St Patrick's Day, Vol. 2

Well, the holiday calendar has come full circle in this pandemic as we're back to where we started being locked up last year. It's been weird and it's been stressful, but things are finally starting to look a little bit upward. Is it the best idea this year to go sit in a bar crammed full of other people that may or may not have been exposed to COVID? Maybe not, but whatever you choose to do on Wednesday (if anything), I hope it's done responsibly. That being said, let's listen to some fun music to get us in that Irish mood that shows up in everyone in mid-March!

Drunken Lullabies by Flogging Molly (written by Flogging Molly)

Featured on their 2002 album Drunken Lullabies, this is one of Flogging Molly's most well-known songs and I gotta say it's an absolute banger. This Irish-American band knows how to get people excited about their music, and this one does not disappoint. It's fast paced and energetic from start to finish and is a really fun listen all the way through.

Must it take a life for hateful eyes to glisten one again/Five hundred years like Gelignite have blown us all to hell/What savior rests while on his cross, we die while forgotten freedom burns/Has the Shepherd led his lambs astray to the bigot and the gun/Must it take a life for hateful eyes to glisten one again/‘Cause we find ourselves in the same old mess singing drunken lullabies

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day (written by B. Armstrong, M. Pritchard, F. Wright)

No, Green Day is not an Irish band, but they have the color green in their name so they get added to this playlist because I make the rules. Featured on their 1997 album Nimrod, this universal graduating class song is one of the most well-known songs in their entire repertoire. It gets a lot of flack for being so overplayed and clichéd, but it really isn't a bad song and has spent the last twenty-four years getting played, so Green Day clearly did something right here.

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road/Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go/So make the best of this test and don’t ask why/It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time/It’s something unpredictable, but in the end, it’s right/I hope you had the time of your life

Whiskey and My Bible by Gretchen Wilson (composer unknown)

Now I clearly can't guarantee whether Wilson is talking about Irish whiskey or American whiskey, but again I make the rules so here we are. Featured on her 2017 album Ready to Get Rowdy, this is one of the beltier songs on her tracklist and shows off her vocal ability really well. It's definitely more of a slow jam than some of the others on today's list, but it's a good listen all the same.

If I can’t even trust myself, how can I trust someone else/That’s what I ask this broken face in the mirror/I’m out of love and out of luck, beaten down and beaten up/Trying to make these bloodshot eyes a little clearer/I can feel salvation drawing nearer/God is great, and man, that’s good enough/So I’ll just keep on fighting for survival/I got all I need to get down on my knees/And have myself a lonely soul revival/Trusting in my whiskey and my bible

Day Drinking by Little Big Town (written by B. Dean, J. Westbrook, K. Fairchild, P. Sweet, T. Verges)

Yes, another country song on the St. Pat's list, but this one's talking about everyone's favorite activity to do on March 17th. Featured on their 2014 album Pain Killer, this is one of my favorite Little Big Town songs. Most of what they do vocally is really excellent, and this song is no exception with their incredibly tight harmonies and catchy lyrics. TL;DR, this song is a banger and you should listen to it.

Everybody’s always waiting on Friday/Watching their clock and sitting on the go/What you say we find a little warm sunshine/And open umbrella on the patio/I don’t need a reason or a happy hour/Ain’t hanging ‘round for a firework show/Get a head start, a little sip of something/Off and running, here we go/One, two, three, here we go/Don’t wanna wait ’til the sun’s sinking/We could be feeling alright/I know you know what I’m thinking/Why don’t we do a little day drinking/Why don’t we do a little day drinking

The Lucky One by Taylor Swift (written by T. Swift)

Of course Taylor is on the St. Patrick's list, just shut up about it ok? Featured on her basically perfect 2012 album Red, I couldn't leave this storytelling luck-themed song out. Swift looks into what it actually means to be "lucky" enough to have absurd amounts of fame and fortune and what it can do to a person, and like every other song from the Red era it makes you stop and think about what that would mean for you personally.

New to town with a made up name, in the Angel City chasing fortune and fame/And the camera flashes make it look like a dream/You had it figured out since you were in school, everybody loves pretty, everybody loves cool/So overnight, you look like a sixties queen/Another name goes up in lights/Like diamonds in the sky/And they’ll tell you now, you’re the lucky one/Yeah, they’ll tell you now, you’re the lucky one/But can you tell me now, you’re the lucky one/Oh, oh, oh

An Irish Party in Third Class by The Celtic Ceili Band (written by J. Ryan, D. Lloyd)

While the most well-known version of this medley is probably Gaelic Storm's that was used in Titanic, I listened to the version by The Celtic Ceili Band. The medley includes John Ryan's Polka and The Blarney Pilgrim, both of which are very upbeat Irish instrumental melodies that were made for dancing. It's a very happy instrumental piece that makes me smile to some degree each time it comes on my playlist, and it's obviously a lot of fun to dance around to.

Whiskey In the Jar by The Highwaymen (arranged by D. Fisher)

Featured on their 1972 album Encore, The Highwaymen are just one of many examples of bands that have covered this song over the years. This traditional Irish classic tells the story of a highwayman who is betrayed by his lover, and it has that classic drinking song feel to it. I recommend The Highwaymen's version, but if you're looking for others you should also check out Thin Lizzy and Metallica.

As I was going over the far famed Kerry mountains/I met with Captain Farrell and his money, he was counting/I first produced my pistol, and then produced my rapier/Said, "Stand and deliver, for I am a bold deceiver"/Musha ring dumma do damma da/Whack for the daddy ol’/Whack for the daddy ol’/There’s whiskey in the jar

Hopefully this post gave you some fun music to listen to on Wednesday - don't forget to wear your green or else you're a prime target for pinching. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!