Danny Boy: The Legend of the Beloved Irish Ballad - Softcover

McCourt, Malachy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0451208064 ISBN 13: 9780451208064

Publisher: New Amer Library, 2005

Synopsis

A history of the significance of the popular song "Danny Boy" discusses the origins of the melody, also known as "Londonderry Air," the words as written by Frederick Edward Weatherly, and various interpretations of the song since the early twentieth century. Reprint.

About this title

About the Author:

Malachy McCourt was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Limerick, Ireland. He was a pioneer in talk radio and went on to have an illustrious career on stage, screen, and television. He lives in New York City. McCourt is the bestselling author of A Monk Swimming and Singing My Him Song.

From Library Journal:

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching, and millions of Americans will be gathering to celebrate their Irish heritage. Most of them would have difficulty naming any Irish song beyond "Danny Boy" which is ironic considering that the songwriter was an Oxford-educated English barrister who never set foot outside his native country. In a rambling but entertaining narrative, actor McCourt (Singing My Him Song) explores not only the 1913 marriage of Frederick Weatherly's lyrics to the Derry Air but also the origins of the music, the continuing attraction of the song, and even the mystery of the narrator. Who is bidding farewell to Danny? Is it his father? His mother? Perhaps his homosexual lover? All are weighed and evaluated with the kind of attention devoted to sacred texts. The work concludes with a select discography, including performances by Papa John Creech, Bing Crosby, and Elvis Presley, among others. One person who could name any number of Irish songs is ethnomusicologist and acclaimed Irish singer Moloney (Ph.D., Univ. of Pennsylvania). Drawing on Irish and Irish American songs to illustrate the tale, Moloney surveys the experiences of Irish immigrants to 1900. His brief book includes song lyrics and specific song histories and is accompanied by an 18-song CD. Using music as a framework, Moloney explores why Irish Catholics and Protestants left the old country and their respective lives once they landed here. Concentrating primarily on Irish Catholics, Moloney's text focuses on Irish encounters with prejudice ("no Irish need apply") and the post-Civil War transition into the middle class. It is an oft-told tale but one that Moloney hopes will inform contemporary Irish Americans confronting a new generation of immigrants. McCourt's book is recommended for popular song collections in public libraries, while Moloney's should find a place in history and popular culture collections. Christopher Brennan, SUNY at Brockport Lib.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: New Amer Library
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0451208064
• ISBN 13: 9780451208064
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 118