Bill Hughes formed the idea of a trio of Irish tenors during a Cannes festival at which the famous Three Tenors, Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras and Plácido Domingo were performing. Hughes wanted to produce a television special and first approached Ireland's Finbar Wright in 1998 to join the group but Wright's recording contract with Sony BMG prohibited such a venture. Hughes then invited Canadian John McDermott to head up the group and he accepted. After conferring with Ireland's leading vocal coach, Dr. Veronica Dunne, Anthony Kearns and Ronan Tynan were asked to join. In 1999, "The Irish Tenors-in Dublin" debuted on PBS television in the United States.
PBS signed up for another special by the increasingly popular new group but early in 2000 McDermott's mother died and John decided he could not fully commit himself to the group. Days before PBS was to film The Irish Tenors - Live in Belfast Hughes again contacted Finbar Wright and asked him to step in. Wright agreed to help and was asked to stay on for upcoming tour dates. Having left Sony, Wright was able to join the trio on a permanent basis.
In 2001, the Irish Tenors filmed their third special, an historic PBS broadcast at New York's Ellis Island , hosted by Irish/American actor Martin Sheen. Their album "Ellis Island" topped Billboard's Heatseeker list and landed on its "Top 10 Best of 2001".
In 2006, after Tynan left the group to concentrate on his solo career, Karl Scully was asked by Kearns and Wright to join the trio. This successful blend of voices spurred Bill Hughes to produce a television 9 part series for Ireland's RTE titled The Irish Tenors & Friends. Friends performing on the television special with The Irish Tenors include Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber , Paul Carrick, Finbar Furey , Hayley Westenra , Shayne Ward , Sharon Shannon, Peter Grant , Rebecca Storm, Lucia Evans , and Celine Byrne.
In 2007 the South Carolina Legislature issued a "Proclamation" welcoming the trio to that State at their performance in Charleston.
The trio continues to tour yearly.
The Town I Loved so well
The Irish Tenors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've said our last good-bye
His soul's been blessed and he's laid to rest
And it's now I feel alone
He was more than just a father
A teacher my best friend
He can still be heard in the tunes we shared
[Chorus:]
I never will forget him for he made me what I am
Though he may be gone memory lingers on
And I miss him... The old man
As a boy he'd take me walking
By mountain field and stream
And he showed me things not known to kings
And secret between him and me.
Like the colors of the pheasant
As he rises in the dawn
And how to fish and make a wish
Beside the holly tree
I never will forget him for he made me what I am
Though he may be gone memory lingers on
And I miss him... The Old Man
I thought he'd live forever
He seemed so big and strong
But the minutes fly and the years roll by
For a father and his son
And suddenly when it happened
There was so much left unsaid
No second chance to tell him thanks
For everything he's done
I never will forget him for he made me what I am
Though he may be gone memory lingers on
And I miss him... The Old Man
"The Town I Loved So Well" by The Irish Tenors is a touching tribute to a loved one who has passed away. The singer reflects on his father's life, his influence on him, and the memories they shared together. The song is a beautiful reminder of the lasting impact a loved one can have on our lives, even after they have left this world.
The first verse sets the tone for the song, with the singer acknowledging that his loved one is gone, and the sadness and loneliness that come with that loss. He describes his loved one as more than just a father but also a teacher and his best friend, highlighting the deep connection they shared. The chorus repeats the sentiment that he will never forget him because of the impact he had on his life.
The second verse is a reflection on the memories they shared, with the loved one taking the singer on walks and showing him the wonders of nature. The song conveys the deep respect the singer has for his loved one, describing how he showed him things not known to kings. The final verse is a poignant reminder that time is fleeting, and we should make the most of the time we have with our loved ones. The singer is left with the regret of things unsaid and the longing to thank his loved one for everything he has done.
Overall, "The Town I Loved So Well" is a powerful song that captures the love and respect we hold for those who have passed, the impact they have had on our lives, and the sorrow that comes with their passing.
Line by Line Meaning
The tears have all been shed now
There are no more tears to shed after saying goodbye
We've said our last good-bye
We have said farewell for the last time
His soul's been blessed and he's laid to rest
The person's soul has been blessed and buried
And it's now I feel alone
I feel alone now that he's gone
He was more than just a father
He was more than a parent
A teacher my best friend
He was also a teacher and my best friend
He can still be heard in the tunes we shared
We can still hear his presence in the music we shared
When we play them on our own
When we listen to those tunes all by ourselves
I never will forget him for he made me what I am
I will never forget him as he is the reason I am who I am
Though he may be gone memory lingers on
Even though he's gone, his memory remains
And I miss him... The old man
I miss him, my old man
As a boy he'd take me walking
When I was young, he would take me for walks
By mountain field and stream
We would explore the wilderness together
And he showed me things not known to kings
He taught me things that even kings may not know
And secret between him and me.
These were secrets between us
Like the colors of the pheasant
He showed me the colors of the bird
As he rises in the dawn
As the bird rises with the sunrise
And how to fish and make a wish
He taught me how to fish and make a wish
Beside the holly tree
Next to the holly tree
I thought he'd live forever
I believed he would live on forever
He seemed so big and strong
He appeared strong and powerful
But the minutes fly and the years roll by
Time passes us by quickly
For a father and his son
For a father and his child
And suddenly when it happened
When it all suddenly happened
There was so much left unsaid
There were so many things we didn't get to say
No second chance to tell him thanks
There is no other chance to thank him
For everything he's done
For all that he had done for me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ron Wickman
on Grace
A glorious rendition that tears at one's heart, without histrionics.. Wm. Shakespeare couldn't have said it better.