Album: Fisherman's BluesAvg rating:
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Length: 4:10
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Tumblin' on the seas
Far away from dry land
And its bitter memories
Casting out my sweet line
With abandonment and love
No ceiling bearin' down on me
Save the starry sky above
With light in my head
You in my arms
Woo!
I wish I was the brakeman
On a hurtlin' fevered train
Crashing a-headlong into the heartland
Like a cannon in the rain
With the beating of the sleepers
And the burnin' of the coal
Counting the towns flashing by
In a night that's full of soul
With light in my head
You in my arms
Woo!
Tomorrow I will be loosened
From bonds that hold me fast
That the chains all hung around me
Will fall away at last
And on that fine and fateful day
I will take thee in my hands
I will ride on the train
I will be the fisherman
With light in my head
You in my arms
Light in my head
You in my arms
1986 I saw U2 in San Francisco. Some 6000 of us crammed into whatever massive cave it was. Fire hazard for sure, we would have all roasted. But I digress.
The Waterboys opened and during their set some of the crowd were shouting for U2.
If I were the headline band I would stick up for my openers (unless they're dicks), tell the fucks to shut it or I ain't playing.
Well, that didn't happen, so the WB front man yelled at the crowd and they finished their set.
I think he yelled at them twice during the set because, of course, they didn't shut it.
But all in all, it was a great show.
Time for an admission - on the same tour - also went to see U2. Stayed in the local bar rather than go and see the support - 'support band's are always a bit rubbish - right...'
Within a few months had got into the Waterboys
Regretted that decision on /off - quite a few times in the intervening decades.
Love it! Last week was a rough time here in Boulder; we were told that our beloved and sole remaining local Irish lair, Conor O'Neill's, was closing, after 17 years, (and it'd been The James for 20 before that — and a bar for over 100 years!)... Last Wednesday through Saturday were half-celebration and half-protest; the whole town came by to down shots of Tullamore Dew and pints of Guinness, Smithwick's, Harp, Murphy's, etc. and we all ranted and bemoaned the insidious process by which we have lost so many great pubs and cafes over the years: JJ McCabe's, Tom's Tavern, Juanita's, Boulder Cafe and more... the heartless, money-grubbing weasels backed by stacks of Other Peoples' Money come sneaking in and develop condos and boutiques next door, drive everybody away with construction mess and noise that goes on forever, then, suddenly, rent and property taxes have doubled or more, and there's a showdown, and guess who loses? and, well, that's how it all looked, bloody grim indeed, and last Sunday, the final night, was a bittersweet bash with non-stop Celtic jamming, and many tears were shed at the bar, and sobs were overheard in the courtyard, and there was so much sadness and grief that it was almost too much to bear, and we all drank and prayed for strength, and left feeling like something irreplaceable and important had died... Then, yesterday, miraculously, it was announced that a more reasonable deal had somehow been struck between owner and landlord, and TONIGHT Conor's is re-opening, and you can bet music like THIS shall once again and continue to ring out to the clink of pint-glasses and the stomp of foot-jigs on the old oak floor. Aye, and it all brings to mind how apropos the sign on the mirror behind the main bar (brought over from Ireland like everything else in the place) is: "Drink is the curse of the land... It makes you curse and shoot at your landlord... and it makes you miss him..." See you there, for Celtic Spirit lives!
I hope its still open, what with Covid?!
yes!
and pleeeeeeeeeease Bill, take a listen to the The Waterboys' early catalogue, brilliant albums, Pagan Place for instance...
If you refer to him as William instead of Bill, he just might grant your wish.
I haven't enjoyed Mike Scott as much since - this was a perfect Irish Moment In Time - like when I bought If I Should Fall From Grace With God -I always get a kick out of Shane MacGowan, another damaged genius and hope he is happy now.
The first 4 Waterboys records are their best. As someone else posted here, please play some stuff of Pagan Place (and This is the Sea). Room to Roam, the record that followed this one, has some great moments too but a drop-off overall.
I remember all of that quite well. The James will be missed; long live Conor's!
Sadly, Conor's is no more; the money-grubbing weasels yet thrive. Covid is the curse of the land...it makes us drink...
I was once told with much seriousness that every bar band in Newfoundland plays this song.
Greetings from Newfoundland, eight years after my original post. I don't know if every bar band plays this tune, but, yes, I heard it performed last night.
Sadly it closed in 2017. It's an "elegant" read: high end, restaurant today.
Unfortunately BC is still cutting their old growth.
and pleeeeeeeeeease Bill, take a listen to the The Waterboys' early catalogue, brilliant albums, Pagan Place for instance...
Great riff!! "wish I was the brakeman
On a hurtlin' fevered train
Crashing a-headlong into the heartland
Like a cannon in the rain
With the beating of the sleepers
And the burnin' of the coal"
You can smell it!!
It should: the opening credits song is the opening track from this record. Great flick btw. I own on dvd, one of just a handful.
