Okay, okay. So, I am doing this unpaid gig for an influential client (The state House of Representatives). They want me to play two “Irish” songs: one of which is “When Irish Eyes are Smiling”. They want another well known song as well. Any ideas? I have avoided this genre of music for obvious reasons, and thus don’t know what to play. :roll:
t
Hiya Tommy,
It’d have to be “Danny Boy” … I am always asked to play that… especially at funerals which I think the second verse fits very well and makes the tune a very poignant one. There aren’t many others I can think of that are as instantly recognisable for American listeners… jig wise thought there is the Irish Washerwoman… great tune.
Patrick.
It figures; the #%*^ING uppos in government always want a free gig!
Brush up Danny Boy, Amusing Goose(some butt-munch will ask for it), Galway Bay, MacNamara’s Band, Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms, Connemara Cradle Song(sounds like Birmingham Jail), The Galway Piper(Rakes of Mallow),The Irish Washer Woman, and Christmas in Kilarney. Anything heard in The Quiet Man will do. Then play nothing but the Flintstones theme(it works) and the jingle for the most annoying commercial you can think of until they agree to pay you. 
If all else fails play the Macarena.
Marc
guns n roses,sweet child o mine
Funny, I’d never even heard Danny Boy till about a year ago. I was told it was one of “those” songs that EVERYBODY knows! Guess I’m just super sheltered in that sense. Thank God for that!
How about the Garryowen jig?
It’s the tune that blasts out everytime the US cavalry charges on screen in those awful westerns middle-aged men seem to love.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/1372
It seems it can be controversial.
Lee Sei-Macfhearchair
Only the lyrics to Danny Boy are bogus. They were written by an Englishman (Wheaton? Whealey? - can’t remember) to make a bundle during the rush of popular ballad sheets from Tin Pan Alley. He’d never even been to Ireland. He wrote a bunch of stuff and sent them to a cousin in New York to flog. None of them sold. His cousin sent him back a bunch of genuine Irish melodies and suggested he set some lyrics to those. One was a fine old Irish tune, The Londonderry Air, which became Danny Boy. I always remind myself of this when I have to play the damned thing - again.
Brian, did you never watch The Danny Thomas Show? It was his theme song.
Another Tin Pan Alley tune to add to the above list: My Wild Irish Rose.
djm
Maybe something from the Wizard of Oz. To keep some folks wondering, I have been know to play that time honored slow air “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. It either gets me a laugh, or cut off form the bar. Actually, many , many years ago when I was playing at Kitty O’Sheas in Chicago, someone actually tipped me $500.00 to play Danny Boy. I have had an unusual affinity for the song ever since…go figure.
One’s people recognize but have no Idea what they’re called (the more knowledgable will know Last Rose and Minstrel
“The Girl I Left Behind Me”
“Úir-Chill a’Chreagain”
“The Minstrel Boy”
“The Last Rose of Summer”
“The Honeysuckle Rose”
not Irish, and prolly no good for the occasion, but I’ve actually been working up" Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring"
The Galway Piper(Rakes of Mallow), Anything heard in The Quiet Man will do.
Marc
Yep, sure enough, Galway Piper / Rakes of Mallow are heard on warpipes in ‘The Quiet Man’… and throughout nearly the whole movie, in fact, being lilted by “Wee Michaeleen og O’Flynn”.
I did a freebie at a middle school a couple of weeks ago, and felt that the young kids were getting into the jigs and reels, when sure enough, the teacher that had invited me in asked for ‘Amazing Grace’. I’m sure the cringe on my face was enough to get her to add, “Or another tune that you might like to play”… I caved and played AG. Makes me wish I’d never learned it! 
I would say that most Americans would recognise “St. Patricks Day” as it has been used in many American films, particularly some westerns and other Black and whites.
Neil
I think if your crowd was young-ish you could get away with some kind of version of ‘The Fairytale of New York’ (it’s a Pogues tune) but as tommykleen’s playing for a real live government official, that one may not go over too well.
Mark 
of course you could play ‘Tramp The Dirt Down’
I agree, a little Elvis Costello might be in order.
Popular ever since they started singing it on a soap opera show every St. Pat’s:
“I’ll tell my Ma, when I get home, the boys won’t leave the girls alone.”
Anyone know an older name for the tune? Sounds like a polka to me.
don’t envy you at all TommyK. Good luck and hope the misers pay you a few $$$$$
Otherwise get really drunk and puke on their shoes!
If I know him like I think I do he’ll do that anyway
PD.
One can hope…
The State Legislature won’t be surprised or offended at your flask of Swishkey…they know all about it. That’s what keeps’em all working together. Oh, maybe that’s the Judicial branch I’m thinking of.
Pat Cannady wrote:
Otherwise get really drunk and puke on their shoes!
PDarcy:
If I know him like I think I do he’ll do that anyway
Umm, Patrick? Did I ever replace those shoes of yours?
t
How about something from Finian’s Rainbow. ROFL!
John’s wyfe