Newsletter 3 Update
Hello Folks,
I'm still actively working away at adapting to the changing times. Still no definite confirmation of when our next live concert, with real live audience will take place. Hopefully their will be clarity on that soon.
Regardless it is difficult to imagine the music scene getting back to how it was , prior to mid-March 2020, anytime soon. Some outdoor events, with limited audiences, perhaps at first?
So I've been busy renovating my barn to accommodate more filming of virtual concerts and various online projects.
Here is a link to a 45 min set of Ulster Scots music which was commissioned by Kirlish Ulster Scots Association.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gndDK_oa5Qw&t=341s
And here is a link to a short clip from that concert. It featured Lambeg drum and Ian Burrows on Highland bagpipes and had over 6,000 views on Twitter within a few days.
https://twitter.com/williedrennan/status/1383109284846796801?s=20
Following this we posted an older clip of Lambeg with David McClean on rock guitar. It had over 22, 000 views in a few days. Seems like Twitter works well for video clips under 2 mins in length.
https://twitter.com/williedrennan/status/1384577369692950529?s=20
Broadcasting: filming and podcasting with the Braid Brodcasting Cooperation is likely to be the main focus for the foreseeable future.
Check out my podcasts and blogs on my website www.williedrennan.org. Other blogs are on http://www.theulsterfolk.com/ Beware: some recent blogs have addressed lockdowns and protocols. Not recommended for those of you who's main focus is on music and culture. Us creative types can't help ourselves at times – we feel compelled at times to express any controversial views we might have on controversial issues that seriously affect us.
Revisiting the Dander With Drennan TV shows will be a priority. This will entail interviewing people related to each 'Dander' and looking at how things may have changed since the shows were filmed between 2006 and 2008. Some new music will no doubt be added. The updates will be shown along with the original footage that I have obtained the rights to. The next Newsletter, out soon, will have more details on this. Anyone who may have relevant information in regards to any of the 8 BBC TV shows feel free to get in touch by responding to this Newsletter.
Also working on a project called Beyond The Moss, Beyond The Mountain. This will be very different from all the other different stuff. More on this later too.
Best for now,
Willie
Newsletter Number Two.
Lyrics and album notes for those who have recently purchased this album.
Willie Drennan Band. Wired Up Again.
Unique Fusion of Folk and Rockin' Blues.
I/ Folkybilly RocknRoll
2/ Boom Boom Baby
3/ Oh Dearie Me
4/ Over The Hills and Far Away
5/ Road TO Freedom
6/ No Whiskey In The Jar
7/ My Heart
8/ Lambeg Boogie
9/ Til The Cows Come Home
10/ Different Road
11/ Rockin Roarin Bagpipes/Black Bear
12/ Sourhill Rock'n Roll
A collaboration between Willie Drennan and rock guitarist, David McClean.
All arrangements: Drennan/McClean.
All copyright: Drennan/McClean
Other musicians on this album are: Davy Angus, John Trotter, Derek Montgomery, Ian Burrows, Ali McKenzie, Jim Cuthbertson, James Christie, Cherith Knipe, Judith Knipe, Caroline Drennan, Diane Wilson.
1/ Folkbilly RocknRoll
You can dance all night when the moon is shining bright
Folkybilly Rock n Roll
You can dance all night when the moon is shining bright
So good for your soul
Folkybilly RocknRoll, so good for your soul
Folkybilly RocknRoll, so good for your soul
They say this song is just a curse
They saythe tune is ten times worse
They say the beat would drive you mad
Makes us all oh so glad
Folkybilly RocknRoll, so good for your soul
Folkybilly RocknRoll, so good for your soul
Their music they would make you hear
They blast it in your ear
They would tell you how to dance
You like different? - here's your chance.
Lyrics and music: Drennan
2/ Boom Boom Baby
Chorus
We're the boys that make the noise
We're the boys that you'll enjoy
Come on down and see the show
Boom boom baby and away we go
Boom boom baby and away we go.
Gonna play this guitar all day long
Gonna bang my drum until the sun is done
Gonna slap my bass all over the place
Gonna beat my drum into outer space.