Love it! Last week was a rough time here in Boulder; we were told that our beloved and sole remaining local Irish lair, Conor O'Neill's, was closing, after 17 years, (and it'd been The James for 20 before that — and a bar for over 100 years!)... Last Wednesday through Saturday were half-celebration and half-protest; the whole town came by to down shots of Tullamore Dew and pints of Guinnes, Smithwick's, Harp, Murphy's, etc. and we all ranted and bemoaned the insidious process by which we have lost so many great pubs and cafes over the years: JJ McCabe's, Tom's Tavern, Juanita's, Boulder Cafe and more... the heartless, money-grubbing weasels backed by stacks of Other Peoples' Money come sneaking in and develop condos and boutiques next door, drive everybody away with construction mess and noise that goes on forever, then, suddenly, rent and property taxes have doubled or more, and there's a showdown, and guess who loses? and, well, that's how it all looked, bloody grim indeed, and last Sunday, the final night, was a bittersweet bash with non-stop Celtic jamming, and many tears were shed at the bar, and sobs were overheard in the courtyard, and there was so much sadness and grief that it was almost too much to bear, and we all drank and prayed for strength, and left feeling like something irreplaceable and important had died... Then, yesterday, miraculously, it was announced that a more reasonable deal had somehow been struck between owner and landlord, and TONIGHT Conor's is re-opening, and you can bet music like THIS shall once again and continue to ring out to the clink of pint-glasses and the stomp of foot-jigs on the old oak floor. Aye, and it all brings to mind how apropos the sign on the mirror behind the main bar (brought over from Ireland like everything else in the place) is: "Drink is the curse of the land... It makes you curse and shoot at your landlord... and it makes you miss him..." See you there, for Celtic Spirit lives!
I remember all of that quite well. The James will be missed; long live Conor's!
First heard this in the Cincinnati airport in '89 as I was on my way to Botswana with the Peace Corps. We were on a layover between Chicago and London and someone from our group had this cassette and was playing it on something called a "Walkman". This song became my theme song for the next 13 years I spent overseas in Botswana, Yemen, and Lithuania. Still brings back great and sorrowful memories....
recommendation to all: check out their first albums, absolutely brilliant song writing and musicianship
Not just the fiddle that makes this song sound like the Levellers. vocals are similar, bouncing bass and the lot. this song could have been on a weapon called the word and I wouldn't have blinked. love it.
Interesting - I have some Levellers but not their debut. I'll check it out. This song predates it by four years though - it was first performed in '86.
Love it! Last week was a rough time here in Boulder; we were told that our beloved and sole remaining local Irish lair, Conor O'Neill's, was closing, after 17 years, (and it'd been The James for 20 before that — and a bar for over 100 years!)... Last Wednesday through Saturday were half-celebration and half-protest; the whole town came by to down shots of Tullamore Dew and pints of Guinnes, Smithwick's, Harp, Murphy's, etc. and we all ranted and bemoaned the insidious process by which we have lost so many great pubs and cafes over the years: JJ McCabe's, Tom's Tavern, Juanita's, Boulder Cafe and more... the heartless, money-grubbing weasels backed by stacks of Other Peoples' Money come sneaking in and develop condos and boutiques next door, drive everybody away with construction mess and noise that goes on forever, then, suddenly, rent and property taxes have doubled or more, and there's a showdown, and guess who loses? and, well, that's how it all looked, bloody grim indeed, and last Sunday, the final night, was a bittersweet bash with non-stop Celtic jamming, and many tears were shed at the bar, and sobs were overheard in the courtyard, and there was so much sadness and grief that it was almost too much to bear, and we all drank and prayed for strength, and left feeling like something irreplaceable and important had died... Then, yesterday, miraculously, it was announced that a more reasonable deal had somehow been struck between owner and landlord, and TONIGHT Conor's is re-opening, and you can bet music like THIS shall once again and continue to ring out to the clink of pint-glasses and the stomp of foot-jigs on the old oak floor. Aye, and it all brings to mind how apropos the sign on the mirror behind the main bar (brought over from Ireland like everything else in the place) is: "Drink is the curse of the land... It makes you curse and shoot at your landlord... and it makes you miss him..." See you there, for Celtic Spirit lives!
But... what happened? Just looked at the FB page and the last post announced "Conor O'Neill's will open at 1pm Sunday the 23rd for the last Acoustic Jam, followed by one more Irish Session that evening."
Living in Denver for over 25 years (and I still miss it) I loved spending time in Boulder. Last time I was there I didn't recognize it.
Apparently all good things come to an end.
Wow! You don't hear many David & Goliath stories these days. Nice to hear that it was saved.
I haven't enjoyed Mike Scott as much since - this was a perfect Irish Moment In Time - like when I bought If I Should Fall From Grace With God -I always get a kick out of Shane MacGowan, another damaged genius and hope he is happy now.
Yes! I adore this song and that movie. See also: "The Parting Glass."
