Danny Boy
"Danny Boy" | |
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Song |
"Danny Boy" is a ballad written by English songwriter Frederic Weatherly and usually set to the Irish tune of the "Londonderry Air".[1] It is most closely associated with Irish communities.
History
Although initially written to a tune other than "Londonderry Air", the words to "Danny Boy" were penned by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in Bath, Somerset in 1910. After his sister-in-law in the United States sent him a copy of "Londonderry Air", in 1913, Weatherly modified the lyrics of "Danny Boy" to fit the rhyme and meter of "Londonderry Air".[2]
Weatherly gave the song to the vocalist Elsie Griffin, who made it one of the most popular songs in the new century; and, in 1915, Ernestine Schumann-Heink produced the first recording of "Danny Boy".
Jane Ross of Limavady is credited with collecting the melody of "Londonderry Air" in the mid-19th century from a musician she encountered.[3]
Lyrics
(There are a number of variations on these lyrics.)
Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flow'rs are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so.And if you come, and all the flowers are dying
If I am dead, as dead I well may be
I pray you'll find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me
And all my grave will warm and sweeter be
And then you'll kneel and whisper that you love me
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.
- or I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
- or And I shall rest in peace until you come to me.
- or Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so.[4]
Meaning
There are various theories as to the true meaning of "Danny Boy".[5] Some listeners have interpreted the song to be a message from a parent to a son going off to war or leaving as part of the Irish diaspora.
The 1918 version of the sheet music included alternative lyrics ("Eily Dear"), with the instructions that "when sung by a man, the words in italic should be used; the song then becomes "Eily Dear", so that "Danny Boy" is only to be sung by a lady". In spite of this, it is unclear whether this was Weatherly's intent.[6]
Usage
"Danny Boy" is considered to be an unofficial signature song and anthem, particularly by Irish Americans and Irish Canadians.[7]
The song is popular for funerals; but, as it is not liturgical, its suitability as a funeral song is sometimes contested.[8] In 1928, Weatherly himself suggested that the second verse would provide a fitting requiem for the actress Ellen Terry.
Recordings
"Danny Boy" has been recorded multiple times by a variety of artists. Several versions performed by notable artists are listed below in chronological order.
Year | Artist | Release | Notes and/or Peak Chart Position |
---|---|---|---|
1939 | Gracie Fields | Shipyard Sally soundtrack | |
1940 1955 |
Judy Garland | Little Nellie Kelly soundtrack Miss Showbusiness soundtrack |
|
1940 | Glenn Miller and His Orchestra | #17 on Billboard.[9] Arranged by Glenn Miller and pianist Chummy MacGregor. | |
1946 | Deanna Durbin | Because of Him soundtrack | |
1950 | Al Hibbler | Danny Boy | #9[10] |
1957 | Sam Cooke | Sam Cooke | |
1959 | Conway Twitty | #10 (Hot 100) and #18 (R&B)[11] and #1 in Italy.[12][13] His version was banned by the BBC.[14] | |
1959 | Harry Belafonte | Live at Carnegie Hall, New York City. | |
1960 | Jim Reeves | Tall Tales and Short Tempers | |
1961 | Andy Williams | Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing | #15 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart and #64 on Billboard. The B-side "Fly by Night" also charted. |
1962 | Connie Francis | Connie Francis Sings Irish Favorites | |
1964 | Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles | Danny Boy | #76[15] |
1964 | The Seekers | The Seekers (a.k.a. Roving with The Seekers) | |
1965 | Johnny Cash | Orange Blossom Special | |
1965 | Al Hirt | That Honey Horn Sound | |
1965 | Jackie Wilson | #94 (Hot 100) and #25 (R&B).[16] One of his mother's favorite songs. | |
1967 | Ray Price | #60 (Hot 100) and #9 (Country)[17] | |
