Celebrating cultural highlights of 1913...
Danny-blogging, essay 2 of 2
on the song "Danny Boy"
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the
song “Danny Boy,” here’s a tasty selection of “Danny Boy” recordings by some
favorite artists. Please
understand: This list is purely
subjective as well as limited to songs that I can easily link to via YouTube. I’m making no claims that these are “the
best.” I’m simply making a claim
that: I like them!
So here are ten versions of Danny Boy, presented in chronological order, with a
bonus track at the end:
Judy Garland: I prefer this 1940 version to the
showier version that Garland
did in 1955, also available on YouTube.
With “Danny Boy,” I tend to prefer the simpler versions, no frills
needed.
Paul Robeson: With a restrained piano accompaniment,
Robeson’s sublime bass voice conveys great depths of meaning. Proof that men don’t have to be tenors to do
“Danny Boy” right!
Harry Belafonte: Taking his time, Belafonte’s mellow
timbre lingers in the air as the last note fades. Performed at Carnegie Hall, it sounds more
like he’s sharing the song privately one-on-one, perhaps comforting a loved one.
Mahalia Jackson: Usually associated with gospel music, Jackson ’s powerful voice
searches each word for new shades of meaning.
In her hands, “Danny Boy” sounds like it was meant to be a gospel song.
The Pogues: You don’t need to be pitch perfect to do a
classic “Danny Boy.” Shane MacGowan sounds like he’s lived it and that’s
what counts.
Frank Patterson: Of all these versions, this one sounds “most
right” to me—an Irish tenor pouring his heart out in song. Pretty cool that it featured so memorably in Miller’s Crossing (1990), too!
Judy Collins: Such a beautiful voice, singing a
capella. I love the absolute silence in
the hall until the waves of applause at the end.
Johnny Cash: This is from near the end of Cash’s
life, when he was making every word count.
Sinead O’Connor: I slightly prefer this live version to O’Connor’s
recorded one. On both, she includes a political
last stanza that was inserted anonymously many years ago and has become
something of a standard over time.
Celtic Woman: When angels sing “Danny Boy”…
And the 11th bonus track...
And the 11th bonus track...
Swedish Chef, Beaker, and Animal: “Moving right along, here are three gifted
singers who have all kissed the Blarney Stone…” It’s the Leprechaun Brothers!
Reference Sources
The Danny Boy Trivia Connection by Michael Robinson
© 2013 Lee Price
