Paddy Works On The Railway & Sam Hall

A quick word about strings. As a guitarist I was never much of a string-snob. Like all right-minded individuals, when purchasing a new instrument I changed from factory strings to a decent set of the right gauge strings, but never found a significant enough difference in sound quality between a £7 set and a £15 set to bother with the expensive ones. Hence, I never paid much attention to the string debates on Ukulele Underground and other uke forums - plus, the availability of uke strings near me is limited to whatever the shop has in stock.

However, some months ago I bought a set of concert Aquillas for under a fiver but only got around to putting them on this weekend. I put them on my least favourite Ashbury Concert uke as it has a dead sound with very little depth or richness to it so I thought Id treat it to some better strings - Also, my other Ashbury Concert has had a recent string change.

Surprise, surprise! It has made a hell of a difference. A much brighter and livelier tone (though still little depth) and a vast improvement - I shall now pay attention to the incredibly dull, though, clearly, useful, string discussions on UU.

THE SONGS

I chose these two songs to test the new strings for no other reason than that they are nice picking songs that need a clear tone to the accompanying instrument - so a good test. The two songs have nothing in common with each other except that they both appear in vol.2 of the brilliant Folksongs and Ballads Popular In Ireland series of books by Ossian Publications - a must have set for anyone wanting to learn great folk songs.

Paddy Works On The Railway is actually an American song that travelled with the Irish Navvy throughout the States wherever their services were required and alternate versions have Paddy working on the Subway and The Hoover (Dam). There is also a version with a different tune called The Erie Canal or Paddy Works on the Erie. The tune used here is from a sea shanty that possibly originated in the North East of England but is now rarely heard except as the air to Paddy.

Sam Hall is a CW Ross music hall number from the mid 19th century and relates the tale of Sam Hall as he is sent to the gallows to be hanged for burglary. It is based on the chimney sweep, Jack Hall who was hanged for that same crime in 1701.

As you know, I like to keep things nice and cheery.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Paddy
• Works
• On
• The
• Railway
• Sam
• Hall
• irish
• folk
• ukulele
• ukelele
• uke
• aquilla
• strings
• ossian
• publications

[rightonpard]

Superb, I am a big fan of the Dubliners version of Paddy works on the railway, I'll have to dig my LP out and have a listen.

[casetone2514]

Thanks

To my shame, I do not own a single Dubliners record. I must remedy that.

[mctrmt]

Lovely picking!

it's amazing what a nice set of strings will do! My husband is partial to Aquilas, but can't decide whether I like them or Worths better.

[casetone2514]

Thanks M-A

Does your hubby have a YT channel?

[JTPokie]

Nicely done!

[casetone2514]

Cheers JT

[Ukelectic]

Have the self same songbooks so great to hear someone working them for the uke....fine work..unlikely I will match it!!

[CelticthunderRules]

man ur great keep going dude wanna hear more from u

[mctrmt]

He does, but he hasn't posted any of his own uke stuff on it yet (there's documentation of some of his installations and a Cedar Tavern Singers performance)- his username is dhoffos.

[casetone2514]

Thanks a lot