GBS, their musical roots, and mine

[annathepiper]

This is something I posted to the greatbigsea.com message board and which I am also posting here, mostly as one of those thoughtful journally sorts of things that I might want to read again in a few years and go, "Ah, that's what was in my brain at the time..."

And also because, well, music.

start original post:
I got to thinking about one of the many reasons I adore the music of Great Big Sea... and got to wondering about whether other fans feel the same way. Let me know your thoughts on this, folks...

I think a big chunk of it for me is the sense of musical... rootedness, for lack of a better word. The notion of growing up surrounded by music as the B'ys have done... and indeed, as I am given to understand many Newfoundlanders have done... is something that hits me right in the heart. I have a pretty jumbled childhood, but some of the things that stand out crystal-clear involve music. So I hear oh, say, Séan McCann talking in one of the interview segments in the TRIO special about how he doesn't remember where he learned songs like "Paddy Murphy" or "Mari-Mac" but is pretty sure he learned them when he was tiny, at his daddy's knee... and I go, "Yes! Yes! This means something to me!"

I have a memory of singing that used to happen when I was small and my family was still together, and a memory of a tape of some of this being made. I remember being at MY father's knee and happily listening along with him as he played music on his stereo system for me. And my big brother... the professional drummer... remembers our grandparents playing the piano together.

And I am broadsided by this wonderful music coming out of four Newfoundlanders. The music itself makes me want to play, amateur though I am; I own four stringed instruments now specifically because of Great Big Sea. But I also wonder sometimes if on another level I am craving that sense of musical connection, not only because of what musical roots I have in my own life but ALSO because of the musical roots I don't. What I remember is Dad playing me a lot of Elvis... which is great! But then again, your daddy singing you songs that have been handed down through generations is another matter entirely. And I find myself wishing I had that!

And being a little sheepish even as I try to work my way through "Ferryland Sealer" and "Jack Hinks", just because I love them so; is it weird for a girl from Kentucky transplanted to Seattle to have her heart and hands seized by songs from a maritime province in another country? :)

What do you think, folks? Any of the rest of you feel the same way, whether or not you are personally musically inclined?

Anna the Piper

Comments

[xpioti.livejournal.com]

If you haven't already, you should check out the Homespun Ceilidh Band (http://www.homespunceilidh.com/) CD. Everybody I've played it for absolutely adores it, and they play clearly enough that it is possible to learn the tunes by playing along with it. (I never thought I'd actually get Kesh Jig down when I was sight-reading it...) I've done door / roadie stuff for them at a couple of ceilidhs, and they're a really wonderful bunch of people.

My latest instrument addition is a set of wooden bones in cherry. I want to get bone bones, but those are more expensive and harder to find (I prefer "click" to "clonk"). I'm learning to control them by clicking along with the CD. :D

[annathepiper]

Cool, thanks for the recommendation! :)