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Sleeve Notes
KATE LUCY was born in London, but being half-Irish she moved to Ireland at the age of two, and has lived most of her life there. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where she read languages, she became involved in the activities of the Trinity Players where she sang and played the guitar and gained her first acting experience.
After graduating from Trinity, she remained in Dublin to take part in John Molloy's 'Tete at Eight' at the Gate Theatre and came to London a year later. She sang for a few months in "The Witches Cauldron" where she met Roy Guest. After singing a series of her own songs in Basil Boothroyd's BBC programme "Monday night at Home" and appearing on television in "Tonight", she went back to Ireland where she appeared on 'Broadsheet' transmitted by Radio Eireann, singing her own songs.
COLIN WILKIE and SHIRLEY HART are something of an institution in the folk clubs of Great Britain, and over the years have acquired both a large reputation, and a large following of admirers. They have the rare gift of being able to send an audience into gales of laughter one moment and move them to tears the next. Always entertaining they nevertheless have a deep respect for the traditions of their music, and this is apparent in their performances.
Some time ago an urge to travel sent them rambling over the continent of Europe. Arriving in France with £5 they were still there eight months later, sunning on the Riviera and singing in the streets for a living. Their wandering life caught the attention of the continental press, who nicknamed them “Les Troubadours" and subsequently they appeared in clubs, cabarets and TV and are now as much at home in Paris, Bruxelles or Amsterdam as they are in London. Dundee, or Birmingham.
With Colin and Shirley on this record is multi-instrumentalist John Pearse, although proficient on 15 instruments he only plays 5 here — guitar, mandolin, Appalachian dulcimer, auto-harp and dulcittern (an instrument which he himself designed and had made for him by John Bailey). Probably the best folk instrumentalist in the country, his accompaniments are a model of good taste and unobtrusiveness. John never indulges in flashy instrumental pyrotechnics and so to the unwary ear the sounds which he and Colin (on guitar, banjo and mouth-harp) produce are often deceptively simple.
Ireland Boys Hurrah — Though far away in another country the Irishman's love is still for his homeland.
Colin Wilkie: Vocal & Guitar
Shirley Hart: Vocal
John Pearse: Dulcittern
Barry Johns: Bass
If I Was a Blackbird — The majority of Irish folk songs sung by the womenfolk are sad and desolate laments over their menfolk who have gone away. This beautiful little song tells of the girl who wishes she were a blackbird and could follow her sailor boyfriend away to sea.
Kate Lucy: Vocal & Guitar
Rosin The Beau — A fine old boozy song, and a grand tune which has been used for several other songs.
Colin Wilkie: Vocal & Guitar
Shirley Hart: Vocal
John Pearse: Autoharp
Barry Johns: Bass
I Was Walking in The Dew — is the story of life from its early morning to its closing days and final sunset. Kate sings this song as only an Irish folk singer can.
Kate Lucy: Vocal & Guitar
The Blarney Stone — A national institution which according to the chorus is to be found all over the Emerald Isle; however, the girl in the song is more definite in her directions "the only Blarney Stone I know is underneath me nose".
Colin Wilkie: Vocal & Guitar
Shirley Hart: Vocal
John Pearse: Mandolin
The Green Bushes — This time it is the turn of the man to be left behind while his fickle girlfriend finds a new love under cover of the Green Bushes.
Kate Lucy: Vocal & Guitar
She Moved Through the Fair — Perhaps the most beautiful of Irish love songs, sung equally beautifully by Shirley. The eastern sounding accompaniment played by John on his guitar sets off the quality and mood of the singing.
Shirley Hart: Vocal
John Pearse: Guitar
Shule Aroun — Last time it was the sea that came between the girl and her lover, this time it is the army. She is certainly very upset and one can only hope that someone else will come along to take his place.
Kate Lucy: Vocal & Guitar
Slieve Gallion Braes — Another exile's song, but much sadder than 'Ireland Boys Hurrah'. Here words tell of the cruel circumstances which cause the good sons of old Ireland to roam.
Shirley Hart: Vocal
Dick Darby — A warning to nagging wives sung with great relish and obvious delight. The chorus is imitative of the travelling cobbler at work.
Colin Wilkie: Vocal & Guitar
Shirley Hart: Vocal
John Pearse: Guitar
Barry Johns: Bass
I Know My' Love — Rather a cross little song by the girl whose boyfriend is very free with his favours. As she says in the song 'Do you think now that pleases me'. In case you are wondering, the answer is NO!
Kate Lucy: Vocal & Guitar
Singing Bird — Shirley sings the verses of this beautiful song, while Colin plays both 5-string banjo and mouth-harp. The Appalachian dulcimer played by John Pearse underlines the tenderness of the words and blends superbly with the other instruments.
Colin Wilkie: Vocal, 5-String Banjo & Mouth-Harp
Shirley Hart: Vocal
John Pearse: Appalachian Dulcimer
I Know Where I'm Going — One of the best loved of all Irish folk songs. A touching story of a girl's devotion to her true love, a lucky lad by the name of Johnny.
Kate Lucy: Vocal & Guitar
The Pratees Then' Are Small — To anyone who knows anything of Irish history and the grim and terrible days of the potato famine in the mid-nineteenth century, this is a really spine chilling song. It is sung here by Kate Lucy with eloquent simplicity and tells of peoples sufferings more clearly than any volume of history.
Kate Lucy: Vocal & Guitar
Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye — One of the most powerful of anti-war songs, sung here with great conviction by Shirley and Colin. The story of the mutilated soldier returning home is also to be found in 'Mrs. McGrath' and 'Wars of America'.
Colin Wilkie: Vocal & Guitar
Shirley Hart: Vocal
John Pearse: Guitar
The Spinning Wheel — Everyone knows this delightful song. The accompaniment is a most important part of the song and Kate here uses her own very effective arrangement on the guitar.
Kate Lucy: Vocal & Guitar