The Farrellel Universe

Singer Tom Lenihan from Miltown Malbay at the Kilrush Fleadh in 1966. Tom also called the song "Paddy's Panacea."

Let your quacks and newspapers be cuttin' their capers
While curing the vapors, the scratch, and the gout
With their powders and potions, their serums and lotions
Upholding their notions, they're mighty put out.

Would you know the true physic of all things prophetic
And pitch to the devil, cramp, colic and spleen
You'll find it, I think, if you take a big drink
With your mouth to the brink of a glass of poteen

Then stick to the cratur' the best thing in nature
For sinking your sorrows and raising your joys
Oh what moderation gives hope to a nation
Or brings consolation like whisky, me boys?

Come guess me this riddle, What beats pipes and fiddle?
What's stronger than mustard and milder than cream?
What best wets your whistle? What's clearer than crystal,
sweeter than honey, and stronger than steam?

What will make the dumb talk? What will make the lame walk?
What's the elixir of life, and philospher's stone?
And what helped Mr. Brunel to dig the Thames Tunnel?
Sure, wasn't it poteen from ould Inishowen

So stick to the cratur' the best thing in nature
For sinking your sorrows and raising your joys
Oh lord, it's no wonder, if lightning and thunder
Weren't made from the plunder of poteen me boys.

Ronnie Drew died Saturday. I've gotten (re-)obsessed with Irish music the past few months and have been acquainting myself with the Dubliner's and Pogues' catalogs. Much like Lorenzo Music's voice work for Garfield, Ronnie Drew's voice defines Irish music for me.

Here's a sample of Ronnie and Shane MacGowen (Pogues) performing Rare Old Mountain Dew.

Also this one with Pogues, U2 and others doing Behan's "The Auld Triangle"

• Caribou - Yeti
• Holy F*ck - Lovely Allen
• Time is a Lion - Joe Henry

I need to get back to writing, but HOLY CRAP!!!
Earl Scruggs, Marty Stuart, Vince Gill, Jerry Douglas, Alvin Lee ... Steve Martin!?!

I got introduced to Built to Spill back in college. Even though the album is over 10 years old, the lyrics from the first track from "Perfect From Now On" still amaze me.

Every Thousand Years
This metal sphere,
10 times the size of Jupiter,
Floats just a few yards past the Earth

You climb on your roof
And take a swipe at it
with a single feather
Hit it once every thousand years,
till you've worn it down
to the size of a pea.

Yeah, I'd say that's a long time
but it's only half a blink
from the place you're going to be

The name of the song? Randy Described Eternity