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As Long As You’re Enjoying Yourself

By John Brennan And John McGillian

Search for John Brennan, John McGillian.

  1. Farewell To Ireland
    The Green Fields Of Antrim
    Castle Kelly
  2. The Cuckoo
    The Home Ruler
    Bath Road
  3. The Bank Of Ireland
    Willie Coleman’s
    The Connaughtman’s Rambles
  4. The Rolling Waves
  5. The Cliffs Of Moher
    Farewell To Erin
  6. The Morning Star
    Jennie’s Chickens
    Lady Anne Montgomery
  7. Come West Along The Road
    The Boys Of Malin
  8. A Fig For A Kiss
    The New York
    The Orphan
  9. The Nova Scotia
    Johnny Cronin’s
    The Hunter’s Purse
  10. Lament For Eugene Brennan
  11. The Lilting Banshee
    The Frieze Britches
  12. Sporting Paddy
    The Nine Points Of Roguery

Six comments

This recording features John McGillian on accordian, and John Brennan on guitar (also a wonderful fiddler, but just does guitar on this album). These two men are main staples in the Philadelphia Irish scene where they lead several sessions. Both incredible musicians, McGillian has roots in in Donegal and Tyrone, his parents home counties. Of specific note for Brennan, his guitar is tuned in DADEAE, a rather unusual tuning (from what I understand). Many of the tunes on this recording are fairly common in sessions, but they are played with great enthusiasm. Some interesting experimentation is done with a few tunes, especially “Come West Along the Road,” which is played at a much slower pace. Overall, a great CD!

My favorite bit of the whole album is the pictures of Mini-Me on the cover.

Cara

I love this CD! I meant to post it ages ago, but never did. Cara--what do you mean by pics of Mini-Me? Is that the dog?

Yeah, Mini-Me is the dog. I’m pretty sure it’s Brennan’s, but I could be wrong on that.

Track 3

I thought it was a little funny to have a reel followed by two jigs on Track 3. I dug out the CD and the first tune on Track 3 is called the Bank of Ireland in the listing, but in the notes it is identified as Bryan O’Lynn. Sure sounds like it to me.

https://thesession.org/tunes/830

Track 4

But wait. There’s more. Track 4 - the Rolling Waves is the Maguire’s Clan March, not the Humors of Trim Rolling Waves. But both tunes show a link to the CD. You’d think that there be enough names for tunes to come up with a new one for each tune. And we Irish are supposed to be well-supplied with imagination.