The Minstrel Boy
Encyclopedia
"The Minstrel Boy" is an Irish
patriotic song written by Thomas Moore
(1779–1852) who set it to the melody of The Moreen, an old Irish
air
. It is widely believed that Moore composed the song in remembrance of a number of his friends, whom he met while studying at Trinity College, Dublin
and who had participated in (and were killed during) the Irish Rebellion of 1798
.
However, the song gained widespread popularity and became a favourite of many Irishmen who fought during the United States Civil War and gained even more popularity after World War I
. The song is notably associated with organizations that historically had a heavy representation of Irish-Americans, in particular the police and fire departments of New York, Boston and Chicago and those of various other major US metropolitan areas, even after those organizations have ceased to have a substantial over-representation of personnel of Irish ancestry. The melody is frequently played at funerals of members and/or officers of such organizations who have died or been killed in service, typically on bagpipes. Unsurprisingly, given its lyrics, it is also associated with the Irish Army and with traditionally Irish regiments in the British, United States and other armies.
The words to the song The Son of God Goes Forth to War
can be set to this melody.
The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death ye will find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betray thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"
The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain
Could not bring his proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and bravery!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free
They shall never sound in slavery!"
A concentrated, single verse version exists:
The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death ye may find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
With his wild harp slung along behind him;
Land of Song, the lays of the warrior bard,
May some day sound for thee,
But his harp belongs to the brave and free
And shall never sound in slavery!"
During the American Civil War a third verse was written by an unknown author, and is sometimes included in renditions of the song:
The Minstrel Boy will return we pray
When we hear the news we all will cheer it,
The minstrel boy will return one day,
Torn perhaps in body, not in spirit.
Then may he play on his harp in peace,
In a world such as heaven intended,
For all the bitterness of man must cease,
And ev'ry battle must be ended.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
patriotic song written by Thomas Moore
Thomas Moore
Thomas Moore was an Irish poet, singer, songwriter, and entertainer, now best remembered for the lyrics of The Minstrel Boy and The Last Rose of Summer. He was responsible, with John Murray, for burning Lord Byron's memoirs after his death...
(1779–1852) who set it to the melody of The Moreen, an old Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
air
Air (music)
Air , a variant of the musical song form, is the name of various song-like vocal or instrumental compositions.-English lute ayres:...
. It is widely believed that Moore composed the song in remembrance of a number of his friends, whom he met while studying at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
and who had participated in (and were killed during) the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
.
However, the song gained widespread popularity and became a favourite of many Irishmen who fought during the United States Civil War and gained even more popularity after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The song is notably associated with organizations that historically had a heavy representation of Irish-Americans, in particular the police and fire departments of New York, Boston and Chicago and those of various other major US metropolitan areas, even after those organizations have ceased to have a substantial over-representation of personnel of Irish ancestry. The melody is frequently played at funerals of members and/or officers of such organizations who have died or been killed in service, typically on bagpipes. Unsurprisingly, given its lyrics, it is also associated with the Irish Army and with traditionally Irish regiments in the British, United States and other armies.
The words to the song The Son of God Goes Forth to War
The Son of God Goes Forth to War
The Son of God Goes Forth to War is a hymn written in 1812 by Reginald Heber. It was used in the film version of The Man Who Would Be King, starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine, but was set to the tune of The Moreen/The Minstrel Boy and had reworked lyrics .The Son of God goes forth to war,a...
can be set to this melody.
Lyrics
The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death ye will find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betray thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"
The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain
Could not bring his proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and bravery!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free
They shall never sound in slavery!"
A concentrated, single verse version exists:
The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death ye may find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
With his wild harp slung along behind him;
Land of Song, the lays of the warrior bard,
May some day sound for thee,
But his harp belongs to the brave and free
And shall never sound in slavery!"
During the American Civil War a third verse was written by an unknown author, and is sometimes included in renditions of the song:
The Minstrel Boy will return we pray
When we hear the news we all will cheer it,
The minstrel boy will return one day,
Torn perhaps in body, not in spirit.
