Monday, January 18, 2016

A Music Break: Mary Fahl at the Royal Room

Last week I was listening to a rendition of 'The Town I Loved So Well', a bit of folk with a political commentary on the troubles in Derry, Ulster, Northern Ireland. A version of 'Dawning of the Day' by Mary Fahl followed on the mix of songs.

Mary Fahl has written new words to this traditional Irish song in memorial to the first responders on 9/11.



If you are not directly familiar with Irish music, the melody is still likely familiar. A well known version is the version that replaced the original words with the poet's Patrick Kavanaugh's poem "On Raglan Road".


'Dawning of the Day' is a traditional Irish song dating at least back to the early 19th Century. There is another similar song of the same Irish name 'Fáinne Geal an Lae' dating back to the 17th Century as well. That song has a mix of myth and geology. But the more recent version is better known.

Mary Fahl stopped in Seattle this past weekend at the Royal Room on Rainier Avenue in Columbia City. It was a very wonderful show by a passionate singer. Felt very fortunate to catch her being here in Washington. I particularly enjoyed 'Everything's Going To Be Alright' because of the heavy astronomy/space exploration angle.


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