McNamara's Band

Last updated

"McNamara's Band" (originally "MacNamara's Band") is a popular song composed in 1889 by Shamus O'Connor (music) and John J. Stamford (lyrics). The song was performed as a music hall routine by William J. "Billy" Ashcroft. It has been recorded by a number of artists, most notably Bing Crosby. The song is associated with Ireland and often performed on St. Patrick's Day in the United States and at the end of half time in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Contents

Background

Stamford, the composer of the song, was the manager of the Alhambra Theatre in Belfast and the song was written expressly for the theatre's owner, the Irish-American music hall veteran Billy Ashcroft. Ashcroft, often referred to as "The Solid Man" for his association with the Edward Harrigan song "Muldoon, the Solid Man," had earlier in his career in the U.S. performed a blackface routine called "The Lively (or 'Musical') Moke," which interspersed comic song and dance with brief performances on multiple instruments. "McNamara's Band" gave him scope for a similar Irish "character song." [1] [2]

Irish music hall historians Watters and Murtagh described Ashcroft's performance of the routine: "Here 'McNamara' breaks into a dancing quick-step March up and down the Stage, his nimble fingers snatching up one instrument after another, blowing the bassoon, tootling the flute, beating the drum with the knob of his baton - A One-Man Band." [3]

Modern listeners associate the song with the version recorded on 6 December 1945 by Bing Crosby, [4] with a set of lyrics credited to "The Three Jesters." Released on Decca Records in early 1946, the song became a Top Ten hit for Crosby. It remains one of his most popular songs and is often performed on St. Patrick's Day in the United States. [5] A slightly earlier recording of this song appeared in the 1945 film The Way to the Stars . Stanley Holloway leads the crowd in a pub close to a Royal Air Force base during World War II.[ citation needed ]

It has been claimed that the song was inspired by an actual band, the St Mary's Fife and Drum Band, formed in Limerick in 1885. In the late 19th century the band featured four brothers, Patrick, John, Michael and Thomas McNamara, and became famous for playing shows all across Ireland. Patrick was a prize-winning bandmaster of this band. In 1905 he emigrated from Limerick to New York, where he reunited with his brother Thomas, and formed ‘McNamara’s band’ with Patrick "Patsy" Salmon, another Limerick emigre. After Salmon left the group Patrick and Thomas formed "McNamara's Trio" with Thomas on piccolo, Patrick on violin and Patrick's daughter, Eileen, on the piano. The trio recorded and released several songs for Vocalion Records. [6]

John McNamara served with the Royal Munster Fusiliers during the Second Boer War and First World War. He was killed in action on 9 May 1915, and his body was never recovered after the war; his name is today commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, France. [7]

In 2021, Dr Derek Mulcahy wrote a book on the life of Patrick McNamara entitled 'The Leader of the Band, Patrick J. McNamara and McNamara’s Band', published by the Limerick Writers' Centre. [8] This book tells the life history of Patrick J. McNamara and his ‘McNamara’s Band’. Recordings of Irish music became very popular amongst the Irish in America in the early twentieth century. P. J. McNamara saw this opportunity and his band cut discs with various record companies from 1921 up to his death in 1927. As well as recording as the McNamara Trio, they also cut records as a quartet and as McNamara’s Orchestra. The book included two CDs with 44 of the 48 recordings McNamara made in New York from 1921 up to 1927, which add to the musical contribution of The Leader of the Band.

P. J. McNamara and ‘McNamara’s Band’ are part of a great Irish musical tradition that left its mark in Ireland and America.

Lyrics

The most widely used set of lyrics is the adaptation by Crosby's "Three Jesters" (Red Latham, Wamp Carlson and Guy Bonham). [9]

Original lyrics

My name is McNamara, I'm the Leader of the Band,
And tho' we're small in number we're the best in all the land.
Oh! I am the Conductor, and we often have to play
With all the best musicianers you hear about to-day.

(Chorus)
When the drums go bang, the cymbals clang, the horns will blaze away,
MacCarthy puffs the ould bassoon while Doyle the pipes will play;
Oh! Hennessy Tennessy tootles the flute, my word 'tis something grand,
Oh! a credit to Ould Ireland, boys, is McNamara's Band!

Whenever an election's on, we play on either side-
The way we play our fine ould airs fills Irish hearts with pride.
Oh! if poor Tom Moore was living now, he'd make yez understand
That none could do him justice like ould McNamara's Band.

(Chorus)

We play at wakes and weddings, and at every county ball,
And at any great man's funeral we play the "Dead March in Saul,"
When the Prince of Wales to Ireland came, he shook me by the hand,
And said he'd never heard the like of "McNamara's Band."

Three Jester's version

The Three Jesters' version is different: The politics of "Ould Ireland" are removed; the words are made more "Irish," e.g. "Me name is..." rather than "My name is...;" and stereotypes are added in the final lines to make the selection essentially a comedy song.[ citation needed ]

Oh!, me name is McNamara. I'm the Leader of the Band.
Although we're few in numbers, we're the finest in the land.
We play at wakes and weddin's, and at every fancy ball,
And when we play the funerals we play the march from "Saul."

