Sad news from Joanie Madden

[jim stone]

Yes, another wiki piece says the Clancy Bros and Tommy Makem
sang a lot of songs about the 'troubles,' which in Ireland
were sung sadly, with gusto and enthusiasm. Thereby
breathing new life into the music (though this was sometimes
denounced as 'commercialization.')

Death comes to us all, but a life spent in music calls
for celebration. Thanks Tommy, thanks to you all.

[PJ]

Sad news. I was flicking through clips on YouTube two days ago and by chance found an old version of him singing the Cobbler. Looked like it was from late 60s or early 70s. It's the song I mostly associate with him, although he had many more. I saw him in concert a few times in Cork in the 1980s.

He was on the Late Late Show one time and told a very funny story about flying from Ireland to the US. Midway through the flight there was a loud bang, The crew didn't know what happened and, fearing that part of the plane had come away during the flight, were considering making an emergency landing until Tommy opened the overhead bin and solved the mystery. He removed the ruined remains of his bodhran. It seems the air was so dry in the plane that the skin of the bodhran got very tight and eventually ruptured with a noise like a gunshot. To avoid any future occurrence, Tommy's advice to all travelling bodhran players was to throw a damp cloth into the case to make sure it doesn't dry out too much.

RIP

[jim stone]

Two Irishmen are digging a ditch in front of a brothel.
A Protestant minister comes to the door, knocks, and is
ushered inside.

Did you see that Clancy?

Aye, Paddy. The Protestant ministers are going to the dogs.

Later a Jewish rabbi knocks on the door and is ushered inside.

Did you see that Clancy?

Aye, Paddy. The Jewish rabbis are going to the dogs.

Finally a Catholic priest knocks on the door of the brothel
and is ushered inside.

Did you see that Clancy?

Aye Paddy. Someone must be terribly sick in there!

.............................................................................

Reggy and Chancy are at the club.

I've always wanted to catch a Zambezee snake, Chancy says.
How do you recognize it?

It's long and orange and it's covered with black stripes. Reggy answers.
You spot it in the bush, sneak up on it quietly, grasp it
by the tail and run your other hand up it rapidly,
so as to paralyze it.

So Chancy goes off to catch a Zambezee snake
and goes missing. Gone for ten years. Finally
one day he is wheeled into the club, covered in bandages,
much the worse for wear.

My God old man, what happened? Reggy asks.

You remember I went off to catch the Zambezee
snake?

Yes.

I came upon it in the bush. It was long and orange and
covered with black stripes.

Yes?

I crept up on it quietly, grasped it by the tail...

Yes?

Ran my other hand up it rapidly to paralyze it...

Yes?

AND FOUND MYSELF ELBOW DEEP IN THE ASSHOLE OF A TIGER!

from the Clancy Bros and Tommy M, circa 1957.

[Mack.Hoover]

Sad for sure a legend to depart
Yet the legend lives still in mind and heart.
Recorded for our ears, emulated by his boys
He goes right on emanating joys!

That's the way he would want it.

I sure appreciate how he played the five string banjo!

[celtic_lass]

Oh wow, so sorry to hear that. He will be greatly missed. Thanks for the news Joanie.

[Colin]

Hello Fellow Whistlers...
I just wanted to pass along the news that the legendary singer and song writer, Tommy Makem passed away this evening after a long battle with cancer.
As many of you can attest, he was an icon in many ways and also one of us as he too loved to play the whistle.
Joanie Madden

Sad. Hearing him back in the late 60's persuaded me to take up the
5-string banjo and whistle.

C.

[burnsbyrne]

I wondered about it when it was announced at the Cleveland Irish Heritage Festival last month that Tommy wouldn't be attending because of illness. My wife and I enjoyed an hour-long set he did at last year's festival. It's a good memory to go out with. I also listened to my father's Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem records. Coincidentally I just bought a CD of songs they recorded in the early 60s. I bought the CD because it included the song "Moses Ritoora Lioora Lyay". As an 11 year old in 1962 I found that song really hilarious. It's about a Jewish merchant who opens a shop in Ireland during the period when the English had outlawed any and all use of Gaelige. So Moses writes the name of his shop on a sign in Hebrew. The joke is that a peeler hauls him in to the station because he can't tell Gaelige from Hebrew. It's funnier when the CBs and TM sing it.

