Formed while the members were working in America, the initial impetus was to record an album of Irish rebel songs (released as "The Rising of the Moon") as one of the first releases in 1956 of new folk label, Tradition Records. Paddy Clancy's harmonica provided the only musical accompaniment for this debut album.
Little thought was given at that point to continuing as a singing group. The four were all were busy establishing careers (in the theatre) for themselves, in addition to their work at Tradition Records. With the album being a local success, requests were often demanded for the brothers and Makem to sing some of their songs at parties and informal pub settings. Slowly, the singing gigs began to outweigh the acting gigs and by 1959, serious thought was given to a new album. Liam had developed some guitar skills, Tommy's hand, which hasd been injured, had healed enough that he was again able to play tin whistle and Uilleann pipes, and the times spent singing together had improved their style. No longer were they the rough, mostly unaccompanied group of actors singing for an album to jump-start a record label; they were becoming a professional singing group.
The 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 and Liam Clancy. Paddy, Tom, Bob, and Liam are best known for their work with Tommy Makem, recording dozens of albums together as The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. They were a primary influence on a young Bob Dylan and on many other emerging artists.
The release of their second album, this one of Irish drinking songs called "Come Fill Your Glass with Us", solidified their new careers as singers. The album was a success, and they made many appearances on the pub circuit in New York, Chicago, and Boston. It was at their first official gig after "Come Fill Your Glass With Us" that the group finally found a name for themselves. The nightclub owner asked for a name to put on the marquee, but they had not decided on one yet. Unable to agree on a name (which included suggestions like "The Beggermen", "The Tinkers", and even "The Chieftains") the owner decided for them, simply billing them as "The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem". The name stuck. They decided to try singing full-time for six months. If their singing was successful, they would continue with it; if not, then they would return to acting. The Clancy brothers and Tommy Makem proved successful as a singing group and in early 1961, they attracted the attention of scouts from The Ed Sullivan Show.
The Clancy Brothers' mother read news of the terrible ice and snow storms in New York City so she sent Aran sweaters for her sons and Tommy Makem to keep them warm. Paddy and Liam Clancy stated they wore the sweaters for the first time in the Blue Angel club. When Marty Erlichman, their manager, saw the sweaters, he was beside himself! "That's it!" he exclaimed. I've been looking for a special costume for the group. It was also the night that Barbra Streisand sang in the Blue Angel for the first time. The sweaters became the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem's trademark. When back in their hometown, the band purchased their Aran jumpers from Babington, on the main street. Babington had a local woman by the name of Betty McGillivray née Duggan knit the jumpers and supply the shop on regular occasions.
On 12 March 1961, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem performed for 16 minutes in front of a televised audience of 80 million people on The Ed Sullivan Show. As Pearl Bailey did not show that night, the Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem were given her time. The televised performance instantly attracted the attention of John Hammond of Columbia Records. The group was offered a five-year contract with an advance of $100,000, a huge sum in 1961. For their first album with Columbia, they enlisted Pete Seeger as backup banjo player for the live album A Spontaneous Performance Recording It included songs that would soon become classics, such as "Brennan on the Moor," "Jug of Punch," "Reilly's Daughter," "Finnegan's Wake," "Haul Away Joe," "Roddy McCorley," "Portlairge" and "Moonshiner." The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1961.
By the end of 1961, they had released two more albums, one final one with Tradition Records, and another with Columbia, Hearty and Hellish: A Live Nightclub Performance, and they were playing Carnegie Hall. Additionally, they were making appearances on major radio and television talk-shows in America.
1962 proved to be an even better year. Ciarán MacMathuna, a popular radio personality in Ireland, was visiting America when he heard of the group. He collected the few albums they had out at the time, brought them back home to Ireland and played them on his radio show. The broadcasts skyrocketed the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem to fame in Ireland, where they were still unknown. In Ireland, songs like "Roddy McCorley," "Kevin Barry" and "Brennan on the Moor" were slow, depressing songs full of melancholy, but the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem had transformed those songs (the disgruntled purists in Ireland said "commercialized") and made them lively. For generations the songs had been a reminder of the troubles in Ireland and therefore they weren't anything anybody sang proudly. The Clancy Brothers changed all that, and the transformed songs reinvigorated Ireland's pride in her music. The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem were brought over for a sold-out tour of Ireland in late 1962. Popularity in England and other parts of Europe soon followed, as well as Australia and Canada. By 1963, appearing on major talk-shows in America, Canada, England, Australia and Ireland, as well as their own TV specials, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem were "the most famous four Irishmen in the world" as said by Ireland's Late Late Show host, Gay Byrne, in a retrospective interview in 1984. In 1964, one third of all the albums sold in Ireland were Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem records.
The 1960s continued to be a successful decade with the release of approximately two albums per year, all of which sold millions of copies. They continued to peak with television appearances in front of President John F. Kennedy in 1963.
Their popularity is the result of several factors. There was already an American folk revival beginning in the United States, and men such as Ewan MacColl popularizing old songs on the other side of the Atlantic. But it was the Clancys' boisterous performances that set them apart, taking placid classics and giving them a boost of energy and spirit (not that they took this approach with all their songs; they would still sing the true mournful ballads with due reverence).
But by the late 1960s, rock music had taken full swing, and the ballad and folk boom was waning. To keep the band at the top, Teo Macero began producing their records for Columbia. Macero introduced new instrumentation to their music, including Louis Killen coming in to play concertina on backup, particularly on their 1968 album of sea songs, Sing of the Sea. But their last three albums for Columbia Record in 1969 and 1970 are considered by many to be overproduced, with a multitude of string instruments and synthesizers added to the simpler traditional Clancy mix of guitar, banjo, tin whistle and harmonica.