(Chorus)
Oh! the drums go bang, and the cymbals clang, and the horns they blaze away.
McCarthy pumps the old bassoon while I the pipes do play.
And Hennessey Tennessey tootles the flute, and the music is somethin' grand.
A credit to old Ireland is McNamara's Band!

Right now we are rehearsin' for a very swell affair,
The annual celebration, all the gentry will be there.
When General Grant to Ireland came, he took me by the hand,
Says he, "I never saw the likes of McNamara's Band."

(Chorus)

Oh my name is Uncle Yulius and from Sweden I did come,
To play with McNamara's Band and beat the big bass drum.
And when I march along the street the ladies think I'm grand,
They shout "There's Uncle Yulius playing with an Irish band."

(no chorus here)

Oh! I wear a bunch of shamrocks and a uniform of green,
And I am the funniest looking Swede that you have ever seen.
There is O'Briens and Ryans and Sheehans and Meehans, they come from Ireland,
But by Yimminy, I'm the only Swede in McNamara's Band.

Others

The English Premier League football team Tottenham Hotspur F.C. adopted the song as their club anthem, with one verse changed:[ citation needed ]

Oh the whistle blows the cockerel crows, and now we're in the game,
It's up to you, you Lilywhites, to play the Tottenham way.
And when we've gone and won the league I'm sure you'll understand,
The famous Tottenham Hotspur are the best team in the land.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molly Malone</span> Folk song

"Molly Malone" is a song set in Dublin, Ireland, which has become its unofficial anthem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Crosby</span> American singer and bandleader (1913–1993)

George Robert Crosby was an American jazz singer and bandleader, best known for his group the Bob-Cats, which formed around 1935. The Bob-Cats were a New Orleans Dixieland-style jazz octet. He was the younger brother of famed singer and actor Bing Crosby. On TV, Bob Crosby guest-starred in The Gisele MacKenzie Show. He was also a regular cast member of The Jack Benny Program, on both radio and television, taking over the role of bandleader after Phil Harris' departure. Crosby hosted his own afternoon TV variety show on CBS, The Bob Crosby Show (1953–1957). Crosby received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for television and radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When Irish Eyes Are Smiling</span> Song

"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" is a lighthearted song in tribute to Ireland. Its lyrics were written by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff, Jr., set to music composed by Ernest Ball, for Olcott's production of The Isle O' Dreams, and Olcott sang the song in the show. It was first published in 1912, at a time when songs in tribute to a romanticised Ireland were very numerous and popular both in Britain and the United States. During the First World War the famous tenor John McCormack recorded the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle Cry of Freedom</span> 1862 song by George Frederick Root

The "Battle Cry of Freedom", also known as "Rally 'Round the Flag", is a song written in 1862 by American composer George Frederick Root (1820–1895) during the American Civil War. A patriotic song advocating the causes of Unionism and abolitionism, it became so popular that composer H. L. Schreiner and lyricist W. H. Barnes adapted it for the Confederacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chas & Dave</span> British pop rock band

Chas & Dave were an English pop rock duo, formed in London by Chas Hodges and Dave Peacock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">True Love (Cole Porter song)</span> 1956 song by Cole Porter

"True Love" is a popular song written by American songwriter Cole Porter, published in 1956. The song was introduced by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly in the musical film High Society. "True Love" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Kelly's contribution on the record is relatively minor, duetting with Crosby on only the final chorus. Nonetheless, the single is co-credited to her.

"When the Saints Go Marching In", often referred to as simply "The Saints", is a traditional black spiritual. It originated as a Christian hymn, but is often played by jazz bands. One of the most famous jazz recordings of "The Saints" was made on May 13, 1938, by Louis Armstrong and his orchestra.

<i>Bing with a Beat</i> 1957 studio album by Bing Crosby

Bing with a Beat was Bing Crosby's seventh long play album but his first with RCA Victor. It was recorded at the Radio Recorders "Annex" Studio in Los Angeles and released on vinyl in September 1957. Bing with a Beat is a 1957 concept album where the songs feature "hot" jazz and dixieland arrangements by Matty Matlock, played by Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crazy Rhythm</span> Song by Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra

"Crazy Rhythm" is a thirty-two-bar swing show tune written in 1928 by Irving Caesar with music by Joseph Meyer and Roger Wolfe Kahn for the Broadway musical Here's Howe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nelly Gray (song)</span> American folk song

"Darling Nelly Gray" is a 19th century anti-slavery ballad written and composed by Benjamin Hanby in 1856. It is written as from the point of view of an African-American male slave in Kentucky whose sweetheart has been taken away by slave-owners. The man mourns his beloved, who has been sold South to Georgia. He eventually dies and joins her in heaven. The song became popular in the years preceding the Civil War and helped promote support for the abolitionist cause.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)</span>

"The Gold Diggers' Song " is a song from the 1933 Warner Bros. film Gold Diggers of 1933, sung in the opening sequence by Ginger Rogers and chorus. The entire song is never performed in the 1933 movie, though it introduces the film in the opening scene. Later in the movie, the tune is heard off stage in rehearsal as the director continues a discussion on camera about other matters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral</span> Irish-American song

"Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral " is a classic Irish-American song that was written in 1913 by composer James Royce Shannon (1881–1946) for the Tin Pan Alley musical Shameen Dhu. The original recording of the song, by Chauncey Olcott, peaked at #1 on the music charts. The song was brought back to prominence by Bing Crosby's performance in 1944's Going My Way. Crosby's single sold over a million copies and peaked at #4 on the Billboard music charts.