Then may he play on his harp in peace,
In a world such as heaven intended,
For all the bitterness of man must cease,
And ev'ry battle must be ended.
Notable performances and recordings
- The song's popularity was substantially enhanced in the early 20th century by performances and recordings by John McCormack (1884–1945) a world-famous Irish tenor in the fields of opera and popular music – who performed successfully in many major live venues in the United States and Europe. McCormack was occasionally referred to as the "Minstrel Boy," (or alternately the Irish Minstrel) and this title has been applied to collections of his recordings.
- It has also been widely recorded by many non-Irish performers, ranging from Paul RobesonPaul RobesonPaul Leroy Robeson was an American concert singer , recording artist, actor, athlete, scholar who was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement in the first half of the twentieth century...
to The Holy Modal Rounders. - It features heavily in the soundtrack of the film The Man Who Would Be KingThe Man Who Would Be KingFor the 1975 film based on this story, see The Man Who Would Be King "The Man Who Would Be King" is a short story by Rudyard Kipling. It is about two British adventurers in British India who become kings of Kafiristan, a remote part of Afghanistan...
a 1975 film adapted from the Rudyard KiplingRudyard KiplingJoseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
short story of the same title with masonic themes but the lyrics are those of Reginald HeberReginald HeberReginald Heber was the Church of England's Bishop of Calcutta who is now remembered chiefly as a hymn-writer.-Life:Heber was born at Malpas in Cheshire...
's "The Son of God Goes Forth to WarThe Son of God Goes Forth to WarThe Son of God Goes Forth to War is a hymn written in 1812 by Reginald Heber. It was used in the film version of The Man Who Would Be King, starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine, but was set to the tune of The Moreen/The Minstrel Boy and had reworked lyrics .The Son of God goes forth to war,a...
" from the Lutheran Songbook http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/s/o/sonofgod.htm.. - The song is heard during the end credits of the film Black Hawk Down, attributed to Joe StrummerJoe StrummerJohn Graham Mellor , best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the British punk rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in...
and The MescalerosThe MescalerosThe Mescaleros were the backing band for Joe Strummer, formed in 1999, which went on to make three albums prior to Strummer's death in 2002. Many of the band members were gifted multi-instrumentalists...
. An 18 minute version of the song is featured as the final track on the album Global a Go-GoGlobal a Go-Go-Personnel:* Joe Strummer - vocals, producer* Martin Slattery - synthesizer, bass, fuzz guitar, drones, Wurlitzer, hammer dulcimer, melodica, saxophone, Hammond organ, accordion, guitar, flute, backup vocals, producer...
. - Elements of the song are used in the final verse of Pretty Girl Why by the Buffalo SpringfieldBuffalo SpringfieldBuffalo Springfield is a North American folk rock band renown both for its music and as a springboard for the careers of Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Jim Messina. Among the first wave of North American bands to become popular in the wake of the British invasion, the group combined...
on their final album Last Time AroundLast Time AroundLast Time Around is the third and final album by folk rock band Buffalo Springfield, released in 1968 . The members included Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, Dewey Martin, Bruce Palmer, and Jim Messina.- History :...
. - The song is performed by the Canadian band Enter the HaggisEnter the HaggisEnter the Haggis is a Canadian Indie/Celtic/Folk Rock world-fusion band based in Toronto, Canada. Commonly called ETH, the band has been playing and recording since 1996. Their latest studio album, "Whitelake" is the band's ninth album....
on their 2004 album, Casualties of RetailCasualties of RetailCasualties of Retail is an album by Enter the Haggis, released on the United for Opportunity label on October 25, 2005 . The title comes from a line in the song "Gasoline" .-Track listing:#"Music Box"#"Another Round"...
. - The song is performed by The Clancy BrothersThe Clancy BrothersThe Clancy Brothers were an influential Irish folk music singing group, most popular in the 1960s, they were famed for their woolly Aran jumpers and are widely credited with popularizing Irish traditional music in the United States. The brothers were Patrick "Paddy" Clancy, Tom Clancy, Bobby Clancy...
