Tommy Makem

Aug. 2nd, 2007 02:42 pm
[personal profile] rm
RIP Tommy Makem.

I'm sad.

You see, I thought we were Irish until I was about nine, because we listened to the music so much at home, and when we went to Chicago when I was five, we saw the Chieftans in some divey Irish bar, and I danced and danced in that peculiar way that children (and I suppose the Irish) can be very grave about cheerful things. I remember my dress, and the stunning black-Irish gent with the cat-like face who bowed to me and taught me a bit of a jig.

And I remember seeing The Clancy Brothers tons of times with my parents, particularly a free concert, at night, at Lincoln Center, and I know I'm supposed to think it cheesy and a dreadful relic of the sixties when I look at those LP covers with the men with the neat hair, ridiculous smiles and damn cable-knit sweaters. I remember learning not to mention such things at school, and taking notes on the names of all the songs on WPLJ so I would know how much I was supposed to say I loved Duran Duran instead.

But this is what I grew up with. This is what I loved. And I still do.

Date: 2007-08-02 11:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rufus.livejournal.com
You know, I saw that headline, and immediately thought of you and the pure magic.

It was what I grew up with, too. The one time I saw them live I brought all of the old album covers and got them signed.

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