I’m wondering if some of you could have a listen to this video (don’t bother if you can’t stand to hear Irish music over-arranged and sung in harmony):
The song is “The Parting Glass,” and on the first verse they sing the tune I’m familiar with for this song, but the tune for the rest of the song is one I’m unfamiliar with. I’m curious as to whether it has its own name, or if it’s just an alternative tune for “The Parting Glass.”
The main reason I’m curious is that my music director just gave me a piece of music, asking if I could possibly play it on the whistle for Pentecost (it’s part of an arrangement by Clarke…no, not the whistle manufacturer!), and it happens to be this self-same tune! In the music, it’s just credited as “Irish tune,” but if it’s cropping up in compositions like this, it must be a traditional air, and I’d love to know what it is I’m playing!
I think that the second tune/variation, is Dylans version of “The Parting Glass”.
His Bobness and the Clancys were great friends and many of his early albums had breathtaking lyrics and tunes that were clearly based on Clancy Brothers songs.
“Restless Farewell”..an absolutely gorgeous Dylan song, is a virtuall rewrite of the Parting Glass, and the melody skirts around the original..just like that video.
Gimme a few minutes to find the CD and I’ll send ye the track.
They used that second version at the end of the film Waking Ned Devine. I’ve wondered if it isn’t that the Clancys’ version wasn’t their own customization, and that this second version is another that’s just as well known in Ireland.
and tunes that were clearly based on Clancy Brothers songs.