Tribute to Ronnie Drew
Here’s something that’s been creating a bit of a buzz in Irish music circles for the last few weeks.
It’s the tribute to Ronnie Drew. No, he’s not dead, but he’s not a well man. [UPDATE: Ronnie Drew has died 16th August, 2008]
I saw him on the box a couple of months ago and it was strange because I didn’t recognise him at first, and yet he sounded and looked so familiar. That’s what happens when you take a man you’ve only ever seen with a great big long beard and then apply chemo.
The founder of the Dubliners is often described as having a voice like gravel, but that’s being a bit harsh. On the gravel. Since the last time he left the Dubliners he’s come out with some very interesting solo arrangements, and he’s always been very handy on the guitar.
The verses in the tribute are sung by famous Irish male singers known by just a single name: Bono, Shane, Christy, and Damo.
The chorus is female dominated with Sinead, Moya from Clannad, Andrea from the Corrs, and actually the list goes on and on: Paul Brady, Paddy Casey, Glen Hansard, Bob Geldof, Mary Black, Mary Coughlan, Billy McGuinness, Brian Kennedy, Mik Pyro, Mundy, Christy Dignam, Duke Special, Eleanor McEvoy, Eleanor Shanley, Gavin Friday, Jack L, and Ronan Keating.
Kila, and the Dubliners themselves provide the music along with them U2 fellas. Have a look - you’ll see tons of people in here you’ll recognise. I saw Joe Elliot of Def Leppard, and even Chris de Burgh.
The lyrics seem a bit odd to me, but then they were penned by Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter - although what Shane sings is the chorus to Aisy and Slow - a song Ronnie made his own.
And here’s Ronnie himself, from the very early days of the Dubliners - note Bobby Lynch in the group as this was that period in the 1960s when Luke Kelly went off to England for a spell - singing one of the definitive Ronnie Drew songs, McAlpine’s Fusiliers.
Available in Ireland only The Ballad of Ronnie Drew will be released on digital download from February 22, 2008 and a CD single will follow on February 29, 2008. It’s also being performed live on the Late Late Show tomorrow night by Kila, U2, Liam Ó Maonlaí and, I imagine, a few other vagabonds.
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