Blatter it high and blatter it low
I'm gonna blatter it quick and blatter it slow
Slide it up and slide it down
We're the loudest noise in town.
Hear that rhythm and hear that sound
Feel that beat go round and round
From the soles of your feet to the top of your head
It's loud enough to wake the dead.
Lyrics and music: McClean
3/ Oh Dearie Me
Yin step forrit an twa steps back
Lord hae mercy on me for heaven's sake
A'll en up sax fit unner the grun
Shud A iver hae ony mair nor a wee bit o fun.
Turned on the wireless tae hear sum guid news
The weatherman was singin the Blues
He went rain hale sleet an mair rain
An we micht niver ever see sunshine again.
Went tae the bank lukin cash oot
The bank man yelled an lashed aboot
Man dear yer sae far in arrear
Hoo dare ye even cum in here.
A towl the doctor hoo bad A feel
He says richt eneuch hi yer naw weel
A niver seen onythin like yer state
Ther's naethin A can dae it is too late.
Scunnert tae the teeth half-hungert an cowl
Went tae the kirk tried save m'sowl
But the meenister cudnae show me the wye
He'd signed the broo the ither day.
Tae thon Pearly Gates A'm feart tae be gan
A'm feart tae be stannin fornenst yer man
Ye hae spent yer time jist gypin aroon
Ther's yin road noo an that is doon
Lyrics: Drennan. Music Drennan/McClean
4/ Over the Hills And Far Away
Chorus
Hey ho away we go over the hills and far away
Hey ho away we go over the hills and far away
Hear about a land that's far away
Take you more than a year and a day
Heard about a place where the wild wind blows
What will we do there nobody knows
Hear about a place where spirits run free
Sounds like a land for you and me
Up to the mountains down to the glen
When will we get there we don't know when
Sing us a song that's old and clear
Sung by a man for a thousand year
Heard by the rocks and the wind and the rain
Far far away and back again
Come to the land of the brave and the true
Loved by the many but seen by the few
Come to the place that's pure and free
Sounds like the land for you and me.
Chorus
Hey ho away we go over the hills and far away
Hey ho away we go over the hills and far away
Hear about a land that's far away
Take you more than a year and a day
Heard about a place where the wild wind blows
What will we do there nobody knows
Hear about a place where spirits run free
Sounds like a land for you and me
Up to the mountains down to the glen
When will we get there we don't know when
Sing us a song that's old and clear
Sung by a man for a thousand year
Heard by the rocks and the wind and the rain
Far far away and back again
Come to the land of the brave and the true
Loved by the many but seen by the few
Come to the place that's pure and free
Sounds like the land for you and me.
Lyrics and music:McClean
5/ On The Road To Freedom Now
We’re on the road to freedom now
On the road to freedom now
So shed your heavy load and join us on the road
On the road to freedom now.
To find the road to freedom you take the trail
Where some folks weep and some folks wail
Then take the long winding lane
To feel the wrath and feel the pain.
All roads to freedom are not the same
You might cross Sorrow you might catch Blame
But once you make it round the final bend
It’s all the same freedom in the end.
Just like the fox who roams at night
Across the fields in pale moonlight
She loves to follow freedom’s way
Down her own freedom road
She love’s to stray.
And she knows that road with danger is fraught
She knows by dawn she might get shot
And if she never makes it round the final bend
It’s still the same freedom in the end.
That road it goes up the highest hill
To view the world and feel the thrill
Then out across the seven seas
To feel the world in the breeze.
But first it’s down the darkest glen
When you’re out of there you don’t know when
But once you make it round the final bend
You will feel freedom in the end.
Lyrics and music: Drennan
6/ No Whiskey In The Jar
As I was going over life's great big scary mountain
I met the fat-cat bankers, all their money they were countin'
With their friends the commissioners and their corporate advisors
I said stand and deliver for youse are the boul deceivers.
With me ring dum dey do dum de dah
Whack for my daddy-o,
Whack for my daddy-o
No whiskey in the jar.
Well with my trusty laptop I just took their money
And stuck in in my pocket for it looked a pretty penny
But I knew it was all wrong as soon as I got to thinkin'
For their money it was boggin' their money it was stinkin'.