(sung by Liam ClancyLiam ClancyWilliam "Liam" Clancy was an Irish folk singer and actor from Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. He was the youngest and last surviving member of performing group The Clancy Brothers. The group were regarded as Ireland's first pop stars...
) on their 1959 album, The Rising of the MoonThe Rising of the Moon"The Rising of the Moon" is an Irish ballad recounting a battle between the United Irishmen and the British Army during the Irish Rebellion of 1798.-Description:...
. - The song is covered by Shane MacGowan & The Popes on their album The Rare Oul' Stuff.
- An instrumental version of the song was recorded by The CorrsThe CorrsThe Corrs are an Irish band which combine pop rock with traditional Celtic folk music. The brother and sisters are from Dundalk, Ireland. The group consists of the Corr siblings: Andrea ; Sharon ; Caroline ; and Jim .The Corrs came to international prominence with their performance at the...
on their album Forgiven, Not ForgottenForgiven, Not Forgotten-The Band:*Andrea Corr – lead vocals, tin whistle*Caroline Corr – drums, bodhrán, vocals*Jim Corr – guitar, keyboards, vocals*Sharon Corr – violin, vocals-Featuring:*Simon Phillips – drums*Michael Thompson – guitar*David Foster – keyboards...
. - Parts of the chorus are used in various songs, such as John McCutcheonJohn McCutcheonJohn McCutcheon is an American folk music singer and multi-instrumentalist who has produced 34 albums since the 1970s. He is regarded as a master of the hammered dulcimer, and is also proficient on many other instruments including guitar, banjo, autoharp, mountain dulcimer, fiddle, and...
's "Christmas in the TrenchesChristmas in the Trenches"Christmas in the Trenches" is a ballad from John McCutcheon's 1984 Album Winter Solstice. It tells the story of the 1914 Christmas Truce between the British and German lines on the Western Front during the Great War from the perspective of a fictional British soldier. Although Francis Tolliver is...
" and in the World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
song, I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be A SoldierI Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier"I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier" is an American anti-war song that was influential within the pacifist movement that existed in the United States before it entered World War I...
. - A short but very lushly orchestrated version (the first four bars) was used by Wally (Angela Morley) Stott in several of the link scores for The Goon ShowThe Goon ShowThe Goon Show was a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme...
- A solo guitar arrangement of the tune, paired with The Ash GroveThe Ash GroveThe Ash Grove is a traditional Welsh folk song whose melody has been set to numerous sets of lyrics. The most well-known was written, in English, by John Oxenford in the 19th century....
was recorded by Norman BlakeNorman BlakeNorman Blake may refer to:*Norman Blake , American folk & bluegrass instrumentalist and vocalist*Norman Blake , Scottish rock musician who is a member of Teenage Fanclub...
on Whiskey Before BreakfastWhiskey Before BreakfastWhiskey Before Breakfast is an album of American guitarist Norman Blake, released in 1976.-Reception:Writing for Allmusic, critic Jim Smith gave the release five of five stars, writing "All told, there have been many albums in the folk idiom featuring many a guitar virtuoso, but very few achieve...
(1976). - The tune is used in the Black 47Black 47Black 47 are a New York City based celtic rock band with Irish Republican sympathies, whose music also shows influence from reggae, hip hop, folk and jazz...
song "Downtown Baghdad Blues" on their album Elvis Murphy's Green Suede Shoes. - The first verse is heard played by a solo trumpet as the opening to the track The Lion's Roar on the Trans-Siberian OrchestraTrans-Siberian OrchestraTrans-Siberian Orchestra is an American progressive metal band founded in 1993 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to form the core of the creative team. Since then, TSO sold nearly 8...
album Night CastleNight Castle- Disc two :- Personnel :* Paul O'Neill - Producer* Robert Kinkel - Producer* Dave Wittman - Recording & Mix Engineer- Vocals :Solo:* Jay Pierce - "Childhood Dreams", "The Safest Way Into Tomorrow"* Tim Hockenberry - "Sparks", "Believe"...
. - The song was played at the grand opening of the World Trade CenterWorld Trade CenterThe original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
Memorial on September 11, 2011; the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.