I Sang Through the Fairs - The Alan Lomax Portait Series *

Rating

Album: I Sang Through the Fairs - The Alan Lomax Portait Series *
#	Song Title	Time
1)	My Lagan Love
2)	Factory Girl, The
3)	Me Mother Is Dying
4)	Galway Shawl, The
5)	Breakdown
6)	Keening, Diddling, And Lullabies
7)	She Moved Through the Fair (Our Wedding Day)
8)	I Sang Through the Fairs
9)	Blarney Stone, The
10)	Moses Ritoora-Li-Ay
11)	Let Mr. Maguire Sit Down
12)	Bard of Armagh, The
13)	Bally Jamesduff
14)	Eilleen Mcmahon / Green Grow The Rushes
15)	Her Mantle So Green
16)	Going to Mass Last Sunday
17)	Lovin' Hannah
18)	Gra Machree
19)	Flower of Sweet Strabane, The
20)	When You're Fond of Music
21)	She Moved Through the Fair - (long version)
22)	And There's Music Coming Into My Head
23)	Strayway Child, The
24)	Her Mantle So Green

Album: I Sang Through the Fairs - The Alan Lomax Portait Series *
#	Song Title	Time
1)	My Lagan Love
2)	Factory Girl, The
3)	Me Mother Is Dying
4)	Galway Shawl, The
5)	Breakdown
6)	Keening, Diddling, And Lullabies
7)	She Moved Through the Fair (Our Wedding Day)
8)	I Sang Through the Fairs
9)	Blarney Stone, The
10)	Moses Ritoora-Li-Ay
11)	Let Mr. Maguire Sit Down
12)	Bard of Armagh, The
13)	Bally Jamesduff
14)	Eilleen Mcmahon / Green Grow The Rushes
15)	Her Mantle So Green
16)	Going to Mass Last Sunday
17)	Lovin' Hannah
18)	Gra Machree
19)	Flower of Sweet Strabane, The
20)	When You're Fond of Music
21)	She Moved Through the Fair - (long version)
22)	And There's Music Coming Into My Head
23)	Strayway Child, The
24)	Her Mantle So Green

Performer Notes

I SANG THROUGH THE FAIRS includes recorded interviews as well as songs.
Solo performer: Margaret Barry (vocals, banjo).
Compilation producers: Anna Lomax Chairetakis, Jeffrey A. Greenberg.
This is part of Rounder's Alan Lomax Collection series.
Part of the Alan Lomax Portrait Series, this volume is devoted to Irish street singer Margaret Barry, whom Lomax recorded in London, England in 1953. Her high, keening voice and percussive banjo work are featured here on 20 traditional Irish tunes, both vocal and instrumental, being augmented on some by her long time accompanist, fiddler Michael Gorman. Highlights include "Let Maguire Sit Down," "Breakdown," "Me Mother Is Dying," "Bally Jamesduff," two versions of "Her Mantle So Green" and the title track. There are also four interview segments between her and Lomax that gives illumination to the source of many of her songs and her strong feelings about them. An excellent entry into this important series. ~ Cub Koda

Professional Reviews

The Wire (12/00, pp.34-6) - "...Completely fascinating....[She] is one of the finest singers of the 20th century....[this disc] comprises solo recordings of Barry by Alan Lomax in 1953 and 1958, and by Peter Kennedy in 1952..."

Dirty Linen (6-7/99, pp.56-7) - "...Barry's music is suited to the Irish fairgrounds and sporting arenas and the noisy London pubs and parties where she performed....this [is] a good reference work as well as a classic of modern Irish music..."