Whiskey in the Jar
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- February
- 11
Rob Arrow’s “Ten at Ten” feature on 107.1-FM, (The Peak) is one of the few radio gems of Westchester. Every day, Arrow picks 10 songs from any given year and plays them without commercial interruption.
The best thing about it is that along with familiar hits he makes a point of selecting stuff that for all the wrong reasons rarely, if ever, gets played anymore. The other day, Arrow highlighed 10 songs from 1972.
And true to form, he picked one great tune that I hadn’t heard in 37 years—Thin Lizzy’s version of “Whiskey in the Jar,” a rock version of a familiar old Irish song. (Numerous artists have recorded it.) Don’t let the big hair and goofy ‘70s garb put you off.
The lyrics aren’t exactly uplifting; the song is about drinking, thievery and a lover’s betrayal. Perfect for Valentine’s Day and for whatever else ails you.
Musha rig um du rum da, / Whack fol the daddy O
Yeah, that about sums everything up.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 9:44 am by Phil Reisman.
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Phil Reisman is a veteran journalist and native of Westchester County. He began his career in 1977 as the head copy boy of a startup New York City newspaper that quickly went belly up. Reisman was not to blame for the newspaper's failure, or so he claims.
‘Stand and deliver, for I am a bold deceiver!’ Great memories, Phil. Got to love the Roger McGuinn/Tommy Makem presentation. Twelve string guitar, ethereal semi-falsetto and brawny base. Good old Tommy with his Aran sweater. ‘Isn’t it Grand, Boys, to be Bloody- Well Dead?’
Makem, Ed…wonderful!
And don’t forget the Grateful Dead’s version. Fantastic!!!!