1967 | Sarah Vaughan | It’s a Man’s World | Original release: Mercury Stereo SR 611220; released as an audio CD on Verve label in April 2002. |
1969 | Cher | Jackson Highway | |
1969 | Tom Jones | Las Vegas to London: The Best of Tom Jones Live | |
1972 | Roy Orbison | Memphis | In Roy's version, the singer is Danny Boy who is recalling when his father (who has since died) said farewell to him. |
1975 | Joan Baez | Diamonds & Rust | |
1976 | Elvis Presley | From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee | The song was one of Elvis's and his father Vernon's favorites and was played at Elvis' funeral. |
1979 | Kelly Family | The Kelly Family (untitled debut album) | The song was already on the singing family's first cassettes a few years earlier |
1979 | Thin Lizzy | Black Rose: A Rock Legend | Gary Moore and Phil Lynott often played the tune in jamming sessions in their early days. Under the name of Funky Junction, Thin Lizzy had previously recorded an instrumental version, titled Dan, on their Tribute to Deep Purple album in 1972. |
1979 | Willie Nelson | One from the Road | |
1987 | Tony Bennett | Jazz | Featuring Stan Getz on tenor sax, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. |
1990 | Carly Simon | My Romance | |
1994 | Jerry Lee Lewis | The Locust Years...And the Return to the Promised Land | [18] |
1995 | Charlie Haden Hank Jones | Steal Away | |
1996 | Eric Clapton | Change the World | |
1996 | Shane MacGowan and the Popes | Christmas Party E.P. | |
1998 | Sinéad O'Connor | The Sea of Dreams | Sinéad O'Connor performed the song, adding a third political verse, on whistler and piper Davy Spillane’s album The Sea of Dreams. |
1998 | Charlotte Church | Voice of an Angel | |
1998 | Jacintha | Here's to Ben | |
1999 | Harry Connick, Jr. | Come by Me | |
2000 | Judy Collins | Judy Collins sang it at her Live at Wolf Trap concert (CD & DVD). | |
2001 | The Irish Tenors | Ellis Island | The song would proceed to be re-released on the albums The Very Best of The Irish Tenors (2002), Heritage (2004), and Ireland (2010).[19] |
2002 | Megan Mullally | Big as a Berry | |
2002 | Rubén Blades | Mundo | |
2002 | Johnny Cash | American IV: The Man Comes Around | |
2002 | Eva Cassidy | Imagine | |
2003 | Von Trapp Children | Volume 1 | |
2004 | Christy Moore | The Box Set 1964–2004 | |
2004 | Lena Martell | My Homeland | |
2004 | Mormon Tabernacle Choir | America’s Choir | This arrangement was a cappella, and made by Mack Wilberg, then the associate director for the choir. He later made a second arrangement including orchestra as a bonus track for their 100th anniversary album while he was the chief director. |
2005 | Celtic Woman | Celtic Woman | |
2006 | Marco T | Cuan grande es El | Himnos y Alabanzas |
2008 | Celtic Thunder | Act Two | |
2011 | Girls' Generation | 2011 Girls' Generation Tour | Five members of the South Korean girl group Girls' Generation (Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany and Seohyun) recorded a studio version and performed the song at The 1st Japan Arena Tour and 2011 Girls' Generation Tour. |
2012 | Celtic Thunder | Voyage II | |
2012 | Vocal Point | Lead Thou Me On: Hymns and Inspiration | |
2013 | Angelo Kelly | Off Road Live 2 | Kelly Family member Angelo now sings Danny Boy with his oldest son |
2013 | John Laing[disambiguation needed] | Awakened | The track is titled Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) on the album. It is done as a piano solo. |
2013 | John Butler Trio[disambiguation needed] | Tin Shed Tales | John Butler solo for this song. |
In popular culture
- A recording of the song by Shane MacGowan and the Popes is featured in the end credits of the 2013 HBO documentary film, "Which Way Is the Front Line From Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington"
- Sung by English tenor Vernon Midgley in Hear My Song
- Sung by the crowd in The Boxer (1997) before the hyped-up boxing match where both Catholics and Protestants are present.
- Sung at the end of the 1989 film Family Business at the wake of Jessie McMullen (played by Sean Connery).
- Harry Connick Jr. sings "Danny Boy" in the 1990 movie "Memphis Belle", and a sweeping instrumental version is also heard near the end of the film.