Del Porter was an American jazz vocalist, saxophonist, and clarinetist who, in the 1930s, performed on Broadway, toured with Glenn Miller, and recorded with Bing Crosby, Dick Powell, and Red Nichols, and in the 1940s, led his own big band.

<i>Songs from Ireland</i> 2015 studio album by Damien Leith

Songs from Ireland is the eighth album by Australian Idol 2006 winner Damien Leith. It was released by Sony Music Australia on CD and digital download in Australia on 13 March 2015. The album debuted at No. 11 in Australia.

<i>St. Patricks Day</i> (album) 1947 compilation album by Bing Crosby

St. Patrick's Day is a compilation album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby released in 1947 featuring songs with an Irish theme. This includes one of Crosby's most-beloved songs, "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral" which was number four on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks, and topped the Australian charts for an entire month, on shellac disc record. This version, the 1945 re-recording, was released earlier in another Crosby album, Selections from Going My Way.

<i>El Señor Bing</i> 1961 studio album by Bing Crosby

El Señor Bing is a long-playing vinyl album recorded in June 1960 by Bing Crosby for his own company, Project Records. It was released by MGM Records (E-3890P) in October, 1961. The album consists of ten tracks each consisting of two songs set to a Latin American rhythm. Billy May & his Orchestra provided the musical accompaniment. The album was later issued under the title "Bing Goes Latin" MGM Records – 2354 028.

<i>A Little Bit of Irish</i> 1993 soundtrack album by Bing Crosby

A Little Bit of Irish is the soundtrack album of music from the 1966 TV special of the same name starring Bing Crosby, which aired on television in the US and the UK on Saint Patrick's Day 1967. The CD was originally issued by Atlantic Records and an expanded version was issued by Golden Olden Records, both in 1993. Songs by the Irish-born composer Victor Herbert were added to the expanded CD, as was a segment featuring Irish tenor John McCormack together with other Irish-themed songs by Crosby from his various radio series.

<i>Jack B. Nimble – A Mother Goose Fantasy</i> 1958 studio album by Bing Crosby

Jack B. Nimble – A Mother Goose Fantasy is an LP album by Bing Crosby made for children by Golden Records in 1957. It was a story of a small boy in search of his name. The music was by Dean Fuller and the lyrics and book by Marshall Barer.

<i>Bing Crosby Sings the Song Hits from Broadway Shows</i> 1948 compilation album by Bing Crosby, Trudy Erwin

Bing Crosby Sings the Song Hits from Broadway Shows is a Decca Records compilation 78rpm album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby featuring some of the hits from Broadway musicals.

<i>Bing and the Dixieland Bands</i> 1951 compilation album by Bing Crosby

'Bing and the Dixieland Bands is a Decca Records album by Bing Crosby featuring songs with a Dixieland flavour which was issued as a 10” LP with catalog No. DL5323 and as a 4-disc 78rpm box set (A-852) and as a 4-disc 45rpm set (9–232).

References

  1. ↑ Meade, Don. "The Life and Times of "Muldoon, the Solid Man"" (PDF). Blarney Star Productions. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  2. ↑ The "City Summary," New York Clipper, 17 December 1870, p. 294 reported Ashcroft's act at the Globe Theater: "Wm. Ashcroft, the original performer of the song and dance entitled 'The Lively Moke,' in his performance of it introduced a great variety of dances, and played with real proficiency upon a large number of musical instruments." Ashcroft's claim to have originated the routine was challenged by another variety artist, Johnny Thompson, who performed the "Moke" act for decades.
  3. ↑ Eugene Watters and Matthew Murtagh, Infinite Variety: Dan Lowrey's Music Hall, 1879-97, Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1973
  4. ↑ "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  5. ↑ "When McNamara's Band were kings of the local music hall". Belfast Media Group. 8 September 2016.
  6. ↑ "St. Mary's Band - Prize winning Fife and Drum Band of Limerick".
  7. ↑ "Private John McNamara | War Casualty Details".
  8. ↑ "The Leader of the Band (Includes 2 CDS)". 23 November 2021.
  9. ↑ "MacNamara's Band" (PDF). Orange County Public Libraries.
  10. ↑ Davies, Hunter (10 April 2006). "The fan - Hunter Davies hums a good old tune". New Statesman. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  11. ↑ "Leader of the band". Tottenham Hotspur. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  12. ↑ "The Biochemists' Songbook MP3 Files", California State University Long Beach
  13. ↑ Kilgore, Adam (31 January 2006). "Tale of Two Cities". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  14. ↑ "The Emerald Isle". Cartoon HD.

Dr Derek Mulcahy, (2021) "The Leader Of The Band, P.J.McNamara and McNamaras Band", Published by Limerick Writers Center.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.