“Danny Boy” Outlawed This St. Patrick’s Day
Posted: Wednesday, March 05, 2008
by Stephany Springer
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
But come you back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'tis I'll be there in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.
And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.
And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me
I simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
March, St. Patrick's Day and the song "Danny Boy" are synonymous. You can't have one without the other. Or can you?
Well, one New York pub has banned "Danny Boy" for the entire month of March. The pub feels the song is too depressing to be sung in its pub this holiday season.
"It's overplayed, it's been ranked among the 25 most depressing songs of all time, and it's more appropriate for a funeral than for a St. Patrick's Day celebration," Shaun Clancy, who owns Foley's Pub and Restaurant, just off Fifth Avenue opposite the Empire State Building, told Fox News.
The 38-year-old, who started bartending when he was 12 at his father's pub in County Cavan, promises a guest free Guinness if he or she sings any other traditional Irish song at the pub's March 11 pre-St. Patrick's Day karaoke party. On other nights, guests will be rewarded with a surprise, Fox News reports.
The author of "Danny Boy" was an English lawyer, Frederic Edward Weatherly (1848-1929), who was also a songwriter and radio entertainer. In 1910 he wrote the words and music for an unsuccessful song he called Danny Boy. It is said that Weatherly never even set foot in Ireland. Weatherly's sister-in-law had sent him the music to an old Irish song called "The Derry Air" and the new version became a huge hit when opera singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink recorded it in 1915.
Not many pubs are taking the same stance as Foley's. In fact, one pub in Detroit is offering the opposite promising 1,000 renditions of the song over St. Patrick's Day weekend.
Who knew one song could stir so much emotion on both sides of the argument? To me this is the song that every one knows the first line and never really knows the lyrics. I find it funny that it is still causing so much emotion. Before today, I have to admit, I never knew the writer was not Irish. That completely blows me away. But banning it on the Irish holiday is a little extreme. It is a staple and very much a part of the St. Patrick tradition. St. Patrick's Day without "Danny Boy", a new era indeed.
This Article has been viewed 484 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)One of the most beautiful songs ever sung. I can honestly say, when done right, this is a tune that moves me to tears, nothing to do with the words,( I never read them till now) but the power of music. MichaelMichael-Couldn't agree more! Thanks for commenting!
I love this song and sing it often. I agree the music alone is moving, and the words are very tender. In fact, I've sung it to my children as a lullaby when they were babies. And the other day I sang it to my grandson! It seems ironic indeed that it was written by an Englishman, a fact I did not know. It seems odd indeed that an Irish pub, even in the US, would ban it in March. There's always one ... LOLThanks Hannah for sharing your take and commening! I am truly appreciative!
Stephany, it talks about "heart" and values and where and how far this society has come. I'm not even Irish and I agree that is a warm song with touching sentiments for many to consider in varied ways. Best wishes rtmWonderful point Robert! Thanks for commenting!
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.