FRANK HARTE: THE HUNGRY VOICE - THE SONG LEGACY OF IRELAND'S GREAT HUNGER
Frank Harte: vocals
Donal Lunny: bouzouki, guitar
Frank Harte confirms once again his status as one of Ireland's foremost ballad singers with this new album of songs dealing with the Great Famine. Like with his two previous recordings, "1798 The First Year of Liberty" and "My Name is Napoleon Bonaparte," Harte, with Donal Lunny providing effective accompaniments on some of the tracks, tackles this most important and tragic aspect of Irish history and the related topic of Irish emigration with the same great combination of artistry and comprehensive documentation. In fact, the companion booklet, which contains extensive historical notes as well as full lyrics of all the songs, has become so thick it is difficult to put it back underneath the little plastic tabs of the jewel case without fraying the cover. A small price to pay, to be sure, for the motherload of information within. Some of the songs, of course, are fairly well known, standards like "Skibbereen" or "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore" for instance, but Harte also includes some lesser known gems like "Sailing Off to the Yankee Land." The concluding "City of Chicago" is a lovely contemporary song penned by Luka Bloom (Barry Moore) which, despite its newer vintage, fits very nicely and appropriately with the rest of the collection. Frank, you've done it again....
Rating: **** 1/2
Price: $23.99 Recommended
Contents:
1. Skibbereen
2. Edward Connors
3. Sailing off to the Yankee Land
4. Pat Maguire
5. The Green Fields of America
6. Erin's Lovely Home
7. Poor Pat Must Emigrate
8. The Shamrock Shore
9. By the Hush
10. Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore
11. No Irish Need Apply
12. Rigged Out
13. Lone Shanakyle
14. Thousands are Sailing to America
15. Lough Sheelin Side
16. My Own Dear Galway Bay
17. City of Chicago
