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A comprehensive collection of Irish folk ballads performed by Ireland's greatest folk group.
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Sleeve Notes
Vintage, aged in-the-cask Dubliners blend, at its finest. An album which manages to bring together the patriotic, the traditional and the instrumental in a happy mix, celebrating the Irish people and character.
Popular legend has it that the Ronnie Drew folk group were re-named after James Joyce's book 'Dubliners' sometime in the early 60's. A further passing tribute is paid to Joyce in Ronnie Drew's 'Humpty Dumpty'.
As instrumentalists they combine the traditional with ragtime, while their ballads range from folk to sea-shanty. Definitely a drop of the pure Dubliners — do not add water.
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Sleeve Notes
This album sees the Dubliners adding more contemporary arrangements to their style, and shows an infallible ear for some of the best newly composed songs of the time.
The Revolution opens with a protest song from the U.S. "Alabama '58". Especially worthwhile tracks include Luke Kelly's version of the Ewan McColl classic "School Days Over" (Ewan was an early friend and mentor of Luke's). Watch out too for Luke's "Joe Hill" surely the greatest union song of all time.
In contrast, the gravely voice of Ronnie Drew suits perfectly the tale of "Biddy Mulligan" — a Dublin Lady of some renown. Other memorable titles include the contemporary "Button Pusher", "The Battle of the Somme" from the first world war era, and Spanish civil war ballad "Peat Bog Soldiers".
Something for everyone in the Dubliners Revolution.
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Sleeve Notes
"Together Again" — More of the great music and songs they've made their own. The Dubliners recorded this album originally in Dublin early in 1979, the producer was Pete St John.
It features no less than four songs from his talented pen including such Dubliners classics as "The Mero", "The Rare Oul Times", and "Hey Johnny McGory". Two of Ewan McColl's works "Song of the Iron Road" and "The Lag's Song" are given the Luke Kelly treatment. The unmistakable voice of Ronnie Drew finishes off, appropriately, with "The Parting Glass". "Together Again" presents a fine Dubliners' blend of contemporary, traditional and instrumental Irish music, at its best.
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Sleeve Notes
"Prodigal Sons"
An album that presents a slight departure from the Dubliners usual repertoire, with fine renditions from Ronnie Drew, "Banjo" Barney McKenna, and Connemara man Sean Cannon, a relative newcomer to the Dubliners who gives us his fine version of the "Newry Highwayman".
Other great songs come from the talented pens of Pete St John, "When Margaret Was Eleven" — a wistful anti war ballad from the war to end all wars. Eric Bogle, "Now I'm Easy" (The Cockey Farmer) — wild cockatoos were all that thrived in the remote outback of Australia, and Phil Colelough's "A Song For Ireland" — nothing whatever to do with the Eurovision Song Contest!
