Sleeve Notes:
Side One
BETTER TIMES (T. Makem)
Warm thoughts of times past can soothe the woes of times
present and plant the seeds of hope for times yet to come.
LITTLE RED LARK from the poem by W. B. Yeats The Song Of
Wandering Aengus, (Arranged & Adapted by T. Makem)
William Butler Yeats' very haunting The Song Of Wandering
Aengus just had to be included in this record of love songs.
The melody in the background is a very old Gallic air called
The Little Red Lark.
KILLYBURN BRAE (Traditional, Arranged & Adapted by T. Makem)
Love is blind as some bright fellow once said, and maybe it is
just as well if some of the people involved were like the old
woman in this song. In many places both she and the song were
known as The Farmers' Curst Wife.
BONNY LOVE (Traditional, Arranged & Adapted by T. Makem)
Loveand a little perseverancewill find a way, if we're to
believe this very lovely old Scottish traditional song. It is
also known as 'The False Lover Won Back.
VENEZUELA (Pending)
When cupid goes hunting with his little bow and arrow, he
knows no boundaries. He can strike anyone at any time in any
place.
Side Two
VANCOUVER (T. Makem)
The beautiful city of Vancouver is an ideal setting for a love
song. I'm sure if Venus were looking for a home, she would
give strong consideration to Vancouver, B.C.
NEW YORK GIRLS Traditional, Arranged & Adapted by T. Makem)
There are all shapes and sizes, creeds and classes of lovely
girls in New York and the sailors, who from time immemorial
were good judges of both liquor and ladies, never tired of
singing about them.
LAGAN LOVE (Traditional, Arranged & Adapted by T. Makem)
One of the most beautiful of all Irish love songs and also one
of my favorite songs. I'm sure you'll agree that for both
melody and lyrics, it would be hard to beat.
LOLLY TOO DUM (Traditional, Arranged & Adapted by T. Makem)
Bard Music Inc./Five Sisters Music Inc. BMI
When a woman gets the notion of marrying into her-head, there
is no way of stopping her. You might as well be trying to pull
a cat by the tail, backways out of a stocking.
GOING HOME TO MARY (T. Makem)
When love has cast her spell on you, there is no escape. You
may travel to the ends of the earth, but still you'll find
you're drawn back by a very powerful force to where your heart
has found true happiness.
AS I ROVED OUT (Traditional, Arranged & Adapted by R. Durham)
One of the many versions of The Trooper And The Maid. The philosophy expressed
in the last verse seems to enjoy great favour with soldiers, sailors and indeed a
large percentage of the male civilian population as welland rightly so!
My brain was doing somersaults trying to come up with something at least
half original for the liner notes for this album of love songs. And while passing St.
Agnes' Church on East 43rd Street in New York City, there on the bulletin board I
discovered that St. Paul had already done the job for me and I would, hereby, like
to express my thanks to him. Anyway here is what I discovered on the bulletin
board. I hope you like it as much as I did:
Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous; love is 'never
boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense
and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins, but
delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope and
to endure whatever comes.
ST. PAUL
In short, there are three things that last—Faith, Hope and
Love and the greatest of these is Love.
TOMMY MAKEM
