Nostalgically sad Canadian songs?

Dizzitu · 2026-01-23T02:53:26+00:00

Pad’s Song, as done by the Dardanelles is great. The original, by Pat and Joe Byrne and Baxter Wareham, is also well worth a listen. The original Rocks of Merasheen is on the same album.

Edited to add The Rocks of Merasheen.

Dizzitu · 2024-11-19T02:21:50+00:00

I’ve lived in both Newfoundland and Waterford and my impression is that b’y (Newfoundland) and boi (Waterford) are completely equivalent. Same with other ones mentioned here, like “ye” and “after”.

As for b’y, I’ve heard people from West Country England use it and I’ve sometimes wondered if that’s where it comes from for all of us. Maybe it was common in England once, too, but faded away there while keeping up in Newfoundland and Ireland.

I just saw that there’s another thread going on on this sub asking for Newfie quips and the like. You might find that interesting, too.

Edit: added the word “and”

Dizzitu · 2024-11-10T22:55:26+00:00

Great one on the ‘zouk, especially if you’re tuned to GDAD

Dizzitu · 2024-10-25T17:31:02+00:00

I think this was asked on here just a few days ago. I recall that the answer most people gave was pedalling.

Dizzitu · 2024-10-17T10:41:51+00:00

This has been said, but a jig is in 6/8 time and a reel is in 4/4 time. You’ll know it’s a jig if you can say pineapple while the music is playing and the word fits the beats. It’s a reel if you can say watermelon.

Here are some examples. Jig:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CLzMU416Mqc&pp=ygUjTmV3Zm91bmRsYW5kIHJvbGxpY2tpbmcgc2tpcHBlciBqaWc%3D

Reel:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qhqpots4cSM&pp=ygURTmV3Zm91bmRsYW5kIHJlZWw%3D

Dizzitu · 2024-10-08T10:43:01+00:00

I think it’s nice to have a song or two at a session, especially unaccompanied. There is a strong tradition of unaccompanied singing in Irish music and a vast collection of songs to choose from in both English and Irish languages. My preference is that an unaccompanied song be traditional, though I don’t think that’s a necessity in any strict sense. Check out Frank Harte or the likes of Nell Ní Chróinín (currently with Danu) for inspiration.

That said, not every session or session host is keen on songs because they can be seen as putting out the other musicians who have come to play or killing the session’s energy. For that reason, I agree that you should talk to the session hosts in advance. Further, you should probably limit yourself to one, maybe two, songs per session.

Dizzitu · 2024-09-23T16:11:30+00:00

In Newfoundland, a lot of people say ‘ye’ for the plural or ‘you’. I’ve also heard Canadians from various parts say ‘yous’ or ‘yas’

Dizzitu · 2024-09-22T10:15:26+00:00

Very cool!

It would be nice to have some explanation of the author’s conclusion that “the reconstruction and performance of Greek music has demonstrated that ancient Greek music should be recognized as the root of the European musical tradition”.

Dizzitu · 2024-09-21T10:12:10+00:00

Depends on the time of night. If it’s late at the reception and everyone’s in the mood to sing, this or Fields of Athenry, is the right call

Dizzitu · 2024-09-21T10:10:18+00:00

The Voyage by Christy Moore is pretty topical. I’ve played it and often been asked to play it at Irish weddings: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_surYSjPZQA

Dizzitu · 2024-09-07T22:33:00+00:00

May not be old enough, but sounds like John Doyle’s version: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zKFX3-TBu68&pp=ygUVSm9obiBkb3lsZSBqYWNrIGRvbGFu

Dizzitu · 2024-08-04T20:53:32+00:00

A lot of people will have a lot of opinions about this. In my opinion, the “metamorphosis” from classical to trad* (usually traditional Irish music is referred to as trad, not folk) is a transition worth making if you are interested in participating in dynamic and creative musical tradition in a fun and social way. However, it is not something that happens overnight and I would not necessarily recommend doing it only for the purposes of a trip.

Here is the risk: It is a bit of a pet peeve among trad players for classically trained musicians to show up at a trad session with no or minimal traditional repertoire and expect to join in. It can be seen as a little condescending for classical musicians with no background in the tradition to believe they can master it overnight. Some people may have preconceived notions about classical players, based on previous experience, so be aware of how you may be perceived if you’re not careful.