I went home to my chamber for to take my slumber
I dreamt a crazy dream for sure it was no wonder.
But my friends they did betray me, they rung their politician
And toul them that my dreams could start some revolution.
It was early in the mornin' before I riz to journey
Up comes the parliament with their own wee private army
They looks in my computer and sez I was not clever
They'd evidence enough to lock me up for ever.
If anyone can save me, it's my sisters and my brothers
If we'd all get together we could stand by one an other
We could tell them where to stuff it, where they would not think it funny
We could tell them where to go with all their stinkin' money.
Lyrics: Drennan. Music:trad
7/ My Heart.
Every time I see that girl to walking down the street my heart goes,
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding
Every time I think of her my heart it skips a beat and it goes,
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding
My heart is beating like a Lambeg Drum A Num A Num A Diddely Dum Dum.
My heart is beating like a Lambeg Drum A Num A Num A Diddely Dum Dum.
My heart is beating like a Lambeg Drum A Num A Num A Diddely Dum Diddely Dum.
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding.
If only I could talk to her and tell her how I feel but I go
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding.
Maybe then she'd fall for me and happy we would be but I go
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding
My heart is beating like a Lambeg Drum A Num A Num A Diddely Dum Dum.
My heart is beating like a Lambeg Drum A Num A Num A Diddely Dum Dum.
My heart is beating like a Lambeg Drum A Num A Num A Diddely Dum Diddely Dum.
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding.
Now that we're together with our children one , two, three my heart goes
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding
Little boys who want to learn to beat the drum like me, my heart goes
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding
My heart is beating like a Lambeg Drum A Num A Num A Diddely Dum Dum.
My heart is beating like a Lambeg Drum A Num A Num A Diddely Dum Dum.
My heart is beating like a Lambeg Drum A Num A Num A Diddely Dum Diddely Dum.
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding
Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Ding, Diddely Dinga Dinga Dinga Diddely Ding Diddely Ding Ding.
[Translations available].
Words and Music by Derek Montgomery. Main vocals by Derek. Inspired by a family tradition of lilting out drum rhythms to facilitate the learning of tunes.
Translation available on request.
8/ Lambeg Boogie
Hey Mr DJ how do you do
Got a brand new song that was written for you
I hope you'll try and give it a spin
It will blast those Blues you've got within
It's called the Lambeg Boogie
Lambeg Boogie, the Lambeg Boogie, the Lambeg Boogie
Everybody shout and shake it all about
The Lambeg Boogie makes you feel alright
Everybody shout and shake it all about
The Lambeg Boogie makes you feel alright
Well this ain't country and this ain't pop
And we don't care if you like it or not
It's got a great big beat to a great big drum
It will blast your brain till the kingdom come.
Lyrics and music: McLean
Words written by David following an impromptu jam in Willie's backyard where electric guitar met Lambeg drum in natural fusion. It was like the two instruments were meant for each other. The music flowed organic and lyrics seemed the obvious follow up.
9/ Til The Cows Come Home
Who drives me crazy near every night
You do you do you do
Who says she'll love for the rest of my life
You do you do you do.
You got me howlin at the moon
Dancin like a lune
like a little red rooster
crowing out his favourite tune.
My heart's racing in the danger zone
Gonna love you til the cows come home
My heart's racing in the danger zone
Gonna love you til the cows come home.
Who'll be beside you down the long long road
I will I will I will
Who 's gonna love you when we both get old
I will I will I will
You got me cooing like a dove
From his tree high above
Pouring joy from his soul
For his own true love.
My heart's racing in the danger zone
Gonna love you til the cows come home
My heart's racing in the danger zone
Gonna love you til the cows come home.
Who drives me crazy near every night
You do you do you do
Who says she'll love for the rest of my life
You do you do you do.
You got me howlin at the moon
Dancin like a lune
Like a little red rooster
Crowing out his favourite tune
My heart's racing in the danger zone
Gonna love you til the cows come home.
Lyrics and music: McClean
10/ Different Road
Down Different Road you should always go
It goes to and fro and you never know
No, you never know where it might end
It goes up and down and round the bend.
