Artist: Oscar Seagle
Author: Alfred Graves/Katherine Tynan Hinkson
Label: Columbia
Year: 1915
German contralto with the New York Metropolitan Opera. Fred Weatherly, "The Man Who Wrote Danny Boy", also wrote the lyrics to Roses Of Picardy.
Covers:
Victor Concert Orch. [as Aislean an Oigfear (Irish Tune From County Derry); for Victor]
Ernestine Schumann-Heink [as Danny Boy with Fred Weatherly lyrics (who also wrote Roses Of Picardy - see there); Ernestine, German contralto with the New York Met, first recorded a version in 1915 that got lost; this second one came out on Victrola]
Pablo Casals [as Would God I Were The Tender Apple Blossom, for Columbia]
John McCormack [idem for Victor and in 1929 as Danny Boy; also as Londonderry Air, both in English and Irish and as O Mary Dear; see footnote]
New Symphony Orch. [conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent as Londonderry Air]
Glenn Miller [as Danny Boy]
Judy Garland [idem, in musical Little Nellie Kelly]
Bing Crosby [idem; a must for Irish tenors]
Deanna Durbin [in film Because Of Him]
Paul Robeson [as Londonderry Air]
Johnny Cash [again in '02]
Jackie Wilson [first in '51 as Sonny Wilson on Dizzy Gillespie's Dee Gee label]
Peels [as The Pipes Are Leaking]
Thin Lizzy [more Irish]
Pogues [in film Straight To Hell; vocal: Cait O' Riordan]
Frank Patterson [Irish tenor]
Ron Brandsteder & Havenzangers [as Hand In Hand Achter Oranje]
Eric Clapton [in film Phenomenon]
Diana Krall [on Chieftains project Tears Of Stone]
Helmut Lotti [with Cliff Richard]
Paul Franklin & Vince Gill [most as Danny Boy]
Melody first published in The Petrie Collection Of The Ancient Music Of Ireland, edited by music collector George Petrie in 1855. Originally written for harp in the (London)Derry region. The melody had no title, but since Petrie noted he learned it from a Londonderry woman (Jane Ross), the name Londonderry Air imposed itself. Most famous recordings as such: the New Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dr. Malcolm Sargent, Irish tenor John McCormack (who also sang it as Danny Boy, O Mary Dear and as Maidin I mBéara) and bass singer Paul Robeson's. Since Fred Weatherly was an opera librettist, Danny Boy/Londonderry Air was reserved for well trained voices; check it out.
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)