Walk Away Me Boys, By Morning We'll Be Free...

This week, a number of people (1,2) have requested Flogging Molly CD's from me, or even just random celtic rock mixes(3), and I started to wonder why - why, suddenly, so many people seem so attracted to a type of music that seems like something of the past. It's nothing new, or exciting, there is very little "shock factor" to most celtic music. So why are college students, high school kids, middle-age music teachers, even seniors so interested in this genre?

In case you live in a box, or are not Irish (4), the most popular of these celt-rock groups are Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, the Pogues, Great Big Sea, and Black 47. Some have punk elements, while some can be compared to ska, while others yet are more traditional and polka-inspired. Many of them tend to cover popular, aged celtic folk songs - Finnegan's Wake, Wild Rover, Captain Kelly's Kitchen are a few examples. Most also write their own songs - some which sound as if your grandparents sang them in their youth, others that relate more today. Some are political, some are comical (5), but all are kick-ass.

We live in a fake, shallow world - and it shows in today's music (6). With all these polished, perfect hit singles, who wouldn't crave something a bit more rough, something a bit more real? These celtic rock songs were not written to be radio-friendly, they were written by real people for real people. Look at the instruments that make up this sound - fiddle (7), bagpipes, pennywhistles, mandolin - these things aren't always in tune (8). This music is not perfect. It is real.

I have a theory that, whether we know it or not, we look to our ancestors as examples of how life should be lived. Anyone with ancestors from a celtic background feel that this is the music they should be listening to, because this is how it's always been. When I think of Irish music, I don't just think of Flogging Molly - I think of my Gramma Mary, making Beef Barley soup in her kitchen, smoking a cigarette and drinking a white russian and singing "Whiskey on a Sunday". I think of my Aunt Mary (9) and Uncle Hub jigging around my kitchen, drunk at eleven (10) in the morning, singing "Wild Rover". Maybe you don't think of your immediate family, but I bet you picture a bunch of people from long ago, having a grand ol' time, and maybe you're related to them. So when I hear a Dropkick Murphy's cover of "Finnegan's Wake", I get the impluse to live it up, to eat, drink and be merry, just like my ancestors did. Because that's what you're supposed to do. That's the way it's been for ages.

Today, when I meet someone and notice that they are a Flogging Molly fan, or a Dropkick Murphys fan, I feel like I am meeting a long-lost cousin. There is such a sense of community, even family, among celtic music fans, that I believe is found in no other genre. Why, though? If I meet, say, another big O.A.R. fan... sure, you have something to talk about for a bit, something in common, but it isn't at all the same bond. Why? I think now you have to look at the lyrics of celtic music. Sure, not all of it is serious, or political, or about love, or strife, but it all seems to matter. The vocalists are so passionate about what they are singing, that you know, without a doubt, that at one point, this mattered to someone. The Irish have an awful lot to sing about too - they've dealt with some heavy shit. They've been shot at, had their land taken away, been robbed of their food, oppressed for their religion (11). They've got some rage. It comes out in the music. You know, for certain, that what they are singing about mattered. If you're Irish, it means that much more - because it was your ancestors to whom this mattered. When I hear a song about famine, I think about my ancestors that arrived in the states in 1848, because they were starving. How can you turn off a song like that?

Of course, there are the obvious reasons that one would like Celtic rock. To put it plainly, it's badass. Seriously, any of these bands could completely beat the shit out of you. Their concerts are nothing but out of control parties. At the same time, most of them are sweet guys. The dropkick murphys have written some super senisitive, super cute ballads for their wives (12). and moms. and dogs (13). Who would not want to chill with them?

I don't think of you have to be Irish (or Scottish) to appreciate this. Really, most of these bands are not even from Ireland - most are Irish American or Canadian, some Austrailian, others from all around Europe. The Irish community is becoming less of a bloodline, and more of a worldwide movement. So if you're Italian (14), Polish, whatever, you don't have to feel wierd about downloading some kickass celt rock (15). With the world getting smaller, and this "melting pot" boiling faster than ever, you might as well explore this genre.

Most of all, celtic music in general is all about having a good time, and living it up while we are alive -- something everybody can relate to. So pour yourself a Guinness, or a Corona, or whatever the hell you want, and sing along to Dropkick Murphys' cover of "Wild Rover". Don't be afraid of being out of tune - so are they.

1. Seven, actually.
2. One of which hounded me for it, and then forgot to get it from me...
3. Mr. Hillman told me I was the best ever, and then told me that he actually really wanted a CD of only Flogging Molly, "could you make me another?"
4. James.
5. For example, the dropkick murphys' song, "Kiss me, I'm Shitfaced."
6. "I Kissed a Girl". Wtf is this?
7. My new fiddle, Loretta, is awesomeeeeeeeeeee.
8. Actually, they are pretty much never, ever in tune.
9. Yes. Nearly every woman in my family is named Mary, or some form of Mary. Even me. Because we're Irish.
10. This was probably St. Patrick's Day.. or at least sometime in March.
11. Feckin' Brits!
12. Upstarts and Broken hearts... awww.
13. Echoes on "A" Street - everyone thought it was about a woman, and then they told us - it is about a dog.
14. Mignano!
15. Or, you can just ask me to burn you a mix :]