this song (Jock O'Hazeldean by Sir Walter Scott) as an instrumental on a Martin Simpson CD and I wrote these lyrics to go with it. The angelic voice of the nightingale on this recording is that of Joni Adno.

Drill Ye Tarriers, Drill

This is an American folk song from Irish immigrants in the mid-19th century who worked on building the railroad system. "Tarrier" is an expression from Northern Ireland which means a lie-about or lazy person. Like all work songs, it's repetitive, so I wrote a bridge to break it up and tell a little about my people who left Ireland during the Great Famine to find a new life in America. America has been very good to us. Today there are over 34 million Irish-Americans.

When Will It Ever Stop Raining

This is a very early original song of mine. I wrote it as an Pub Song. When I had finished, it reminded me of that old camp song: "I've Got Sixpence". So, what's the difference between a camp song and a pub song?... the age of the kids! I recommend listening to it with a pint of stout in your hand.

Fanny Power

I first heard this melody played by two virtuoso guitarists: Steve Baughman and Robin Bullock. I fell in love with the melody immediately. Turlough O'Carolan composed it for the harp around 1732 to honor Frances Power (Poer), the daughter of one of his patrons. The original Irish lyrics are rarely sung now, so I wrote these lyrics setting the piece as a love duet. Joni Adno (also in Connemara Nightingale above) beautifully sang the female role on this recording. I kept the original title and form out of respect for three great artists: O'Carolan, Baughman & Bullock.

Shenandoah

Of all the folk songs that I sing, this is one of the most requested: a tune that everybody knows, but almost nobody ever sings! The melody was popular with the French fur trappers who worked in the Missouri Territory. The sailors who worked along the Missouri River became familiar with it and made it into a Capstan Chantey. Capstan Chanteys don't have a rhythm, like other work chanteys. It is repetitive like all work songs, so, I wrote a bridge to break up the repetition and tell more of a story.

Joined In This Blessing

The melody of this song dates back to the time of St. Patrick (5th century AD). It is an Irish folk tune called 'Slane'. The popular hymn, 'Be Thou My Vision' shares the same melody. I wrote these lyrics for a wedding in 2005. I'm afraid the bride and groom had different ideas, but then I waltzed with my daughter to it at her wedding in June, 2022. So it all turned out well in the end!