between 1845 and 1850 there was a potato blight in Ireland. As this was the main food for the
Irish people, the end result was a million folk dying of starvation and a further million leaving their country to live in America.This song was written about three years ago to remember them.The singer Pete Kelly sings with an Irish group
HI Katie,
Thank you so much for your feedback.Really glad you liked the song as I was wary of posting an Irish folk song on a mainly country site but it shows that decent music can be enjoyed in any form doesn`t it?
September 11, 2017
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Hi, Barry! Thanks for sharing your song. Cool idea for your song. It’s terribly tragic. And that leads me to a couple possible changes. The melody feels maybe kinda melancholy, where I think it should feel really sad. Your kids died, after all.
I’d also consider removing the past tense- put the singer the potato famine RIGHT NOW. That will add much more immediacy, emotional impact, and drama to the song. As it stands, from the very beginning, we know it’s all in the past, and there’s no tension built around a certain story. We kinda know how it ends from the very beginning of the story. And I wish there were more “I wonder what’s going to happen” to this song.
Hope that helps. There’s definitely some good work here. Please pay it forward by leaving a comment on another writer’s song. Thanks!
October 14, 2017
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HI Brent, thank you for the suggestions, I will definitely have another look at other possibilities for the song.
October 15, 2017
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I love the song.
I do think Brent has some good advice though on making it more in the moment. I think it would be easier to follow that way too.
Great job!
October 20, 2017
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HI Graham, many thanks for your views.One day I will try and write it in a present tense as you both suggest.
Regards Barry
October 20, 2017
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NOTHING TO SHARE
I THINK OF THOSE DAYS GONE BY
INSIDE MY HEAD I CRY
POWERLESS TO HELP AS IT`S ALL DONE NOW
THE ACHES OF OUR PAST STILL HERE
MINGLING WITH OUR PRESENT YEARS
REMEMBER WE DO AS WE MOVE ON SOMEHOW
WHERE WERE OUR FRIENDS THOSE DAYS
ALL WE HAD WAS A MAN WHO SAYS
THERE ISN`T ANYMORE FOR YOURSELVES AND YOUR KIDS
WHO COULD WE ASK FOR AID
WHEN OUR CHILDREN WERE BEING LAID
IN OUR ISLANDS VIRGIN SOIL AS WE CLOSED DOWN THE LIDS
PLEASE CAN YOU LISTEN TO US NOW
IS THERE, ANYONE, TO HELP US NOW
WE DON`T WANT TO MAKE A FUSS NOW
JUST FEED OUR KIDS NOW
ONE POTATO TWO POTATO THREE POTATO FOUR
THAT`S ALL THERE IS LADS.....THERE IS NO MORE ( X2)
HOW WE STRUGGLED TO SURVIVE
TRYING TO KEEP OUR FOLK ALIVE
THE END CAME JUST THE SAME
AS WE LOOKED UP TO THE SKIES
POWERLESS TO HELP THOSE DAYS
UNDERSTANDING WAS A FOGGY HAZE
WE WERE GOING MAD AS WE CLOSED OUR KIDS EYES
THAT`S ALL THERE IS MY BOYS
AS WE PICKED UP THOSE DISCARDED TOYS
TO CARRY ON AS BEST WE COULhttp://basca.org.uk/D
WE HAD NO CHOICE
THE CROP WAS TAINTED ACROSS OUR LAND
GOOD PEOPLE GONE WHO MADE A STAND
AND FINISHED WITH NO FUTURE... AND NO AUDIBLE VOICE
WHY DIDN`T YOU LISTEN TO US THEN
WE JUST WANTED SOME HELP THEN
DIDN`T WANT TO MAKE A FUSS THEN
JUST FEED OUR KIDS THEN
ONE POTATO TWO POTATO THREE POTATO FOUR
THAT`S ALL THERE IS LADS...THERE IS NO MORE (X2)
POTATO`S ARE OUR LEGACY
A HOLE IN IRISH HISTORY
TO US NOW IT`S OBVIOUS...THE ANSWERS WERE THERE
INFORMATION WE HAVE TODAY
WON`T MAKE THE PAST GO AWAY
SO ALL WE DO IS REMEMBER WHEN ..THERE WAS NOTHING TO SHARE
CAN WE REMEMBER THEM SOMEHOW
AS WE LOOK AT HISTORY NOW
WHILE INSIDE OUR HEADS WE CRY
AT DAYS GONE BY
OH ..ONE POTATO TWO POTATO THREE POTATO FOUR
THAT`S ALL THERE IS LADS...THERE IS NO MORE
ONE POTATO TWO POTATO THREE POTATO FOUR
THAT`S ALL THERE IS LADS...THERE IS NO MORE (X6 THEN FADE OUT)
0
Hey Barry!
I really like the arrangement you have for this song. I like how it’s a single voice the whole way through other than the refrain. Also, I like how you added a harmonica in part way through rather than having it played throughout. It gives a little more variety to the piece.
Great job!
September 10, 2017
0
HI Katie,
Thank you so much for your feedback.Really glad you liked the song as I was wary of posting an Irish folk song on a mainly country site but it shows that decent music can be enjoyed in any form doesn`t it?
September 11, 2017
0
Hi, Barry! Thanks for sharing your song. Cool idea for your song. It’s terribly tragic. And that leads me to a couple possible changes. The melody feels maybe kinda melancholy, where I think it should feel really sad. Your kids died, after all.
I’d also consider removing the past tense- put the singer the potato famine RIGHT NOW. That will add much more immediacy, emotional impact, and drama to the song. As it stands, from the very beginning, we know it’s all in the past, and there’s no tension built around a certain story. We kinda know how it ends from the very beginning of the story. And I wish there were more “I wonder what’s going to happen” to this song.
Hope that helps. There’s definitely some good work here. Please pay it forward by leaving a comment on another writer’s song. Thanks!
October 14, 2017
0
HI Brent, thank you for the suggestions, I will definitely have another look at other possibilities for the song.
October 15, 2017
0
I love the song.
I do think Brent has some good advice though on making it more in the moment. I think it would be easier to follow that way too.
Great job!
October 20, 2017
0
HI Graham, many thanks for your views.One day I will try and write it in a present tense as you both suggest.
Regards Barry
October 20, 2017
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Katie Fee
Hey Barry!
I really like the arrangement you have for this song. I like how it’s a single voice the whole way through other than the refrain. Also, I like how you added a harmonica in part way through rather than having it played throughout. It gives a little more variety to the piece.
Great job!
September 10, 2017
No members have liked this comment.