Tommy Makem has said "Farewell to Carlingford" for the last time. Keady's most famous son is a sad loss.
very sad news.
Always to be remembered for this (written as long ago as 1967):
What did I have, said the fine old woman
What did I have, this proud old woman did say
I had four green fields, each one was a jewel
But strangers came and tried to take them from me
I had fine strong sons, who fought to save my jewels
They fought and they died, and that was my grief said she
Long time ago, said the fine old woman
Long time ago, this proud old woman did say
There was war and death, plundering and pillage
My children starved, by mountain, valley and sea
And their wailing cries, they shook the very heavens
My four green fields ran red with their blood, said she
What have I now, said the fine old woman
What have I now, this proud old woman did say
I have four green fields, one of them's in bondage
In stranger's hands, that tried to take it from me
But my sons had sons, as brave as were their fathers
My fourth green field will bloom once again said she
RIP
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilis, one of the greats has gone. RIP.
Sorry to hear that. His version of Four Green Fieldswas pretty much the definitive but my favourite will always be 'The Cobbler'
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=w8SETO8nrL8
Very sad to hear about Tommy. Among his many talents, he was a very funny man and a fine writer of comic songs. I couldn't find a clip of Tommy himself singing this one, so this poor effort will have to do (The Town of Ballybay):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc_rb37MNeQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc_rb37MNeQ)
Farewell to the bard of Armagh, Keadys most famous son.
RIP.
RIP. Sad news. He was an absolute gentleman and great craic.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MDoJL1gO2WI (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MDoJL1gO2WI)
Agree with all that has been said. Tommy was one of the greats and a real gentleman. I know it sounds clichéd, but he really was a gent, told it how it was. He had a great stage presence and one which will be badly missed.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mOWYhVbJZQg
Not one of his own, but great rendition all the same.
Shocking news. Tommy was one of my all-time heroes, by a long way the best folk/ballad singer that I ever saw and always happy to have a natter or stop for a photograph.
RIP
This clip might be appropriate
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9J9518zSqWk
And sad that he had such a long drawn out sickness.
His mother, Sarah had a brilliant voice, her versions of ballads are some of my favourites.
He is a sad loss. Four Green Fields is the finest rebel song ever written. It is so understated and contains none of the bile that the 'bar stool republicans' sing in this day and age.
Gentle Annie was my favourite songs of all the ones he did.
Indeed, Great Leap Forward. I experienced Tommy's attitude to barstool republicans in person once. It was in New York, in the seventies. Tommy was playing in a bar/club (I think it was Kenny's Castaways on Bleecker St., but I don't remember for sure). As he was tuning between songs, an ould wan (with an American accent) shouted "sing Rifles of the IRA".
"I will not, Mam", Tommy replied. "It's very easy to sit here, 3,000 miles away and sing about the IRA".
Truly sad news. Will he be buried in Keady?
I didnt know the man but know some people who did and they all had good things to say about him.
I love 'four green fields' it is a lovely song rich in meaning and depth and I have sung it since childhood.
RIP Tommy.
Somebody's put a cracking compilation video on http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=G8t5O_Blxyw
Not one of his own, but I always enjoyed this:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mOWYhVbJZQg
He was a great singer.
One of the first albums I ever remember listening to was a Clancy brothers and Tommy Makem live album
The CNN obit (http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/02/obit.makem.ap/index.html)
"He brought audiences to tears with "Four Green Fields," about a woman whose sons died trying to prevent strangers from taking her fields."
Yep, thats what it was about.
very sad to hear that, one of the all time great folk singers imo. wonder will his final resting place be armagh or will he be buried stateside where he lived for so long. RIP Tommy
RIP Tommy - a great man who despite his success didn't forget his roots. magickingdom, I would say that as his late wife Mary is buried in Dover, NH he too will be laid to rest there.
A great peice by An Spailpin
http://spailpin.blogspot.com/ (http://spailpin.blogspot.com/)
Tommy Makem is to be buried in Dover, New Hampshire, next Thursday, August 9th.
Sad loss. A musician, scholar and storyteller, he always provided fascinating insights into songs, reminding us for example that "The Streets of Laredo", probably the most famous cowboy song of all time, was the same tune as "The Bard of Armagh", where the poor old harper with his auld withered hands was changed into a gunsligher in the wild west. He was equally at home singing his own composition "The Four Green fields" and the Auld Orange Flute, which he considered one of the greatest Irish folk songs. He understood the music of the land at a deeper level. We won't see the likes of him again. May he rest in peace.
I don't think there is any doubt that Tommy's Legacy will live on. It is fair to say that they opened the door which allowed Irish folk artists to take their acts to a bigger audience.
It says it all when someone like Bob Dylan counts you as a friend and an influence.