Worst/best Celtic cheese

[izzarina]

They're magically delicious

[Feadan]

Phil Coulter wrote two of the finest songs ever to come out of Ireland,"The town that I love so well" and "Scorn not his simplicity".

Phil certainly does deserve credit for good song writing. I've not heard the second but heard The Town I loved So Well first by French guitarist extrordinaire Pierre Bensusan and later by Paddy Reilly. It always amazed me that he could have written something so wonderful yet recorded such schlock as the aforementioned elevator music! Go figure....


Cheers,
David

[Wormdiet]

"When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before."

"Too much of a good thing is usually better"

- Mae West

[aderyn_du]

"When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before."

"Too much of a good thing is usually better"

- Mae West

"A hard man is good to find."

- Mae West

[Cayden]

It always amazed me that he could have written something so wonderful yet recorded such schlock as the aforementioned elevator music! Go figure....


Cheers,
David

He's a pro and does all sorts of things, he also produced PLanxty's second but he's also responsible for some unbelievably welknown pop songs. A song like Congratulations (remember Cliff Richard?) as he said himself paid for the education of all his children, and that only the one of many he (co-)wrote.

[dubhlinn]

It always amazed me that he could have written something so wonderful yet recorded such schlock as the aforementioned elevator music! Go figure....


Cheers,
David

He's a pro and does all sorts of things, he also produced PLanxty's second but he's also responsible for some unbelievably welknown pop songs. A song like Congratulations (remember Cliff Richard?) as he said himself paid for the education of all his children, and that only the one of many he (co-)wrote.

And who could forget "Puppet on a string", another one that he co-wrote with Bill Martin. Recorded by Sandie Shaw, this typically inane piece of pop music won the Eurovision Song Contest for the English - I think they are Great Britain for Eurovision - back when I was a little laddie

Slan,
D.

[GaryKelly]

Ah Sandie Shaw, the barefoot temptress...



For the nostalgic: http://www.sandieshaw.com/

Besides, one man's cheese is another man's stilton and walnut paté.

[jbarter]

I can't believe that 'The Quiet Man' (movie, not the book) didn't get a mention. Sorry Dubh, I know you hate it but I just love that movie (but for all the wrong reasons). I know it's about as realistic as Errol Flynn's version of Robin Hood but reality is overrated anyway. I can never escape the feeling that most of the Abbey Players must have been thinking "I can't believe the yanks are paying us for this tosh".

I know it's cheesy but it's cheese with Whimsy Pickle.

[dubhlinn]

AAGGGHHHHH.

I can see how you would like it for all the "wrong " reasons all right.
As you say,handy money for the Players though

Slan,
D.

[buskerSean]

Glad to see this one stimulated some banter. Yes, the Coors are great trad musicians, but doesn't mean their pop songs aren't total garbage,nor that they aren't using and abusing Irish culture in a crass and cynical way in order to make $ for the music biz. Apparently the Spice Girls music is quite technical and hard to play, doesn't make it any good to my ear.

Braveheart, well it's a bugbear of mine, as now there is a massive statue in Scotland of Mel Gibson, with the legend 'FREEDOM!' underneath! puke, puke.

[Wombat]

Reflecting on Coulter and the amount of money one very successful pop song can generate, I'm often puzzled why more very talented musicians don't try.

I'm not saying I'm puzzled why people don't sell out. I'm not at all puzzled why someone would prefer to do a day job, play ITM for pleasure and maybe make 2 CDs in a lifetime. What I'm puzzled by is why people who would like to spend their life playing ITM or some other style of music we would value more than lightweight pop don't try to get a money spinner going that would pay for their family's daily needs and allow them to pursue their dream full time but without financial pressures. It only takes one big hit.

Yeah, I know it's hard to get songs noticed, that once on the treadmill it's hard to get off and that very good pop songs aren't easy to write. But one song or two songs that go all the way and you would be set to do what you like with your life without the baggage of celebrity that goes with being the actual performer. A few months trying without success isn't much in the context of a whole life. Obviously someone as good as Coulter at the craft is going to stay in demand, but a sensible person with clear priorities should be able to get the balance right. I read recently that Bobby Womack who wrote the Stones' early hit 'It's All Over Now' still gets royalties of $US120,000 annually just for that one song. I wish I'd written it. (I actually like it, especially Womack's own version with the Valentinos.)

[Wombat]

Getting back to the original question, there's Celtic schlock everywhere if you look hard enough. Andy (not M.) Stewart has to be down there with the worst. Anybody remember 'Donald Where's Ye' Troosers'?

[izzarina]

"When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before."

"Too much of a good thing is usually better"

- Mae West

so true, so true

[izzarina]

"When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before."

"Too much of a good thing is usually better"

- Mae West

"A hard man is good to find."

- Mae West

[aderyn_du]

"Too much of a good thing is usually better"

- Mae West

"A hard man is good to find."

- Mae West

What?! ::looks innocently around::