- A recording of the song by Irish tenor Frank Patterson is featured in the 1990 Coen Brothers film Miller's Crossing, in a scene in which a character played by Albert Finney fights off assassins with a Thompson gun.
- The Let It Be album and film by The Beatles featured a performance from the roof of Apple Studio on 30 January, 1969. As the performance drew to a close, John Lennon sang an impromptu line from "Danny Boy".
- "Danny Boy", rendered in jazz style, was the theme song for the long-running television show The Danny Thomas Show, also known as Make Room for Daddy, from 1953 to 1964.[20]
- In Grand Theft Auto IV, Packie sings the song when he is drunk.
- In the first series of Round the Twist, characters could hear unseen ghosts on clarinet, saxophone and violin perform part of the song in each episode. Eventually, a choral rendition by the entire cast in the series' climax brought forth the ghosts to save the show's lighthouse from being destroyed.
- In the 1988 film Gotham, J. B. White performed the song as the character "Jimbo".
- In the 2001 film L.I.E., Brian Cox sings a verse of the song near the end of the film.
- In the Season 3, Episode 11 "Named Local Hero" of Spin City, James sings this song for an audition.
- In Episode 5, Season 3 of the BBC drama Ashes to Ashes, the characters Ray Carling and Sharon Granger sing this song for a Police talent show.
- In Episode 7, Season 16 of The Simpsons, the character Barney sings this song during an Irish wake on the sidewalk, for Moe's Tavern.
- In Episode 16, Season 2 of Modern Family, Ed O'Neill's character Jay Pritchett starts singing this song on a karaoke machine.
- In Episode 14, Season 1 of Ugly Americans, a baby Man Bird sings this song to his father right before he dies.
- In Episode 17, Season 3 of Futurama, Dr. Zoidberg sings the opening lines of this song at Bender's surprise funeral.
- In Episode 20, Season 5 of The Muppet Show, "The Leprechaun Brothers" (Swedish Chef, Animal and Beaker) sing a mangled version of the song.
- In Episode 1, Season 2 of Courage the Cowardly Dog titled "The Magic Tree of Nowhere", the eel sings the opening line and is later joined by Eustace, singing a variation of a lyric with him in unison, "If you will bend and tell me that you love me."
References
- ^ Why the name Londonderry Air? Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ "Fred Weatherly's own description of writing Danny Boy". Retrieved 2010-03-09.
- ^ George Petrie: The Ancient Music of Ireland, 1855
- ^ "Danny Boy Irish Song Lyrics and Music Midi". Danny Boy Song Lyrics. Site. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
- ^ "The true meaning of Danny Boy". Retrieved 2010-03-09.
- ^ McCourt, Malachy (30 Mar 2005 (Reprint)). Danny Boy: The Legend of the Beloved Irish Ballad. New American Library. p. 128. ISBN 0-451-20806-4.
{{cite book}}
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(help) - ^ Hinnesbusch, Patricia D. "Irish Song Danny Boy Meaning and History of Irish Ballads." Symbol Meaning for Hundreds of Symbols & Symbol Resources. Living Arts Enterprises, LLC, 14 Sept. 2010.
- ^ No byline (2001-08-10), "'Danny Boy' cannot be played during Mass". National Catholic Reporter. 37 (36):11
- ^ Danny Boy Chart Position Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ Danny Boy Chart Position Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ Danny Boy Chart Position Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ SINGOLI - I NUMERI UNO (1959-2006)
- ^ Hit Parade Italia 26 Marzo 1960
- ^ Leigh, Spencer (2008). This Record Is Not to Be Broadcast Vol. 2: 50 More Records Banned by the BBC (liner notes). Fantastic Voyage. FVDD 038.
- ^ Danny Boy Chart Position Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ Danny Boy Chart Position Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ Danny Boy Chart Position Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ Jerry Lee Lewis, The Locust Years...And the Return to the Promised Land Retrieved June 15, 2012.
- ^ "Official Website of The Irish Tenors | Discography". Retrieved 27 October 2012.
- ^ Classic TV, ISBN 0-7935-4762-8, 1996, published by Hal Leonard Corporation
External links
- Articles with links needing disambiguation from July 2013
- Articles with links needing disambiguation from May 2013
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