Down Different Road they beat a big drum
They play loud guitar till the Kingdom Come
They do the Lambeg Boogie to Rock n' Roll Blues
So bring along your dancing shoes.
Never take the road they tell you take
Never take their road for Heaven's sake
They say their road is straight and it is clean
It's safe and sure like it's always been
Down their road, they say, there are no fears
But it just might drive you to your tears
It's save they say if you do what your told
It's not for the b rave, not for the bold.
Never heed what they tell you on TV
Never heed what you see on BBC
If they tell you it's right it's probably wrong
So just you sing your different song.
Sing out loud like the rooster crowed
As you dance along your Different Road
When you turn down right on Different Street
All the Different people you will meet.
Lyrics: Drennan. Music Drennan/McClean
11/ Rockin Roarin Bagpipes/ Black Bear
The title of this piece speaks for itself. Features Ian Burrows on Highland bagpipes. The Black Bear is a traditional Scottish pipe band march that is also popular among folk musicians in Northern Ireland. The format of this tune offers opportunity for dynamics and build up into a climax on Willie's Lambeg drum. Then David's guitar takes it over the edge to places the tune has never been before.
12/Sour Hill Rock 'n Roll
Up on Sour Hill the fiddles did play
Fiddle by night and fiddle by day
Wullie, Joe and the boys o Sour Hill
They fiddle no more, but I hear them still.
The Boys o Sour Hill may fiddle no more
But one fine day on heaven's shore
One fine day if I live till I die
I'll fiddle wae the boys up in the sky.
Just like they do in rock'n roll
Just like they do in rock'n roll
Signin oot for the good o their soul
Just like they do in rock'n roll.
Fifers fifed where e're they strode
They fifed for the girls along the road
At the end of the road there was romance
When along with the girls they'd sing and dance
They fifed alang tae the beetle mill's clang
Fifed alang tae the big drum's bang
Fifed alang for the good o their soul
Just like they do in rock'n roll.
As you danner doon the road by Slaght
You'll surely know where you're at
An before you go you'll surely know
The Campbells are comin o ho, o ho.
The Campbells are comin o ho, o ho
Doon O'Hara's Toon Loanen the Cambells are comin
The Campbells are comin o ho, o ho
Signin oot for the good o their soul
Just like they do in rock'n roll.
This song addresses the common crossovers and musical fusions.
It was written by Willie at a time when he, David McClean and Johnny Murphy were involved in a musical heritage project entitled 'The Fiddle and the Fife' for Mid and East Antrim Museum.
The Boys of the Sour Hill who regularly met at the home of Joe Mills in the latter part of the 20th Cent were of course traditional musicians. But the spirit of their fiddle music could be easily compared and transferred to musicians of other genres across the world.
The second verse relates to the traditional fifers who often walked the country roads playing their high-pitched flutes in the days before television.
The last verse addresses the spirit of singing. In this case it refers to the story told by Willie's mother about when she attended Slaght Primary School. The pupils were taught the Scottish song 'The Campbells Are Coming Oh Ho' and coincidentally a family who lived down a long lane across from the rural school house were also called Campbell. In the playground a suitably adapted version of the song was belted out by the pupils whenever they thought the Campbells were within earshot.
“Signing out for the good of their soul, just like they do in rock 'n roll”.
Also coincidentally, the fifers of Mid-Antrim adapted a version of the Scottish tune to accompany the Lambeg drums and this timing seems to work just spot on for rock 'n roll.
The tune is also similar to 'Miss McLeod's Reel' which has very popular versions in Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian fiddle traditions
New Gift Idea. Gift Card with CD Disc. introductory offer: £9 (to include postage).
Review:
The album begins with,’Folkybilly Rocknroll’ which is akin to supercharged folk music as in harpist meets punk bluegrass with an overlay of Slade for good measure.
Much of the music here is a melange of rock and folk but interestingly the rock input veers towards 1970’s Britpop.
So I hear echoes of the influences on people of a certain age, of which I am one and I suspect so also is Willie, bands such as T-Rex to give just one example .
