Brokeback Glen

[ceebeegee]

Can someone please explain to me why so many men sing "Danny Boy"? It is a beautiful song, and sooo sentimental and mournful and hence, perfect for St. Patrick's Day. But it's a love song (a depressing-as-hell one, with lyrics like "If I am dead, as dead I well may be...and all my grave will warmer, sweeter be"), from a woman to a man. It just strikes me as funny when I see some burly Irish tenor cop singing sweetly "Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you soooo."

Comments

[justducky2204.livejournal.com]

there is actually a lot of argument about the song...

the lyrics are attributed to Frederick Weatherly-but many wonder why and how an englishman could have written a song that is so important to the irish...there is a lot of debate about whether he actually wrote it. he did not write the music-it was set to another song called "londerry air"

many people think it is either a lament for simpler times or a song from father to son...

traditionally it is performed by men.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

he did not write the music-it was set to another song called "londerry air"


I did know this--you'll find "Londonderry Air" with different lyrics in hymnals, sometimes. I believe it's in the Episcopal hymnal; I'll see if I can dig up the original lyrics.

traditionally it is performed by men.

That's the thing, it sits better in a man's voice than a woman's! Even though the lyrics (as I see it) are from a woman to a man--but it sounds best with a man's voice. I have a 3+ octave range, and I have a hard time placing it in my voice.