Little Musgrave

[Strathspey]

I've been listening to "The Woman I Loved So Well" (Planxty) a lot lately . . . it is a recurring illness . . . an ordinary enough album, but featuring "Little Musgrave" at the end with (one of many tunes named) Paddy Fahy's tacked on. From start to finish, this track is brilliant - a great atmosphere, great arrangement, great vocals not to mention mando-content.... absolutely beautiful . . .

What other Celtic recordings compare?

Matt

[Martin Jonas]

"The Woman I Loved So Well" happens to be my favourite Planxty album, because of the first and the last tracks ("True Love Knows No Season" and "Little Musgrave"). It strikes a great balance of being soft and low key without degenerating into the new-agey mush that is the bane of commercial celtic (or celtoid) music.

As for suggestions for similarly atmospheric recordings, you might try "Arthur McBride" from the "Andy Irvine/Paul Brady" album, Christy Moore's "The Time Has Come" album (in particular Nancy Spain), the wonderful version of Willie O'Winsbury on the first Sweeney's Men album (Andy Irvine again) or Andy Irvine's recentish version of "The Highwayman". Moloney, Keane and O'Connell's recordings of "Kilkelly" and "There Were Roses" are also in a similar vein. Roaming beyond Ireland, much of early Fairport Convention qualifies, in particular the more acoustic ballads sung by the incomparable Sandy Denny. Try "Farewell, Farewell" and "Crazy Man Michael" from the "Liege & Lief" album or the majestic "Banks of the Nile" by Fairport spin-off group Fotheringay.

Martin

[Aidan Crossey]

So, Matt ...

Hmmm.....

We all have our favourites.

Songs I've been listening to recently when trying to give my sister some ideas for increasing her repertoire have included Cathy Jordan's cracking versions of "Eileen McMahon" and "For Ireland I Won't Tell Her Name"; Cyril O'Donoghue's "The Scarriff Martyrs"; Cathal McConnell's "Farewell And Remember Me"; Pat Kilbride's "Henry, My Son" (which includes a great version of Craig's Pipes with Tommy MacManamon on banjo); Gabriel McArdle's splendid "Flora"; Frank Harte (the man!) singing "The Jolly Young Ploughboy" and "The Charladies' Ball". But on the wee collection I put together for her, the stand-out track was Delia Murphy's "The Bantry Girls' Lament" - pure magic, complete with Arthur Darley's spartan guitar playing.

But there's such a lot of good stuff out there. Musgrave is a good example of the Matty Groves-type ballad, though, I'll give you that. (It doesn't push my buttons though in the same way that "The Good Ship Kangaroo" or "True Love Knows No Season" or "Arthur McBride" do. And I definitely think that Planxty's crowning glory, songwise, was "The Green Fields Of America".)

[gilgamesh]

I still rate the Nic Jones version of "Little Musgrave" as the best I've heard. Pity that only "Penguin Eggs" made it from vinyl to CD, but that's one of my "must have" albums.

[Martin Jonas]

I still rate the Nic Jones version of "Little Musgrave" as the best I've heard. Pity that only "Penguin Eggs" made it from vinyl to CD, but that's one of my "must have" albums.
Not true anymore. "Nic Jones" and "Ballads and Songs" have recently been re-released on CD, the latter has his version of Little Musgrave. They can be ordered from here. (http://www.musikfolk.co.uk/cat-j.html)

In addition, Nic himself has released two collections of private tapes (radio, demo and live) on CD, "In Search Of" and "Unearthed" (2CD), so that there is now a total of six CDs of his music officially available.

Martin
(Not sure if Nic ever played mandolin on record, but wouldn't be surprised if he had.)

[gilgamesh]

You've just made my day.

Thanks.

Now I know what to tell the Monsters to get me for my birthday.

[Aidan Crossey]

I was listening to the radio the other night and (unexpectedly) heard Ralph Stanley's version of Mattie Groves. And I was blown away. Played Planxty's version of Little Musgrave afterwards. Great contrast in the styles and each perfect in their own way. The way these old English/Irish/Scottish songs have retained currency in the American folk tradition is testament to their ability to appeal to anyone with a heart and soul!

[Strathspey]

Tim O'Brien sings another variant on "Songs From the Mountain" called "Fair Margaret and Sweet William." I love that first line from the Planxty version though: "It came upon a holy day, as many in the year, Musgrave to the church di go to see fine ladies there" - reminds me of Sunday night mass @ the StFX Chapel! a.k.a. "Mass for Show-offs."

Another song that strikes me in the same way is Tony Cuffe's "When First I Went to Caledonia" - it's beautifully done and resonates with some parts of my life. It worth a listen - Tony Cuffe, wow, I love everything that he did, and he is missed.

Matt