An exception to that homegrown fusion however is,’Boom Boom Baby’ which has echoes of Mississippi delta blues and the energy of Elvis when he was still known as ,‘ The Hillbilly Cat’.
Overall the result is a successful fusion of sound that is personal and regional and ultimately universal.
Alister J McReynolds
August 2020.
​
​
​
​
February 6th 2021.
Hello Folks
Welcome to my first newsletter in a long time. The purpose is to inform those of you who have expressed interest in the live music of myself and band about upcoming events and projects. Social media works fine for now but I might not always be on there. With the Lockdowns still in place, there are no upcoming concerts, of course, that I can confirm for now. But I can let you all know on here as soon as the situation changes.
Virtual concerts are the thing right now with more virtual concerts in the pipeline. It is also the plan to produce more of our videos with band members once the authorities “allow” us.
The big development for me is getting the BBC (Braid Brodcasting Cooperation) off the ground. Here is some insight into that.
The Braid Brodcasting Cooperation offers a combination of broadcast, video, film, and blogs. It's neither really radio nor really TV. It's not real radio but perhaps, a bit like the old wireless used to be. It's definitely not real TV or reality TV - but then television was a 20th-century thing anyway. Wasn't it?
It aims to promote cooperation and collaboration between alternatively-minded, free-thinking freelance creative artists and grassroots entrepreneurs who cooperate, collaborate and share with each other whenever they have a reason to do so – whenever the notion is upon them.
Each BBC brodcast will have a strong musical component - live music as well as recorded music – and this is one way in which these brodcasts will differ from your average podcasts.
Another significant difference from normal podcasts is that these brodcasts will just be hosted directly here on the website and not by the global corporations who usually do the hosting.
So, these brodcasts will only be available to a select chosen few. If you are reading this or have been listening to the first two brodcasts, consider yourself one of the chosen few.
This BBC is not to be confused with any other outfits whose initials happen to be also, BBC - such as the Ballymena Borough Council. Fortunately, Ballymena has amalgamated with Carrickfergus and Larne to form the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council - so at least that BBC will not be trying to sue us for stealing their initials.
There will be various themes and lots of guest musicians and very interesting characters with interesting perspectives on life that you will not easily come across on normal mainstream TV or normal mainstream radio.
The first two brodcasts have been on the theme of Rabbie Burns. Brodcast one was a personal tribute to Burns and a celebration of some of his most popular works, including his love songs. Brodcast Two was a more in-depth insight into the character, the beliefs, and values of the man of independent mind.
Brodcast Three has been recorded and is on the theme of the Lockdowns. This is a bit more of a rant than the first two, but it provides a detailed opinion which I feel strongly the I must get out there.
The script for BrodcastThree, or something close to the spoken word on the broadcast, has also been posted on www.theulsterfolk.com.
And here is the direct link below.
http://www.theulsterfolk.com/2021/02/script-for-broadcast.html
Broadcast Four will be posted next week and will also be a bit of a rant. I will focus on freedom, liberty and democracy in these crazy times. It will be heavy enough but there will still be lots of music.
After that, I hope to get back on track with just delivering music and stories that celebrate our shared cultural heritage, celebrate life and celebrate the freedoms we once enjoyed – in hopes that the future generations will get to enjoy the same freedoms.
For those of you who are not from Northern Ireland, the name Braid comes from the Braid River Valley and the Braid District of County Antrim - where folk traditionally spoke braid Scots or braid Ulster-Scots. Braid is the Scots and Ulster-Scots word for broad.
I do know how to spell broadcast but as these brodcasts will be different, I thought I might as well have a different spelling – in the belief that I can spell it any way I want. But I could be wrong on that.
The first three brodcasts were produced in my home and I was learning the technology as I went along. So, needless to say, there are some wee imperfections here and there. But I needed to get the ball rolling.
The next broadcast will be professionally produced by David McClean however: so you will notice the difference.
I also must thank Ian Burrows who has offered much-needed technical advice and is helping with the promotion and the development of my website etc.
CD's, books, DVD's and digital downloads are available here on my website.
The next newsletter will have extensive sleeve notes and lyrics for the recently released Wired Up Again Album.
Best wishes,
Willie Drennan.