I’ve gone all-celtic for this special St. Patrick’s Day edition, which includes a lot of punk rock to boost your energy for those all-day & all-night college-town parties.
We’ll start off with "Shipping Up to Boston" by Boston’s own Dropkick Murphys. This tune was a big hit for them, and was used in a couple movie soundtracks. With very few words, it can be thought of as an instrumental and an anthem at the same time.
"If I Should Fall From Grace With God" (The Pogues) – This is the title track from their third album, produced by Steve Lillywhite in 1988. This was their best-selling album, topping off at #3 on the UK charts. It’s my favorite, too.
"Ward’s Favorite/The Morning Star," etc. (Celtic Fiddle Festival) – No, it’s not a fiddle camp; it’s not even a compilation: it’s a band! I’ve long been a fan of Kevin Burke… This was recorded live and you can hear the hootin’ and hollerin’ as the set builds.
"Dillon’s Fancy/Maids in the Meadow/Toss the Feathers" (Kevin Crawford) – Crawford is the frontman for Irish group Lúnasa, this was recorded a few years before that group’s inception.
"The Rare Ould Times" (Flogging Molly) – Here’s a number from Molly Malone’s darling house band. A song from the 1970s first recorded by the Dublin City Ramblers. Characteristically, Flogging Molly start this tune like a ballad and turn it into something quite different.
"The Rocky Road to Dublin" (The Tossers) – Chicago’s The Tossers provide an energetic angst to this Irish classic. The Tossers are great, as they’re technically classified as Celtic punk even though they only use traditional acoustic instrumentation.
"Billy’s Bones" (The Pogues) – From their second studio album, this is a Shane MacGowan romper. "And there’s mothers cryin’ all over this world…for their poor dead darling boys and girls."
"The Morning Dew" (Peatbog Faeries) – Okay, I admit, Peatbog Faeries are a Scottish band, but this is an Irish song, so there. It’s a great reel in E-minor. Martin Hayes also has a great version of it on The Lonesome Touch.
"The Irish Rover" (Dropkick Murphys) – Another Irish classic, the Murphys make it a little bit louder. I’m super surprises they didn’t record it until their seventh album!
"Swagger" (Flogging Molly) – Their instrumental hit featuring Bridget Regan’s fiddle, it’s a great selection for a St. Paddy’s mix.
"The Parting Glass" (The Pogues) – From their second album, this minor-key cover of a classic Irish ballad has a slightly disturbing twinge to it, almost like a mechanical dirge.
"Heroes From Our Past" (Dropkick Murhpys) – Time for a rocking working-class anthem with plenty of pipes!
"The Chorus Reel/Ashmolean House" (Jerry O’Sullivan) – Some reels on uilleann pipes with Seamus Eagan on banjo.
"The Dear Irish Boy" (Willie Clancy) – An air from one of the most famous uilleann pipers of the 20th century.
"Shane Bradley" (The Pogues) – A beautiful instrumental composed by Shane MacGowan, this tune appears on If I Should Fall from Grace with God.
We’ll close with a pretty rockin’ version "Amazing Grace" by DKM…
Sláinte!
P.S. Don’t drive drunk.