The Waterboys opened and during their set some of the crowd were shouting for U2.
If I were the headline band I would stick up for my openers (unless they're dicks), tell the fucks to shut or I ain't playing.
Well, that didn't happen, so the WB front man yelled at the crowd and they finished their set.
I think he yelled at them twice during the set because, of course, they didn't shut it.
But all in all, it was a great show.
Same experience with REM with Let's Active opening. People being rude as fuck. Let's Active a great band and I was there to see them as much as REM.
This one brings back some good memories and this song is, too.
I guess you could say Radio Paradise is a natural fit these many years later. Hahaha! Thanks Bill!
One of the best songs ever written, IMO.
yeah, that's a good one too
LAwolf8 wrote:
There's something about the drums that's very reminiscent of Desire.
One of the best songs ever written, IMO.
One of the best songs ever written, IMO.
This (apparently) fan-made video is excellent:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
I love that too
sounds that elevate
the heart
The Waterboys and during their set some of the crowd were shouting for U2.
If I were the headline band I would stick up for my openers (unless they're dicks), tell the fucks to shut or I ain't playing.
Well, that didn't happen, so the WB front man yelled at the crowd and they finished their set.
I think he yelled at them twice during the set because, of course, they didn't shut it.
But all in all, it was a great show.
I saw U2 last summer in Buffalo, and just before they came on, a full moon rose over the stage (this football stadium was apparently slightly larger than the cave you saw them in ;-). After the lights dimmed, but before U2 came on, the sound guys played Waterboys' "The Whole of the Moon". Thought was pretty cool. The crowd liked it.
The Waterboys opened and during their set some of the crowd were shouting for U2.
If I were the headline band I would stick up for my openers (unless they're dicks), tell the fucks to shut it or I ain't playing.
Well, that didn't happen, so the WB front man yelled at the crowd and they finished their set.
I think he yelled at them twice during the set because, of course, they didn't shut it.
But all in all, it was a great show.
.
"I'd read John Lennon's book, Lennon Remembers, when I was 12," he says. "He's asked if he would change anything and he says: 'I'd be a fisherman.' Maybe that line stuck with me. When I wrote that song, I was fed up with the rock machinery I was stuck in. I just wanted to get away from these clamouring voices."
srsly? I mean I like them both.
(IMO!!)
Tis fabulous but their latest album is excellent and Destinies Entwined is among Mike Scott's finest...
I am really pleased that your pub stayed open...enjoy the music!
+1
With light in my head
You in my arms
Still, that's 3 more times than you would have heard it anywhere else...WHICH IS A GOOD THING!
... the moment you realize you spend too much time at the computer.
Thanks Bill.
Well I do own it and am sorry to say I haven't listened in too long. Will seek it out in my pile of CDs and cassettes!
(IMO!!)
Thanks Bill.
What a great story! Jealous!
Taken me back to Paddy Burkes in Boston. Awesome memories. Band from Limerick owned pub , 3 brothers and they introduced me to the Waterboys on the 3rd floor of the pub with their awesome playing in the early 1990's. Thanks Bill
Yes!
Taken me back to Paddy Burkes in Boston. Awesome memories. Band from Limerick owned pub , 3 brothers and they introduced me to the Waterboys on the 3rd floor of the pub with their awesome playing in the early 1990's. Thanks Bill
—-
Aye and it's PERFECT, headed out for a bit of the, down at Connor O'Neill's... Light in my head, you in my arms; aye, and whoop it up!
So proud to say I was amongst those drunks and have to agree the show was outstanding!!!
And singing loudly with locked arms? I got goose bumps when I read that!
One of the best shows I've ever been to - must have been 1997. I don't know who was in the lineup and I'm ashamed to say I wasn't familiar with their music at the time, but the good people at Guinness were sponsoring a festival of Irish music in New York and there many drunken Irish and Americans partying harder than I'd ever seen before or since. When Fisherman's Blue came on thousands of revellers spontaneously began locking arms and singing louder than the music coming from the stage. I knew at that point it must have been a special song and it became a very special night.
So proud to say I was amongst those drunks and have to agree the show was outstanding!!!
I can tell you how they got 10 people to rehearse....Mike rented a house in Galway...Spiddal House.....brought in a mobile studio....and everybody lived together for quite a while...they all used to go for rides on rented bikes as well.
One of the best shows I've ever been to - must have been 1997. I don't know who was in the lineup and I'm ashamed to say I wasn't familiar with their music at the time, but the good people at Guinness were sponsoring a festival of Irish music in New York and there many drunken Irish and Americans partying harder than I'd ever seen before or since. When Fisherman's Blue came on thousands of revellers spontaneously began locking arms and singing louder than the music coming from the stage. I knew at that point it must have been a special song and it became a very special night.
Good story. I'd love to have a pint of the dark stuff and listen to this band live.
p.s.....I am 100% Irish (as far back as we can trace)
alaskan_listener wrote:
amen
amen