In 1969, the group recorded a song for a two-minute-long TV ad for Gulf Oil: "Bringin' Home the Oil". They adapted a traditional Scottish tune they had recorded, "The Gallant Forty Twa," with new words about large-capacity supertankers. The song and commercial featured the then-largest supertanker in the world, the Universe Ireland, which operated with sister ships Universe Kuwait, Universe Japan and Universe Portugal, all mentioned in the song and which operated from the seaport at Bantry Bay.
1969 marked the amicable departure of Tommy Makem from the group. Giving them a year's notice, Makem left in April 1969 to pursue a solo career armed with such recent compositions as "Four Green Fields", debuted on 1968's Clancy Brothers album, Home Boys Home.
The "other brother", Bobby Clancy, filled Tommy Makem's vacancy and the band became The Clancy Brothers.
Four Green Fields
The Clancy Brothers And Tommy Makem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"What did I have?" this proud old woman did say
"I had four green fields, each one was a jewel
But strangers came and tried to take them from me
I had fine strong sons, they fought to save my jewels
They fought and died, and that was my grief" said she
"Long time ago" said the fine old woman
"There was war and death, plundering and pillage
My children starved by mountain valley and sea
And their wailing cries, they shook the very heavens
My four green fields ran red with their blood" said she
"What have I now?" said the fine old woman
"What have I now?" this proud old woman did say
"I have four green fields, one of them's in bondage
In stranger's hands, that tried to take it from me
But my sons have sons, as brave as were their fathers
My fourth green field will bloom once again" said she
The song "Four Green Fields" is a moving tribute to the resilience and perseverance of the Irish people through years of conflict and struggle. The "fine old woman" in the song represents Ireland itself, a proud and strong country that has weathered many storms over the years. She speaks of her four green fields, which symbolize the different regions of Ireland, each one a precious jewel in its own right. However, she laments that strangers have come to try and take them away from her.
The woman speaks of her fine strong sons, who fought and died to protect her jewels. The sacrifices made by the Irish people are not glossed over in this song, as the woman acknowledges the grief that she has experienced due to the death and suffering of those she loved. The second verse takes us back in time, as the woman recounts the horrors of war and the toll it took on her people. Children died of starvation, and the very earth of Ireland was stained red with the blood of those who fought and died.
Despite all of this, the woman remains proud and defiant. She speaks of the fourth green field, which is currently in bondage, but will bloom again thanks to the bravery and strength of her sons' sons. The message of the song is clear: Ireland may have suffered greatly, but it remains strong and united, and will thrive once again.
Line by Line Meaning
What did I have?" said the fine old woman
The old woman is questioning what she possessed before.
"What did I have?" this proud old woman did say
The old woman repeated the question, emphasizing her ownership and pride.
"I had four green fields, each one was a jewel
The old woman had a valuable possession, four beautiful fields.
But strangers came and tried to take them from me
The old woman's fields were threatened by outsiders who attempted to take them away from her.
I had fine strong sons, they fought to save my jewels
The old woman had strong sons who fought hard to protect her valuable fields.
They fought and died, and that was my grief" said she
Unfortunately, the old woman's brave sons died while defending her fields, causing her great sadness.
"Long time ago" said the fine old woman
The old woman reflects back to a time long ago.
"Long time ago" this proud old woman did say
Again, the old woman reiterates that it was a long time ago.
"There was war and death, plundering and pillage
The old woman recalls a time of war, death, and violence, where her fields were attacked and pillaged.
My children starved by mountain valley and sea
During this time, her children suffered and starved in the mountains and by the sea.
And their wailing cries, they shook the very heavens
The cries of her suffering children were so loud and powerful that they could be heard in the heavens.
My four green fields ran red with their blood" said she
The violence during this time caused bloodshed and death in her valuable fields.
"What have I now?" said the fine old woman
The old woman questions what she has now, after everything she has been through.
"What have I now?" this proud old woman did say
Again, the old woman repeats her question, emphasizing her current state.
"I have four green fields, one of them's in bondage
The old woman still has her four valuable fields, but one is currently under the control of outsiders.
In stranger's hands, that tried to take it from me
The outsiders who control her field attempted to take it from her.
But my sons have sons, as brave as were their fathers
The old woman's grandsons are just as brave as their fathers were.
My fourth green field will bloom once again" said she
The old woman remains hopeful that her fourth field will be freed and will thrive once again.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fiona
Magnificent. My mother
, Lord have Mercy on her used to sing this song. She was a fine Irish woman who prayed for a United Ireland.
EllieRocksAtLife
"But my sons had sons, as brave as were their fathers My fourth green field will bloom once again said she."
Jimmy Malone
Only irish understand this. Fair play
paddyballgame
Our day will come
john kennedy
Us as republicans stand on the shoulders of giants we have witnessed the best generation of republicans and now Irish unity is feels closer than ever before may god bless our patriot dead🇮🇪32
Seamie McGeown
It's a song his mother or granny must have sang first
chrometanned
A very sad song. One of the best written songs ever, Tommy was a poet. God rest his soul.
Julie Whelan
He was a poet! Listen to him on his song
Come by the hills
scottfallon1
"My children starved by mountain, valley and sea. And their wailing cries, they shook the very heavens."
Jesus.
Moos
That's what England did to Ireland. And much more then that even.