The Táin (Horslips)
Encyclopedia
The Táin is the name of a music album by Irish
rock band Horslips
. Their second studio album, it was Horslip's first attempt at making a concept album
, an idea they would return to in 1976 with The Book of Invasions: A Celtic Symphony. The Táin was based on the Táin Bó Cúailnge
(The Cattle Raid of Cooley), one of the most infamous legends
of Early Irish literature
, dealing with the war between Ulster
and Connacht
over a prize bull. The songs tell the story from the points of view of Cúchulainn
, Queen Maeve of Connacht
and Ferdia, among others. Horslips continued their Celtic Rock
style of fusing
traditional Irish music and rock, using traditional jigs and reels and incorporating them into their songs. For example, Dearg Doom is based on O'Neill's March, while The March of the King of Laois forms part of "More Than You Can Chew".
The Táin was released in Ireland in 1973 independently, in the UK by RCA/Oats
and by Atco
in the US. It was reissued in the UK in 1978 by DJM
.
"Dearg Doom" was arguably the most popular track on the album and was included in Tom Dunne
's 30 Best Irish Hits compilation, released in 2003. Along with "Faster Than The Hound", it was performed by the band on BBC
's Old Grey Whistle Test
. "Dearg Doom's" main guitar riff was incorporated into "Put 'Em Under Pressure
", the anthem of the Republic of Ireland's Italia '90
campaign, reintroducing the song to a younger audience.
Side Two
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...
rock band Horslips
Horslips
Horslips are an Irish Celtic rock band that compose, arrange and perform songs based on traditional Irish jigs and reels. The group are regarded as 'founding fathers of Celtic rock' for their fusion of traditional Irish music with rock music and went on to inspire many local and international acts....
. Their second studio album, it was Horslip's first attempt at making a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, an idea they would return to in 1976 with The Book of Invasions: A Celtic Symphony. The Táin was based on the Táin Bó Cúailnge
Táin Bó Cúailnge
is a legendary tale from early Irish literature, often considered an epic, although it is written primarily in prose rather than verse. It tells of a war against Ulster by the Connacht queen Medb and her husband Ailill, who intend to steal the stud bull Donn Cuailnge, opposed only by the teenage...
(The Cattle Raid of Cooley), one of the most infamous legends
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
of Early Irish literature
Early Irish literature
-The earliest Irish authors:It is unclear when literacy first came to Ireland. The earliest Irish writings are inscriptions, mostly simple memorials, on stone in the ogham alphabet, the earliest of which date to the fourth century...
, dealing with the war between Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
and Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
over a prize bull. The songs tell the story from the points of view of Cúchulainn
Cúchulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
, Queen Maeve of Connacht
Medb
Medb – Middle Irish: Meḋḃ, Meaḋḃ; early modern Irish: Meadhbh ; reformed modern Irish Méabh, Medbh; sometimes Anglicised Maeve, Maev or Maive – is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
and Ferdia, among others. Horslips continued their Celtic Rock
Celtic rock
Celtic rock is a genre of folk rock and a form of Celtic fusion which incorporates Celtic music, instrumentation and themes into a rock music context...
style of fusing
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
traditional Irish music and rock, using traditional jigs and reels and incorporating them into their songs. For example, Dearg Doom is based on O'Neill's March, while The March of the King of Laois forms part of "More Than You Can Chew".
The Táin was released in Ireland in 1973 independently, in the UK by RCA/Oats
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
and by Atco
Atco Records
ATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
in the US. It was reissued in the UK in 1978 by DJM
DJM
DJM is a range of DJ mixers made by Pioneer Electronics.Mixers in the DJM series include the DJM-300,DJM-400, DJM-500, DJM-600, DJM-700, DJM-707, DJM-800, DJM-900 nexus, DJM-909, DJM-1000 and the DJM-2000...
.
"Dearg Doom" was arguably the most popular track on the album and was included in Tom Dunne
Tom Dunne
Thomas 'Tom' Dunne is an Irish radio broadcaster with Newstalk. He presents The Tom Dunne Show on weekday mornings between 10:00am and midday. He used to have a show called Pet Sounds on Today FM but gave it up...
's 30 Best Irish Hits compilation, released in 2003. Along with "Faster Than The Hound", it was performed by the band on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Old Grey Whistle Test
Old Grey Whistle Test
The Old Grey Whistle Test was an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco Two", which had been running since January 1970, while continuing to feature non-chart music. It was devised by BBC producer Rowan Ayers...
. "Dearg Doom's" main guitar riff was incorporated into "Put 'Em Under Pressure
Put 'Em Under Pressure
"Put 'Em Under Pressure" was the official song to the Ireland national football team's 1990 FIFA World Cup campaign in Italy . It is regarded as "an all-time classic that the entire country knows every single word to, even the spoken words of wisdom from Jack Charlton, it's place in the hearts of...
", the anthem of the Republic of Ireland's Italia '90
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
campaign, reintroducing the song to a younger audience.
Track listing
Side One- "Setanta" (instrumental) – 1:15
- "Maeve's Court" (instrumental) – 1:41
- "Charolais" – 4:03
- "The March" (instrumental) – 1:34
- "You Can't Fool The Beast" – 3:43
- "Dearg Doom" – 3:07
- "Ferdia's Song" – 2.44
- "Gae Bolga" (instrumental) – 1:15
Side Two
- "Cú Chulainn's Lament" – 3:07
- "Faster Than The Hound" – 5:39
- "Silver Spear" (instrumental) – 2:06
- "More Than You Can Chew" – 3:18
- "The Morrigan's Dream" (instrumental) – 3:25
- "Time to Kill!" – 5.02
The line-up
- Jim Lockhart - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, tin whistleTin whistleThe tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
s, uilleann pipesUilleann pipesThe uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
, vocals - Eamon Carr - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, bodhránBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
, percussions - Barry DevlinBarry DevlinBarry Devlin is an Irish musician, screen writer and director.-Early life:Devlin is from Ardboe, Moortown, County Tyrone...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Charles O'Connor - fiddle, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, concertinaConcertinaA concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It has a bellows and buttons typically on both ends of it. When pressed, the buttons travel in the same direction as the bellows, unlike accordion buttons which travel perpendicularly to it...
, vocals, - John Fean - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, vocals