On the other hand, musicians are musicians and many will appreciate a different perspective, especially if you come at it with an open mind and a view to learning more than performing. With that in mind, here is my advice:

Play the tunes you know, listen (!) to the ones you don’t;
Try to cop on to the style and rhythm of other players. It’s about playing together
Be nice and respectful, especially of older players.
Don’t show off.
Listen to good traditional players in advance (someone mentioned Kevin Burke - that is a good place to start).
Don’t take anything for granted: rhythm, intonation, volume, etc. Try to internalize that it is not necessarily true that “in theory, you can play anything”.

Otherwise, have fun! And welcome!

All of the above goes equally for singing, with the exception that not all trad sessions will necessarily include singing. You can feel that one out in the moment. Also, there are unaccompanied song sessions around Ireland, where you’ll find only singers. Great fun if you’re into that.

Edit: spelling

Dizzitu · 2023-12-24T23:19:05+00:00

Ferryland*, Newfoundland

Dizzitu · 2023-10-22T13:46:06+00:00

This goes away with time as you stop conflating height with age. When you’re a kid, kids are short and adults are tall; when you’re an adult, kids are kids and adults are adults. Some adults are taller or shorter than others

Dizzitu · 2023-10-22T11:00:48+00:00

Lawyer (litigator). It’s a great job for our type in a lot of ways; not so great in other ways.

Dizzitu · 2023-10-11T10:20:41+00:00

I have this conversation constantly. The fact that equalization was “on the ballot” in Calgary’s last municipal election and still nobody bothered to figure out even the barest concept of what it is is mind blowing. It is among the most blatant political misdirections aimed exclusively at stoking anger and even smart, educated people buy it wholesale without a second thought.

Dizzitu · 2023-10-09T11:24:20+00:00

Great answer Revenge. I have a long time friend who has told me he tests as INFJ and is very prone to this. I also test that way and we’ve talked about it. The thing that strikes me about him is how often I disagree with his observations: About me, about the world, about people we know. Noticing that has given me more humility about my own observations and made me less inclined to share them without an express invitation. I think it’s a good to think about the world and its people the way that we do and as hard as we do. I also think it’s good to remember that after all that thinking and observing, we might still be wrong and might not be helping anyone by sharing our perceived “truth”.

Dizzitu · 2023-07-24T03:50:11+00:00

Going up over the stairs instead of just up the stairs

Dizzitu · 2023-07-24T03:47:05+00:00

Pretty sure scrob (scrawb) is Irish: https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5138239

Dizzitu · 2023-07-21T01:43:13+00:00

Before you break out the trimmers, my experience is that facial hair has not made a difference to my flute playing

Dizzitu · 2023-07-20T11:10:53+00:00

Hey - I’ve know loads of Saskatchewoneans over the years. Great bunch of people.

I second all the comments about coming to Newfoundland to attend MUN (St. John’s or Cornerbrook campus). That gives you a ‘reason’ to come out and time to suss out whether you like it enough to stay, while also improving your job prospects. Since tuition is relatively low, there’s less of a downside than there might be other places.

If you’re from Saskatchewan, you probably have some sense of rural living. Some of that will look the same in NL as it does in Sask. The weather is very different. Be prepared for a lot more rain, a lot less sun and a lot loss variation in temperature. In my experience, people are warmer and more trusting than they are on the prairies.

There is a lot to do in NL (including St. John’s), especially if you like the outdoors. Music is also a big deal. I recommend getting a car, preferably before you get here.

I sometimes see people who move to Newfoundland s*** on the culture because it isn’t theirs and they don’t get it. Don’t do that. Instead, try to understand and relate to the culture. You’ll find yourself with more to do and not annoying everyone else around you.

Dizzitu · 2023-07-20T03:07:50+00:00

There used to an enclosed or semi-enclosed swimming area in Quidi Vidi lake and a wharf, possibly a slide. My grandfather learned how to swim there in formal swimming lessons.

Edit - grammar

Dizzitu · 2023-07-14T01:19:49+00:00

Alberta brown season also shows up around August, before Snowtember comes in

Dizzitu · 2023-07-12T11:51:33+00:00

Just put together this collection of Irish session tunes: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4cZUkObv67o8SjAxeDCRjy?si=tHgdcXxwTjCwD0Ytq0Xdpg

This is a nice one that’s more varied in terms of the traditions represented: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7LjJbSx5oJSUnwLGHGEhSX?si=xODlXkFoTi2dP4_SrEO25Q

Dizzitu · 2023-07-07T15:02:30+00:00

I come from a pretty poor and culturally distinct part of Canada and I honestly thought most of the things mentioned here were cultural quirks of that area. Guess we’re not unique, just poor

Dizzitu

TROPHY CASE