It's one of those transitions of life. Thankfully he left many recordings behind for us to enjoy.

Mike

[Anita's Dad]

I'm really glad that my daughter got to hear Tommy (and his son) perform at the Chicago Gaelic Park fest a couple of years ago (has it been that long already?) I tried to explain to Anita how important he was to the revival of ITM.

After his set, he was unfailingly gracious to everyone who stopped by to chat, even though I suspect it was exhausting for him. When I introduced him to Anita, he was charming, warm and jovial. I told her that, some day, she would be telling her grandkids about meeting him.

And today, I'm certain that she will.

(It's) Another Day (to Live and Die)
(Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott, Universal Music Corp/Howdy Skies Music/Famous Music/Sheddie Songs/ASCAP)
(As performed by Karan Casey)

This world is made with sweat and toil, pushing muscle and elbow oil
We can't lie too long in the shade, cause every day must be remade
Some days you fall some days you fly, but in the end we all must die
Our rotting flesh and broken bone will feed the ground that we call home

But a new sprout grows from a fallen tree, my songs will go on after me
So lift your heart and dry your eye, it's another day to live and die
...

So go on now, don't you worry 'bout me, you've miles to go and a world to see
My life's been long and full and good, I've run this race the best I could
It's a short time here and long apart,
But the same song rings in both our hearts
So take my guitar when I'm gone, write your own rhymes, then pass it on
Just write your rhymes and pass 'em on.

Let a new sprout grow from a fallen tree, this song will go on after me
So lift your heart and dry your eye, it's another day to live and die
It's another day to live and die, just another day

[BoneQuint]

A nice story from four years back:

<img align=left src="http://images.seacoastonline.com/apps/p ... o=70802002">

Tommy Makem finds peace in the power of his music

Tommy Makem, loved by millions and regarded by many as the "godfather" of Irish music, is a world-class, globe-hopping ambassador for all that is lasting and beautiful about the cultural heritage of his homeland. Known in dozens of countries as a latter day "Bard of Armagh," Makem brings to each well-attended performance his banjo, his tin whistle, a magnificent baritone voice and an enormously poetic temperament that has the power to mesmerize his audiences. He is also an inherently funny man -- a natural entertainer -- with a wide-ranging intellect and an impressive command of Irish cultural history.

more...

[pipersgrip]

i will pray for him and his family.

[peeplj]

Very sad news.

--James

[Piobairi Uilleann Inis Fa]

Very sad news indeed. I grew up listening to his and the clancy Brother's music. My dad really liked the fighten music while my mother liked the tunes and ballads. On sundays around New York you could hear him regulalry requested on Fordam's WFUV station, and still do today. I also think that many people did not realize that Tommy wrote many of the popular tunes that he played, and just presumed that they were old traditional ballads, i.e. "Four green Fields".

Nice obituary for Tommy in the New York Times Today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/03/arts/ ... ref=slogin

May he be in heaven a half hour before the divil knows he is dead....

Neil

[Mitch]

When someone of Tommy's stature passes, the wind of remembrance revives his soul. Many thanks PJ for the pointer to "The Cobbler" - one of my all time favourites - it takes me back and reminds me why I love this music so much.

Thanks Joanie - there'll be some songs at the session tomorrow.

[wvtinwhistler]

coincidentally... i just borrowed a tommy makem CD from the library. that's sad that as soon as i really started to love his music he died. may he rest in peace... and hopefully he'll find plenty of people to whistle with in Heaven.

[s1m0n]

On this video (I'll tell me ma) it's interesting to hear how much tonguing Makem's using in his whistle playing--it's a style you barely hear these days.