Friday 25 January 2019

The United Kingdom of Song #16: Derry



Across the sea to Northern Ireland today, to Londonderry, or Derry to its inhabitants, birthplace of the Undertones, That Petrol Emotion and D:Ream (but not their famous keyboard player, who came from Oldham).


Derry crops up in any number of popular songs, not least as the tune to Danny Boy: The Londonderry Air.


Lyrical mentions include The Streets of Derry by Shirley Collins, David Allan Coe's Crazy Mary and a song from Finean's Rinbow, How Are Things In Glocca Morra, which appears to have been recorded by everybody and their dog... but here's Babs doing it, because you can't go wrong with Babs.


This week's selection comes from another famous Derry resident though... Mr. Neil Hannon.


I was born in Londonderry
I was born in Derry City too
Oh what a special child
To see such things and still to smile
I know that there was something wrong
But I kept my head down and carried on



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