Zac Leger, John Whelan and Charlene Adzima - Seven Curses

The John Whelan Trio, recorded live at the Reno Celtic Celebration, October 2010 in Reno, NV. Zac sings "Seven Curses", a song made popular by Bob Dylan in the 60s and learned from former Wayfarers guitarist and singer Sean Sutherland. We have added the great Tola Custy reel "Up Downy" to the arrangement.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bob
• Dylan
• Seven
• Curses
• Irish
• Celtic
• John
• Whelan
• Zac
• Leger
• Charlene
• Adzima
• folk
• blues
• Tola
• Custy
• Up
• Downy
• reels
• songs
• music
• traditional
• button
• accordion
• fiddle
• guitar
• Lakewood
• Joan
• Baez
• Doyle

[acousticems]

Nice to hear you sing for a change, Zac! Awesome job.

[Legertymusic]

@acousticems, Thank you!:)

[Rattattou123]

"Seven Curses" is a ballad, it then was first sung by Huddie Ledbetter(LeadBelly), then by a couple of other people but I consider the Bob Dylan version to be the best and the original.

[Legertymusic]

@Rattattou123, Yeah, I believe a lot of folks in the U.S. were introduced to it through Dylan's version. However, various traditional versions exist throughout the British Isles and Joan Baez tells me that the tune itself comes from Eastern Europe and that the version she originally heard had thirteen curses! (In fact, if I remember correctly, she may have taught the song to Dylan) Too many curses for me to remember, though. I will stick to seven! ;)

[Legertymusic]

And my version of course comes from Sean Sutherland, so the arrangement is highly influenced by his setting. I am assuming he learned it from the Dylan, but I don't remember. Solas also recently recorded yet another very different version using a different tune than Joan's. That is the great thing about traditional songs; you have the opportunity to recast them in a different light with new arrangements for new generations, but they are still timeless!

[QRS666]

Fantastic! Just as good at singing as on your instruments! Love it!

[Legertymusic]

@QRS666, Thank you so much! That really means a lot:)

[Legertymusic]

@Rattattou123, The original being...?

[Rattattou123]

The original was alot better.