Paddy's Lamentation (in Gangs of New York)

Trad Irish Music
1

I watched Gangs of New York for the first time yesterday.
Besides being an okay movie, it had some good music.

I noted Paddy’s Lamentation performed in it, I’m pretty sure it was Mary Black singing, but it had an accordion part in the end that isn’t on De Dannan’s Anthem. Is this version of the song on any other De Dannan album, or on some Mary Black solo album, or was this a “motion picture exclusive”?

2

According to Amazon the song is done by an artist named Linda Thompson:

http://www.amazon.com/Gangs-New-York-Howard-Shore/dp/B00007DT8M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1257183575&sr=8-1

Cheers!

Matt

3

Interesting problem here.

I have heard Mary Black singing the song but that is definitely Linda Thompson on the Amazon link.

Frank Harte recorded the song some years ago and himself and Mary Black were very good friends so I assume that she learnt it from him. I’ve heard Sinead O’Connor singing it somewhere. I have the Frank Harte version, which is excellent btw, so if ye want a copy send me a pm with an Email address.

Slan,
D. :wink:

4

According to the IMDB listing … Both Mary Black and Linda Thompson* perform it on the soundtrack, but only the Linda Thompson recording is included on the soundtrack album.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0217505/soundtrack

  • A good clue, Matt. But “An artist named Linda Thompson” is a bit like saying “an artist named Bob Dylan.” She’s pretty famous, you know, half of Richard and Linda Thompson. :slight_smile:

The Mary Black recording seems to be included in the compilation album “Long Journey Home”:

http://www.amazon.com/Paddys-Lamentation-Ships-Are-Sailing/dp/B001BHG5V4

The track is listed with the tune Ships are Sailing. So maybe that’s the accordion bit you hear at the end?

5

Well now that you mention it MT, it was Ships are Sailing at the end of the Mary Black version that I heard.

Who was Bob Dylan half of :laughing:

Slan,
D. :slight_smile:

6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VCX-Zdz5qA

Yep, that’s definitely it. Rhadge, see: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/543

“Dylan and Dubhlinn”, wasn’t it? :wink:

7

I love Sinead’s version of it.

8

Is that the same Paddy Lamentation that Paul Brady recorded on The Gathering?

9

Thanks for the help.

10

Gracious me, is she fairly famous? Now I know! I’ve heard of Mary Black, but never Linda before… My apologies to Linda! :wink:

Matt

11

Unless I mistake his age, Linda Thompson has had nervous vocal cord paralysis for all but six months* of Matt’s life.

*It’s stage-fright induced. She tried a botox injection to knock out the muscle that freaks out and shuts her down, but the effect wore off after six months, and a follow-up wasn’t as successful. She did manage to get out an album and tour for the first time in forever.

12

I was five years younger in that picture than I am now. I’m a really old 30 now. :stuck_out_tongue: (Mental note: Update picture assuming a flattering one can be found!) :laughing:

Matt

13

I seem to remember Andy M. Stewart doing a nice version of this in the early 80s or so.

14

He certainly did, Steve. By coincidence, I was talking to him on the phone last night. He’ll be doing a concert with Gerry O’Beirne at Glasgow’s “Celtic Connections” festival towards the end of January. He’s been laid up recently with a busted ankle, but is on the mend.