Do you know of any Celtic tunes that would fit in well on a Halloween or Samhain special? I'm thinking along the lines of ghost stories, songs about besting the Devil, songs about spirits, witches, banshees and such. For example, songs I already plan for the play list include:
Uncle Mickey's Ghost Brigid's Cross Chase The Ghost The Indulgers Some Say The Devil Is Dead Mossy Moran Banshee Cry The Elders The Haunting Clandestine Hills of the West Rathkeltair Johnny At The Door Brobdingnagian Bards She Moved Through The Fair (artist to be determined) Never Drink 'Em Dry (Johnny Tarr's Funeral) Gaelic Storm Devils Dream The Sheridan Band Ayrshire Lasses/ Dance of the Dead Alison Kinnaird
A few of these are instrumentals that just have a nice "haunted" feel and an appropriate title.
If you can think of some more, please email me at [email protected]! Thanks!
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Even the mighty oak is just a nut that held it's ground.
Stone Ring's new Cd has a song called Samhain. Here's there website, Good friends and great musicians. http://www.thestonering.com/
Manheim Steamroller has some halloween CDs that aren't too bad.
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Thanks for the suggestions! Have been in touch with Stone Ring and they will be added to the show! Still working on Blackmore's Night.
Trying to get a version of "Tam Lin..." unfortunately, the three versions I am familiar with are all by bands who seem to be hard to get a hold of at the moment... Tempest, Fairport Convention, and Steeleye Span... any other versions out there I should be looking into?
Hi Wendy...haven't had a chance to welcome you yet. Look forward to listening to your podcast when I find I have time to breathe again.
A couple Samhain suggestions...that's a tough one...
Always thought Men of Erin by the Elders might fit into such a category....and then there's Danu's Farewell, Farewell (The Road Less Travelled) that would work considering the season change and such....
oh...one more halloween tune....try Enya's Deireadh An Tuath...it's on the Celt's album
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QUOTE (itsmewendylee @ 14-Oct-2006, 06:48 AM)
Thanks for the suggestions! Have been in touch with Stone Ring and they will be added to the show! Still working on Blackmore's Night.
Trying to get a version of "Tam Lin..." unfortunately, the three versions I am familiar with are all by bands who seem to be hard to get a hold of at the moment... Tempest, Fairport Convention, and Steeleye Span... any other versions out there I should be looking into?
W
There's a nice version of Tam Lin played on here that's from the Melbourne Scottish Fiddle Club. Not sure how easy or hard they might be to get in touch with. Sounds like you're working up a really nice collection though
Lorenna McKennitt's "All Soul's Night" might be a good addition as well.
And perhaps "Under the Gripping Beast/Into the Fire" from Michael Kelly's Fields of the North CD.
Oh, wait -- I have to think of the title of that instrumental The Chieftains did years ago -- it's a terrific, haunted-sounding arrangement with a digeridoo in it -- I think it's "The Strayaway Child." Maybe it's just the title, but you can really get the feeling of a lost child alone in the woods at night, or the ghost of one, or a changeling who can't go home again.
Here is a link with some more information, and also the actual sheet music for the tune! It is a creepish thing, played slower than a normal jig tempo.
We're reaching back, but the four-record set of Best of Buffy Saint-Marie volumes 1 and 2 have a few beauties: there are two fantastic vampire songs (one of them is a version of "Reynardine," and the other is her own original song), and she does a remarkable job on the old Welsh song "Lyke Wake Dirge". And if you can find it, the Joan Baez album entitled "Baptism -- A Journey Through Our Time" has a great song called "The Magic Wood", about a child's encounter with Old Nick in the forest (he gets away). The poem was by Henry Treece; Peter Schickele did the music for that album. It's marvellous stuff.
The wood is full of shining eyes, The wood is full of creeping feet, The wood is full of tiny cries: You must not go to the wood at night!
Scroll down to find it. You could even get someone to do a dramatic reading of it with improvised flute or fiddle and some strange, dry percussion behind it.
Loreena McKennitt also has a song called "Samain Night" on Parallel Dreams and one called "Stolen Child" on Elemental that seem to fit the theme. Actually, "Standing Stones" on Parallel Dreams and "The Lady of Shalott" on The Visit also seem like they'd fit, with their themes of ghosts and curses, respectively.
You might also check out McKennitt's The Mask & The Mirror CD. Almost all the songs on it have a mood that sounds rather like what you're looking for. "Bonny Swans" is about a woman whose sister pushed her into a stream to drown whose body gets made into a harp. "The Two Trees" also would probably fit quite well with your theme. Several others on the CD ("The Mystic's Dream," "Marrakesh Night Market," "Full Circle") have just always sounded rather witchy/magical to me.
"Allison Cross" by Malinky might also fit your theme.
Wow, so many great suggestions! I have been trying desperately to get a hold of management for Loreena McKennitt with no luck yet... but I haven't given up.
Unfortunately, the Chieftains (whom I love) are with a major label, so garnering permission to play their stuff royalty free will be next to impossible. Doesn't mean I won't write them, though.
I am unfamiliar with Michael Kelly, the Bringers, and Malinky, so I look forward to looking all of those up!
This is my favorite part of doing the show- seriously- meeting new people and discovering new artists! (Even if they are only new to me!)
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QUOTE (itsmewendylee @ 15-Oct-2006, 05:55 PM)
Wow, so many great suggestions! I have been trying desperately to get a hold of management for Loreena McKennitt with no luck yet... but I haven't given up.
Perish the thought! Trouble getting in touch with Quinlan Road? Granted much of the time when I've called there I've gotten an agent, there was one time I got lucky and got Loreena Herself. Can't get much higher up in management there than that. And it can't be that big of a place if top management has time to answer the 800 numbers And even the other folks there should be able to help point you in the right direction
Oh, Mikel, I am sorry I didn'lt see this post until it was too late to put in this year's show! (Pout ) But I will email you, as I am a fan of the band and would love to talk with you about getting more of the band's music on the show- I did feature Arminta and Blaq Lily once before, but need to do so again!
In the meantime, the Halloween show is up and running. I know Paul is going to put it in the broadcast schedule here, but you can also hear it by going to my website Cleveland Celtic Podcast, or search it up on iTunes. I ended up more than enough music, thanks so many suggestions from listeners. I should be able to do another next year- maybe even two if I keep collecting songs and permissions between now and then!
Oiche Samhain everyone.
Wendy
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