 |
 |
Sleeve Notes
"The traditional songs we sing now are the songs that were popular, that were pop songs, in their day. Same as the best pop songs of to-day will eventually become the folk songs of to-morrow."
— JOHNNY McEVOY
The sleeve notes. What to write? The usual L.P. tale of infallible artistry and unconditional praise? Should I dutifully repeat the McEvoy History? How Johhny, obscure, unhappy, unsuccessful, releases a record while he longs for his flight to America, the flight that could propel him to a fresh chance of success? How that record, that song called 'Muirsheen Durkin', becomes Ireland's biggest ever hit and how Johnny stays, stays to be come Ireland's most applauded singer?
I'm going to be corny by saying that John deserves his fantastic success. That whether he's singing in a little pub somewhere in Ireland or facing thousands in London's Albert Hall his talent shines through, like it shines in this album.
But perhaps I'm prejudiced. On reflection, I'm sure I am. Just slide out this black, flat plastic, twelve-inch circle and play it, enjoy it, appreciate it. You'll become prejudiced too.
In O'Connell Street, Dublin, there's a statue of Daniel O'Connell, and the story goes that he introduced the first Railway Engine into Ireland, and it ran from Dublin to Bray. The people of Ireland at the time didn't know what a steam engine was, and thought that it was a machine for manufacturing children, and they didn't like this: as they preferred the old way! This song tells that story.