98. Shoals of Herring (Ewan MacColl)

[mahcuz]

Check out Bob Fox's version of this. Lovely song.

[sammcc102]

You're no Liam Clancy or Luke Kelly but I give this cover 9/10

[raymondcrooke]

@sammcc102 That's good enough. Thank you.

[Ambidexter143]

Good cover of an excellent song. Thank you.

[raymondcrooke]

@Ambidexter143 You're welcome. I'm glad you like it.

[storegustaf]

He was born in England by Scottish parents, so you're both right that say that he's English and that he's Scottish. :) Wonderful song, the first I heard of him, and together with Dirty Old Town my favourites.

[raymondcrooke]

@storegustaf  Both great songs, but I like most of his songs.

[00JTM]

Well done raymondcrooke, Five stars

[raymondcrooke]

Thank you. It's a great song.

[00JTM]

It sure is

[estynw]

I think if I were asked to nominate the best folk song ever written (as opposed to handed down by oral tradition) I would nominate this one.

[raymondcrooke]

It would certainly be high on the list, though, personally, I would rank "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" as number one.

[estynw]

I agree. "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" and "The Shoals of Herring" are two of the best folk songs ever written. I think "Shoals" has a better melody. But "Band" is a powerful contribution to making the world a better place.

[odinata]

Hello from Colorado, USA, and thank you.

[bloobear1]

Have a listen to the Corries version (Scots folk duo that are sadly no more).

[raymondcrooke]

The Corries version is great. I always enjoy their music.

[bloobear1]

Not bad version Ewan. Being a Scot I would like it cleared up that the shoals of herring is a Scots folk song and not an Irish song as many of our American cousins think :-)

[raymondcrooke]

Surely people would realise that Ewan MacColl is a Scottish name!

[hetrodoxly]

It''s English ( Sailing out of Yarmouth) as was Jimmy Miller, Ewan McColls reall name.

[Macangusagain]

Now let me see, Jimmie Miller , who took the name Ewan MacColl was born in Salford ( Lancashire) to Scottish parents , so English born but of Scottish blood and heritage and culture , Albainn gu brath

[hetrodoxly]

Jimmy had Scottish parents, but he was brought up in England, culturally he was English as you can tell by the style of his songs.

[Macangusagain]

and he named his children as he saw himself , in the English cultural fashion and manner also , right ???????

[hetrodoxly]

Right, right, right, what do you want me to say? i've followed him for many years, my neighbour played with him in the streets of Salford, he was very keen to keep English folk going strong, he wrote and sang in the English style, right, right, right.

[ikeano29]

he didnt sing in english style alone. if he wrote a scottish song he sang in a scottish accent and same is true of irish songs. he considered himself scottish by the way.

[hetrodoxly]

He had a Lancashire accent, you say he put on a Scottish one? where do you get he "considered himself scottish" from? not that it matters some of my favourite folk singers are Scottish, it's just that jimmy loved his Lancashire roots.

[ikeano29]

yea, your right, i love the manchester rambler. you just have to listen to many scotish songs he sang, i cant think of many right now by name but elgin knight would be one and his irish accent for the galway races, paddy works on the railway. lots of british folk singers put on an accent as a mark of respect. luck kelly has done it too, most have.

[gaconnochie]

@hetrodoxly Mind it is quite possible to consider yourself both Scottish and English :-) Ewan seems to have been proud of his Scottish roots as well as his English birthplace and home. He did sing a lot of old Scottish ballads etc in a Scottish accent though obviously his natural accent would be a northern English one. 

[gaspode18]

@bloobear1 As the song is based on the life of Sam Larner who sailed out of Yarmouth all his career, I think it's fair to call this an English song.

[bloobear1]

@gaspode18 Whatever!

[speckspeck]

bad reflections of the wall s of that little room but otherwise a good rendition all around as much as i can tell

[raymondcrooke]

That's one of the disadvantages of living in Hong Kong. Not much choice of backgrounds in these little apartments. Thanks for your comment.

[dubb1995]

I think this a fine version, but the only version that really counts, for me anyway, is Luke Kelly's. His voice was like nothing i've ever heard and had a very, very rare power.

[2mins2midnight]

nice work ray, thanks.

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks for favouriting it - and subscribing.

[jreinke4]

another great tune on the pipes!!!

[kojak543]

Fantastic, you do Luke and Ewan justice. God speed to you

[DecemberGuy]

Awesome rendition!

[UbiDuboi]

this guy is so good

[sammcc102]

can i be honest- i have listened to a lot of your songs, you sing much better than me, but, you have murdered many good songs- but, on this you are as good as anyone very very well done

[UbiDuboi]

he has killed an awful lot of good music, but some of this stuff is the really good

[AlOTheHub]

Good one!

[AGACANNA]

Your up there with Liam Clancy and Luke Kelly's versions.

[whummadug]

buddy, i have listened to so much of your stuff, if you are ever in Halifax..., i drinks the barley broth and I would love to harmonize with you.

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks. I may take you up on that some time.

[whummadug]

dammit, i just adore you

[whummadug]

damn yer good, i think i like this better than luke kelly

[frizzell31]

Loved it man. Good Job!

[raymondcrooke]

Sorry to murder such a great song for you, but I had to try it. Let's hope someone can put up the original Ewan Macoll version.

[astronomerroyal]

Your vigour was greatly appreciated. I have just posted Ewan's original audio recording: "shoals of Herring. ewan maccoll"

[hawkeye983]

This is one of my favourite ballads.......and you've murdered it.......sorry

[simmo303]

I don't agree, this is a very fair effort; true EM is great. See also 'The first time ever I saw your face' - must be one of the finest pieces.