Can't Help Falling (Ceili version) ...... Lick the Tins

Can't Help Falling in Love sung by Lick the Tins from the album Blind Man on a Flying Horse. Extract from sleeve notes ....
In 1986, a quartet from London scored their one and only hit with a clever cover version of a song associated with Elvis Presley, Can't Help Falling in Love. Presley's version sold a million and was a US top 3 hit in January 1962 and reached Number One in the UK. 24 years later, the exceptional cover version by Lick the Tins didn't do quite as well as that, although it spent two months in the UK singles chart, but then Lick the Tins were almost unknown before the single was released, and returned to anonymity not long afterwards. This is their story, and this album features (almost) their entire output.

Drummer Simon Ryan was living in Kilburn, North West London, when he re-met singer/ songwriter/ guitarist Ronan Heenan, with whom he had played in an earlier group, The Almost Brothers. This very obscure combo released a 1980 single, You'll Never Make It, which remarkably made the all-important Radio One play list, but the group folded soon afterwards. Ryan also got to know a friend of Heenan's, Alison Marr - both she and Heenan came from Northern Ireland, where he had trained as a veterinary surgeon, and she as a reporter before they moved to London. Ryan was a graphic designer, who worked in the art department of Stiff Records. Alison Marr also played penny whistle, and was a devotee of traditional Irish folk music, while Ronan Heenan was more influenced by rock and blues. They were intent on combining the two traditions, an example of which was their version of Can't Help Falling in Love - when Simon Ryan heard Alison singing a Celtic version of the song, with Ronan on guitar and with Alison's penny whistle, he was intrigued and suggested they record it, as it sounded quite interesting. The trio made a demo of this song in a rehearsal studio, and Simon Ryan played it to colleagues at Stiff who told him that he should not consider giving up his day job, and should get on with designing sleeves.
Today, Simon Ryan again works as a freelance sleeve designer—the front of this album's sleeve is his work. Aidan McCroary has returned to the legal profession, although he is still recording music on his home studio. Alison Marr has just given birth to twin sons. Simon Ryan thinks it's sad that Ronan and Alison no longer play together: "Ronan's a very good songwriter and en exceptional musician, who was very serious—nothing he did was a throwaway—as was Alison. Their blend of rock & Irish was unique, like their version of Hendrix' Hey Joe". Simon is now in a new band, as yet unnamed, while Ronan is rehearsing with his younger brother with a view to playing a more blues-oriented style of music.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• can't
• help
• falling
• love
• lick
• tins
• some
• kind
• wonderful
• snapper
• soundtrack

[u7urtp]

I have the short version of this song, but where can I find the extended version for download?

[mkearley49]

Both the long and the short version are on the CD on the second slide of the video. It is called Blind Man on a Flying Horse.

[agnesrubinat]

por fin te encuentro, despues de años de busqueda, eres la cancion perfecta

[marky12308]

I've totally fallen in love with this song.....reminds me of the Ireland of old or the good auld days!!ha its strange when you look back on time how you only realise too late after how good things were before-i left Ireland in search of 'the dream'-money basically and only then did i realise that what I had at home was far more precious then any money!!!

[paulsmallhorses]

The Snapper, bellissimo film!

[PureZOOKS]

@3TNT3 England

[3TNT3]

@PureZOOKS Okay, thank you for clearing up the confusion a bit. One last question: what country are you from?

[PureZOOKS]

@3TNT3 In this country, a very common part of the music course in upper school is covering music. This song is chosen because it has been covered by many artists.

I say "their" to refer to the person in the course.

Most people have only heard of this cover from the course.

[3TNT3]

@PureZOOKS What do you mean? Who is this "their" that you are referring to? When you say "their" are you referring to Lick the Tins? And what music course are you talking about? Very confusing.....

[PureZOOKS]

Anybody else here from their music course?

[LouiseAndJamessBlog]

The Snapper anyone ??

[breakthroughpfs]

@fluffycheep Hello! I agree with you. Wonderful version. I am sorry for what is happening in Ireland, I am italian but I love your country. At least you are not surrounded by italians that think only to food, drink and our "poor" footbal. All the best wishes for your country, for all wonderful people; I can not imagine my life without Guinness!!!

Ciao from Italy.