This Weekend I’ll Mostly Be Listening to… Ronan Keating Butchering Songs October 23, 2021
Posted by irishelectionliterature in This Weekend I'll Mostly Be Listening to....trackback
Why do a cover of a song?
It’s a song that deserves a wider audience.
It’s a song that can be reinterpreted.
It’s a semi parody, often bands will play a tune almost to mock themselves.
Songwriter sent you the song.
A song you know you can make your own.
A song you figure you can do better.
You’re a wedding band …. or you are Ronan Keating.
Why all this you ask? Well there’s been some awful news recently in the area of Cover versions. ….. Ronan Keating is set to release an album of cover versions of famous Irish songs
Tracklist: Raglan Road, Into The Mystic, Where The Streets Have No Name, The Voyage, The Island, Summer In Dublin, Guiding Light, No Frontiers, The Blower’s Daughter, The Parting Glass, Heyday, Set In Stone.
It’s going to be horrendous ,… you really have to wonder why?
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
You really have to wonder why?
Call me a cynic but I suggest:
▪️ Ronan loves himself;
▪️ Ronan fancies himself as a cultural icon;
▪️ Ronan wants to cash in on his new profile as a BBC TV presenter on The One Show and milk that teatime audience;
▪️ ‘Official Ireland’ will plug it to death, as will the Middle of the Road BBC circuit;
▪️ Boosts the bank balance.
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In fairness he’s doing his best. There are people who should know better, and have done worse – https://youtu.be/7vPrtOFKPWY
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Well that’s the signs of hope thread counter-acted for the week 😉
While we’re on the ruination of folk songs, I discovered recently that Alan Price did a version of Trimdon Grange Explosion, which is about the most tone-deaf thing I’ve ever heard. Imagine thinking this was a good way to tackle a song about the deaths of dozens of people in a mining disaster?
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Perhaps the intention was a well-intentioned one in bringing a folk song about a mining disaster to a wider audience but it is a curious evocation, especially with that tinkly piano solo (and that ending).
Nevertheless, appreciate this post.
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Been working a lot of off hours and over time. Today is no exception. So while still waking up at 3:30 I looked at this with cognitive dissonance and thought, “oh songs about butchering, this should be interesting”.
🤦🏼♂️
I need my coffee.
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Plenty of butchers in the folk canon, but the songs tend to dwell on their romantic and sexual exploits more than their day job 🙂
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Fast forward to 29 seconds.
I think this about covers your point.
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FYI I love Harry Chapin
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Raglan Road???? No, please spare us. Sacrilege doesn’t even begin to describe the horrors.
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