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 nĂŠe 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. CiarĂĄn 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.
The Wild Colonial Boy
The Clancy Brothers And Tommy Makem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was born and raised in Ireland in a place called Castlemaine
He was his father's only son, his mother's pride and joy
And dearly did his parents love the wild colonial boy
At the early age of sixteen years, he left his native home
And to Australia's sunny shore he was inclined to roam
He robbed the rich, he helped the poor, he shot James McAvoy
One morning on the prairie as Jack he rode along
A listening to the mockingbird a singing a cheerful song
Out stepped a band of troopers, Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy
They all set out to capture him, the wild colonial boy
"Surrender now Jack Duggan for you see we're three to one
Surrender in the Queen's high name for you're a plundering son"
Jack pulled two pistols from his belt and he proudly waved them high
"I'll fight, but not surrender," said the wild colonial boy
He fired a shot at Kelly, which brought him to the ground
And turning 'round to Davis, he received a fatal wound
A bullet pierced his proud young heart from the pistol of Fitzroy
And that was how they captured him, the wild colonial boy
The lyrics of The Wild Colonial Boy by The Clancy Brothers tell the story of a young man named Jack Duggan, who was born and raised in Castlemaine, Ireland, and went on to become a notorious outlaw in Australia. The song highlights his reputation as a thief who targeted the wealthy but also helped the poor, and as a skilled marksman who shot and killed one of his pursuers. Despite being outnumbered by the troopers who eventually caught him, he refused to surrender and instead fought to his last breath.
The song's lyrics paint a picture of a romanticized outlaw, glorifying Jack Duggan's exploits and portraying him as a hero fighting against authority and oppression. However, the tragic ending of the story reminds listeners that even the wildest of colonial boys cannot escape the consequences of their actions forever.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a wild colonial boy, Jack Duggan was his name
There lived a young boy named Jack Duggan who was wild and adventurous.
He was born and raised in Ireland in a place called Castlemaine
Jack Duggan was born and brought up in Castlemaine, Ireland.
He was his father's only son, his mother's pride and joy
Jack Duggan was the only son of his parents, and they loved him a lot.
And dearly did his parents love the wild colonial boy
Jack Duggan was loved by his parents even though he was wild and adventurous.
At the early age of sixteen years, he left his native home
When Jack Duggan was only sixteen years old, he left Ireland.
And to Australia's sunny shore he was inclined to roam
He went to Australia because he was interested in exploring the sunny shore.
He robbed the rich, he helped the poor, he shot James McAvoy
Jack Duggan was notorious for robbing the wealthy and helping the needy. He also once shot a man named James McAvoy.
A terror to Australia was the wild colonial boy
Jack Duggan was feared by the people of Australia because of his criminal activities.
One morning on the prairie as Jack he rode along
Jack Duggan was riding one morning on the prairie.
A listening to the mockingbird a singing a cheerful song
He was enjoying listening to the cheerful melody of a mockingbird.
Out stepped a band of troopers, Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy
A group of police officers, Kelly, Davis, and Fitzroy, suddenly appeared in front of him.
They all set out to capture him, the wild colonial boy
The officers aimed to capture Jack Duggan, the wild colonial boy.
"Surrender now Jack Duggan for you see we're three to one
The officers asked Jack Duggan to surrender as they had outnumbered him.
Surrender in the Queen's high name for you're a plundering son"
They requested him to surrender in the name of the Queen since he had committed various crimes in the region.
Jack pulled two pistols from his belt and he proudly waved them high
Jack Duggan took out two pistols from his belt and waved them high, showing that he was not afraid to fight.
"I'll fight, but not surrender," said the wild colonial boy
Jack Duggan refused to surrender, saying that he would fight instead.
He fired a shot at Kelly, which brought him to the ground
Jack Duggan fired a shot at Kelly, causing him to fall to the ground.
And turning 'round to Davis, he received a fatal wound
Jack Duggan shot Davis, who suffered a severe injury.
A bullet pierced his proud young heart from the pistol of Fitzroy
Finally, Fitzroy shot Jack Duggan in the heart, causing him to die.
And that was how they captured him, the wild colonial boy
In the end, the officers succeeded in capturing Jack Duggan, the wild colonial boy, by killing him.
Lyrics Š Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILLY WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@belzoni5430
The absolute best version of this by the Clancy Brothers and Makem. And that means the best version anywhere. Period.
@jimmccormack4777
Absolutely perfectly sang, go on boys. Went to see Liam in Limerick just before he died , brilliant he was, the best of stories and poems he told. I went with my brother and friend, we were known as The Mc Cormack Brothers and Glen Scanlon. đť
@liamconnolly9233
Bob Dylan described Liam Clancy as the finest balladeer he ever heard.
@jamesbradshaw3389
@Liam Connolly That is true, He did and Bob is always completely correct
@jamesbradshaw3389
@Liam Connolly I can see it now written in large letters over the musichall entrance doorway. Fully Sold Out for 6 Months, Playing tonight are the world-famous, yes The Clancey brothers and their dear 1st cousin Tommy Maken with support band The Mc Cormack Brothers and their friend from down t he road a bit Glen Scanlon
@jamesbradshaw3389
Great story, I wish that I had gone to see the greatest rocking band along with Thin Lizzy, best the 2 best hard rocking bands of all time
@odonovan
@james bradshaw, except Tommy Makem wasn't related to the Clancys. He was from Northern Ireland, Co. Armagh. The Clancys were from Co. Tipperary.
@MyIrules
This is fantastic stuff. The best Clancy Brothers cuts feature everyone leading a verse like this- not just Liam and Tommy, but Tom and Paddy as well- the reason they were so great was because they all had such different but complimentary voices!
@michaeldonohoe621
My Father, a hard Irishman. Loved this group. His favourite song was. đľ The Mountain Dewđ. Also, the Holy ground. đ
@dkdodds8837
đŚđşas a Australian with convict ancestors this is a bloody great song that brings a tear to my eyes