Carlton Showband - ST

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Muirsheen Durkin
	2	The Johnny Thompson Song
	3	Bridget Theresa O'Reilly O'Toole
	4	Black & Tan Gun
	5	Killgarry Mountain

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	McAlpine's Fusiliers
	2	Forty Shades of Green
	3	Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
	4	The Grand Old River Moy
	5	Don't Dilly Dally On The Way

Photos

Videos

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Information/Write-up

THE CARLTON SHOW BAND

The Carlton Show Band got together about two years ago because, to quote leader Chris O’Toole, “the Canadian people had the idea the only instrument an Irishman could play was a fiddle and the only music was a jig or a reel”. What a surprise when the Show Band steps out on stage and belts out an I.R.A. marching song, or slowly and with feeling sings an Irish ballad about the battles between the Irish and the English.

The Carlton Show Band . . .
The swinging Irish group that in such a short time has gained such a following all over the continent — in Toronto, New York, Cleveland, Ottawa, you name it. This fall to be featured on the CTV network, in a new show called “The Pig n’ Whistle” with an English pub setting.

Muirsheen Durkin. Vocal by Sean McManus. A traditional Irish folk song telling of an Irish lad who from his disadvantage point in Ireland hears of the gold-lined streets of America and is off to make his fortune. This is a farewell to his lass, Muirsheen Durkin.

The Johnny Thompson Song. Vocal by Mike Feeney. Johnny Thompson, goalie for the Glasgow Celtic football team back in the early thirties, was killed while making a spectacular save against the Glasgow Rangers, arch rivals of the Celtics.

Bridget Theresa O’Reilly O’Toole. Vocal by Mitch McCoy. A Protestant lad meets, falls in love with, and eventually marries a Catholic girl. Shenkell Road is the Protestant section of Belfast. Falls Road is the Catholic section. Ardoyne (the Catholic section) is where the couple move to, and as is the custom in houses in the Protestant section, “up on the wall there’s a picture of King Billy crossin’ the Boyne”.

Black and Tan Gun. Vocal by Sean McManus. The story of an Irish boy shot down in battle against the Black and Tans. His last wish is to be buried overlooking the battle scene, the inscription on his cross, “Here lies a true Irish soldier who was shot by a Black and Tan gun”.

Killgarry Mountain. Vocal by Fred White. An Irish lad gets into trouble over his “darlin’ sportin’ Jennie”. Also known as “Whiskey in the Jar”.

McAlpine’s Fusiliers. Vocal by Christy McLaughlin, Fred White, Mitch McCoy. McAlpine is the world famous English contractor. This song is the story of his fusiliers, or workers, and their beefs. It is sung in the traditional English slang of the fusiliers, with words like “crack” (fun), “supping their pints” (drinking their beer), “navvy” (labourer) and “sub” (advance pay).

Forty Shades of Green. Vocal by Sean McManus. Written by Johnny Cash, this ballad tells of a man longing to feel and smell and see the things he left behind in Ireland many years before.

Bonnie Wee Jeannie McColl. Vocal by Christy McLaughlin. Scottish traditional. A bonnie wee lass by the name of Jeannie McColl meets her beau at a wedding at the Co-op Hall and eventually gets married herself.

The Grand Old River Moy. Vocal by Mike Feeney. An Irishman, who left Ireland years ago, muses about the things that happened to him around the River Moy in County Mayo.

Don’t Dilly Dally on the Way. Follow the Van. Vocal by Fred White. Old English fun song about a guy who did a moonlight flit because he couldn’t pay the rent. After packing the van there was no room for him, so he had to “follow the van” and got lost in the process.

Musicians
Chris O’Toole: leader, drums, spoons
Michael Feeney: tenor vocals
Seamus Grew: saxophone, transaccord
Edwin McCoy: vocals, rhythm guitar
Christy McLaughlin: vocals, accordion, harmonica
Sean McManus: lead guitar, vocals, banjo
John Patterson: tenor vocals, rhythm guitar, trombone
Fred White: bass, banjo

Production
Produced by Pete Houston and George Semkiw
Engineered by Pete Houston

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