"Danny Boy" is an Irish folk song with lyrics written by English lawyerFrederic Weatherly in 1910, and set to the traditional Irish melody of "Londonderry Air" in 1913.
1940 recording by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra on RCA Bluebird, B-10612-B
In 1910, inBath,Somerset, England, the English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly initially wrote thewords of "Danny Boy" to a tune other than "Londonderry Air". One story is that his sister-in-law Margaret Enright Weatherly (known as "Jess") sent him a copy of "Londonderry Air" in 1913, and Weatherly modified the lyrics of "Danny Boy" to fit itsrhyme andmeter.[1][2] A different story has Jess singing theair to Weatherly in 1912 with different lyrics. Yet another story is that Frederic did not set the poem to any tune, but that, in 1913, Margaret, who, with her husband Edward Weatherly, was living at the Neosho mine nearOuray, Colorado, in the US, set it to the "Londonderry Air", which she had heard as a child inCalifornia played by her father and other Irish railway workers.[3]
Weatherly gave the song to the vocalistElsie Griffin, who made it one of the most popular songs of the new century.Ernestine Schumann-Heink produced the first recording of "Danny Boy" in 1915.
Jane Ross ofLimavady is credited with collecting the melody of "Londonderry Air" in the mid-19th century from a musician she encountered.[4]
Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountain side. The summer's gone, and all the roses falling, It's you, it's you must go and I must bide. But come ye back when summer's in the meadow, Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow, It's I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow,— Oh, Danny boy, Oh Danny boy, I love you so!
But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying, If I am dead, as dead I well may be, Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying, And kneel and say anAvé there for me. And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me, And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be, For you will bend and tell me that you love me, And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!
There are various conjectures about the meaning of "Danny Boy".[6] Some interpret the song to be a message from a parent to a son going off to war.
The 1918 version of the sheet music with Weatherly's printed signature included alternative lyrics ("Eily Dear"), with the instructions that "when sung by a man, the words in italic should be used; the song then becomes "Eily Dear", so that "Danny Boy" is only to be sung by a lady". Nonetheless, it is unclear whether this was Weatherly's intent,[7] and it is common practice for exactly the same lyrics to be used when sung by both women and men.
1940Judy Garland for the soundtrack of theMGM musical-comedy filmLittle Nellie Kelly. Garland also sang it live at her concerts in Ireland and Scotland and most famously at her 1951 debut at thePalace Theatre in New York City.
1950Al Hibbler released a single that rose to No. 9 on the US R&B chart.[14]
1957Harry Belafonte sang the song live on the album "An Evening with Harry Belafonte", where he began the song with a spoken recitative, before singing the two verses. He repeated the second half of the first verse the second time around. The recitative goes:
The Time, a time of strife. The Place, the place is Ireland. And as Irish legend had it, as the last rose of Summer fell, and all the young men of Ireland were to gather to strike a blow For Ireland's Freedom and Ireland's Liberty, There were songs for those who stayed at home, and songs for those who went away, and all of Ireland was sad.
Belafonte modified the lyrics in significant ways. At the end of the first set of lyrics, he changed "I love you so" to "I'll miss you so" His changes to the second set of lyrics were more substantial: "But if you fall as all the flowers are dying; and you are dead as dead you well may be; I'll come and find the place where you are lying; and kneel and pray and Ave there for thee." He then repeats the second half of the first set of lyrics as noted above, starting with "But come ye back . . ." and this time finishes it with "I love you so." These changes made it more explicitly an anti-war message.
1993Shining Time Station used the song, performed by Rory Dodd, in the episode "Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin"
1993Sinéad O'Connor sang the song acapella on the Christmas Eve broadcast ofThe Late Late Show. This rendition had an added verse which goes "But if I live, and should you die for Ireland. Let not your dying thoughts be just of me. But say a prayer to God for our dear sireland. I know she'll hear and help to set her free."[23]
1994Roger Whittaker, as the title track of aCDDanny Boy and other Irish favorites
1997Riot recorded an instrumental version in their "Inishmore Trilogy" closing the namesakeInishmore album
1998Sinéad O'Connor sang the song overDavy Spillane'suilleann pipes on Spillane's albumThe Sea of Dreams. This rendition has the added verse from the 1993 Christmas acapella as well as another added verse which goes "And I will take your pike and place my dearest. And strike a blow, though weak the blow may be. Twill help the cause, to which your heart was nearest. Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so."[24] Actor-filmmakerGabriel Byrne said this version is his favourite.[7]
The full text ofDanny Boy at Wikisource
Songbook/Danny Boy at Wikibooks
Media related toDanny Boy (song) at Wikimedia Commons
