Play (Great Big Sea album)
Encyclopedia
Track listing
- "Ordinary DayOrdinary Day (Great Big Sea song)"Ordinary Day" is a song recorded by Newfoundland folk band Great Big Sea. It was released in October 1997 as the second single from their second album Play. It peaked at #3 on the Canadian RPM adult contemporary chart and at #30 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles.-Chart performance:...
" (Alan DoyleAlan DoyleAlan Thomas Doyle is a Canadian musician and actor, best known for his work as one of the lead singers of Celtic band Great Big Sea.-Life and career:...
, Séan McCannSéan McCann (musician)Séan McCann "The Shantyman" is a singer and musician in the band Great Big Sea.-Early life:...
) 3:09 - "When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down)When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down)"When I'm Up " is a song recorded by Newfoundland folk band Great Big Sea. It was released in May 1997 as the lead single from their second album Play...
" (Ian Telfer, Alan Prosser, John Jones) 3:24 - "The Night Pat Murphy DiedThe Night Paddy Murphy DiedThe Night Paddy Murphy Died is a popular Newfoundland folk song. It was written by Johnny Burke , a popular St. John's balladeer.The song has been recorded by numerous artists, including Ryan's Fancy on their 1973 album Newfoundland Drinking Songs, The Irish Brigade on their 1991 album Are You...
" (Traditional, arranged by Great Big Sea) 3:02 - "How Did We Get From Saying 'I Love You'..." (Alan Doyle) 3:40
- "Donkey RidingHighland LaddieHighland Laddie, also known as Hielan' Laddie, is the name of an ancient Scottish popular folk tune If thou'lt play me fair play, but as with many old melodies, various sets of words can be sung to it and Robert Burns' poem 'Highland Laddie, Highland Lassie' has been the most memorable...
" (Traditional) 2:26 - "Haven't Seen You In A Long Time" (Colin HayColin HayColin James Hay is a Scottish-Australian musician, who made his mark during the 1980s as lead vocalist of the Australian band Men at Work, and later as a solo artist.- Early life and Men at Work :...
) 2:53 - "End of the WorldIt's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)"It's the End of the World as We Know It " is a song by the rock band R.E.M., which appeared on their 1987 album Document, the 1988 compilation Eponymous, and the 2006 compilation And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S Years 1982–1987...
" (Bill BerryBill BerryWilliam "Bill" Thomas Berry is a retired American musician, multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. In addition to his drumming duties, Berry played many other instruments including guitar, bass guitar, and piano, both for songwriting and on R.E.M....
, Peter BuckPeter BuckPeter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
, Mike MillsMike MillsMichael Edward "Mike" Mills is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock group R.E.M.. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and pianist, his musical repertoire includes also keyboards, guitar, and percussion instruments...
, Michael StipeMichael StipeJohn Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
) 2:41 - "General Taylor" (Arranged By Alan Doyle, Séan McCann, Bob HallettBob HallettBob Hallett is a founding member of Canadian folk-rock band Great Big Sea and continues to play with them today.Hallett was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador on May 23, 1968, making him the only native St. Johnsman in Great Big Sea. Born to a musical family, Hallett learned to play the...
, Darrell PowerDarrell PowerDarrell Power B.A., B.Ed. is a Canadian musician and former member of Great Big Sea . He performed vocals, bass, guitar, bones, mandolin, fiddle, accordion and harmonica.He left the band in 2003 in order to be able to spend more time with his family...
) 2:53 - "Seagulls" (Bob Hallett) 2:10
- "Recruiting Sargeant" (Traditional) 3:32
- "Greenspond" (Traditional) 3:09
- "My Apology" (Séan McCann) 2:39
- "Jakey's Gin" (Traditional) 2:54
- "Something I Should Know" (Séan McCann) 2:59
- "Jolly Roving Tar" (Traditional) 2:59
- Untitled Bonus Track (Sometimes referred to as "Little Beggarman", "Rigadoon", or "Jolly Beggar Dude") (Alan Doyle, Séan McCann, Bob Hallett, Darrell Power) 3:00
Song information
- "Recruiting Sargeant" is about Royal Newfoundland Regiment in WWI, and was adapted from an old Scottish traditional song "Twa Recruitin' Sergeants" about the Black WatchBlack WatchThe Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
Regiment apparently from the time of the Napoleonic Wars, and so consequently the song has some interesting similarities to another traditional army song from the same period, Over the Hills and Far AwayOver the Hills and Far Away (traditional)"Over the Hills and Far Away" is a traditional English song, dating back to at least the late 17th century. One version was published in Thomas D'Urfey's Wit and Mirth, or Pills to Purge Melancholy; a very different one appeared in George Farquhar's 1706 play The Recruiting Officer...
. The GBS version is from a play called The Recruiting Officer. - "Greenspond" is about Greenspond, Newfoundland and LabradorGreenspond, Newfoundland and LabradorGreenspond is one of the communities that comprise an area on the northeast coast of the Island of Newfoundland, called Bonavista North. These communities have a shared history in that they were settled by people from England, predominantly from the West Country - Dorset, Devon, Somerset and...
, a small fishing community on the north east coast of Newfoundland, Canada. - Track 16, a bonus, untitled song, is a traditional Irish song which fans refer to as "Little Beggarman", "Rigadoon", or "Jolly Beggar Dude".