Growing up Irish, music plays a large part in your life. I have memories from early childhood being at the old AOH on Grand River in a smoke-filled bar while live music is being played. And, Ireland is the only country in the world with a musical instrument as its national symbol: the harp!
Especially around St. Patrick’s Day, the songs of Ireland are playing. My Uncle Roger had a band called “Irish Wakes and Weddings.” His band played songs like “What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor?”, “O Danny Boy”, and “The Fields of Athenry”, among others.
The “Irish Wakes and Weddings” band; my Uncle Roger is seated with the guitar.
The songs that Uncle Roger sang tell the stories of many of the 31.5 million Americans that identify as having Irish heritage. If you are unfamiliar with the songs, let me introduce you. Irish music is “catchy,” which makes the chorus’s of each song irresistible to sing along with. Audience participation is almost expected when you are listening to certain songs–so if you are listening to “Wild Rover,” you will hear four fist pounds or claps after the first lines of the chorus.
And it’s No, Nay, Never
(4 claps or fist pounds on the table)
No Nay Never, No more
Shall I play the Wild Rover
No Never, No more
I grew up singing these songs at funerals and weddings, as well as on St.Patrick’s Day.
One of the most popular Irish folk songs is a song that I am proud to say contains my first name: “Molly Malone.” There is a famous statue of her in Dublin. And, the most famous modern Irish band is none other than U2. Who remembers “The Joshua Tree”?
When the Irish gather in groups, music is something that is ever present. You can hear the fiddle, tin-whistle, bodran, spoons, and harp, as well as guitars, flutes, drums, pianos, and even accordions. People of all ages gather to listen to these songs; men, women, boys, girls, and babies can all be found in these gathering places.
Irish music is storytelling.
Often these stories are of love, loss, and nationalism–themes that are universal. Still, many others are about libations and the shenanigans that often go hand-in-hand with ingesting alcohol (a.k.a. drinking songs)–themes of the songs that Uncle Roger sang. This has led to the popular misunderstanding of St. Patrick’s Day as being just for drinking. The fact of the matter is that the Irish celebrate a mass on St. Patrick’s Day, and gather as families.
From a young age, we learn what exactly it is you “do with a drunken soldier,” as well as what went on “at Finnegan’s Wake”. Always lively in descriptions, these songs weave stories that are irresistible to tap toes to and sing along with.
If you have ever wondered what would happen if you got stuck in a bathroom for a week, there is a song for you: “Seven Old Ladies”. If you ever wondered where to find a Guinness Distributor worldwide, there is a song for you as well: “wherever you go across the world you can find The Irish Pub”.
You don’t need to be Irish to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and sing along with the songs. In the city of Detroit, there is a St. Patrick’s Day parade every year. It is an experience that the whole family can enjoy.
I share this Irish music with my children often.
When March finally rolls in, you can find me listening to St. Patrick’s Day Radio on Pandora. My third child was born via Cesarean section, and during my surgery we were listening to songs that my Uncle Roger sang!
Over the years I have learned many of the words to these songs. I had my first Irish Pub Song Book before the age of 10. Irish folk music makes you want to join in, regardless of your musical ability. It is not uncommon to hear the whole bar singing out to the classics like “The Black Velvet Band” (petty theft anyone?) . . . “AND SHE WAS” is what the audience shouts every chorus.
My Uncle Roger may not be signing the songs to my children; nonetheless we remember him when we gather in March. When March rolls around I am always listening to Irish folk music. My children are now learning the words and the parts of audience participation and will spend hours on the dance floor dancing. Every year, they pick up a few more of the songs, and are old enough now to follow the stories.
Whether it was at the AOH or the Gaelic League of Detroit, music is often playing all year round in these places where Uncle Roger sang. My first cousins, Dan and Roger McCarville, carried on their father’s legacy, both playing alongside him in the band for many years. Though he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on in me and all of my cousins, because to this day we sing the songs that Uncle Roger sang.
Lovely article, Molly. You certainly have inherited that Irish love for storytelling. I truly miss those days when Roger and the Wakes and Weddings Band made everybody tap their feet and feel Irish.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment, I knew this one would touch all those who were lucky enough to have known Uncle Roger. That’s quite a list, because he was one-of-a-kind.
let’s not forget the nights at Camp Dearborn. When Rodger would pull out his guitar and spirits would soar.
I was very young at that time, but do recall a few visits in my youth. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment, it means a lot to the family.