Music Video

Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!

Published Saturday, September 8, 2012 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

Something for the weekend. After a fortnight of political conventions I thought it was appropriate to have one of the more popular campaign songs in American political history featured for our weekend song, Tippecanoe and Tyler Too, written by Alexander Coffman Ross, and sung endlessly by the Whigs during the 140 presidential campaign. Perhaps one of the more vacuous campaigns in our nation’s history, the Whig’s rode to victory on William Henry Harrison’s status as a war hero at the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 and during the War of 1812, and the poor economy presided over by Democrat Martin Van Buren. Ironically John Tyler, who was as much an afterthought on the ticket as he is in the song, would serve out the term of Harrison after Harrison died after only 32 days in office. John Tyler was a Democrat who had only recently converted to the Whig party. As president he returned to his Democrat roots and had dreadful relations with the Whigs, who would certainly have impeached him but for their losing control of the House in the 1842 elections. Astoundingly Tyler still has two living grandchildren.

Here is a rock version of the song: Continue reading →

The Girl I Left Behind Me

Published Saturday, August 18, 2012 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

Something for the weekend. The Girl I Left Behind Me. First seeing print in 1791, the song has always been associated with the parting of young soldiers and their sweethearts as a result of war.

Plaisir d’amour

Published Saturday, August 4, 2012 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

Something for the weekend. Plaisir d’amour, “The Pleasure of Love”. Written in 1780 by Jean Paul Egide Martini, it was orchestrally arranged by Hector Berlioz. The haunting melody has always been a favorite of mine.

Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un moment.

chagrin d’amour dure toute la vie.

J’ai tout quitté pour l’ingrate Sylvie.

Elle me quitte et prend un autre amant.

Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un moment.

chagrin d’amour dure toute la vie.

Tant que cette eau coulera doucement

vers ce ruisseau qui borde la prairie,

Je t’aimerai me répétait Sylvie.

L’eau coule encore. Elle a changé pourtant.

Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un moment.

chagrin d’amour dure toute la vie.

The pleasure of love lasts only a moment

The pain of love lasts a lifetime.

I gave up everything for ungrateful Sylvia,

She is leaving me for another lover.

The pleasure of love lasts only a moment,

The pain of love lasts a lifetime.

“As long as this water will run gently

Towards this brook which borders the meadow,

I will love you”, Sylvia told me repeatedly.

The water still runs, but she has changed.

The pleasure of love lasts only a moment,

The pain of love lasts a lifetime. Continue reading →

Fireworks Melody

Published Saturday, July 21, 2012 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

Something for the Weekend. I always find the Handel composition Music For the Royal Fireworks (1749) to be stirring. It was written to celebrate the ending of the War of the Austrian Succession and the signing of the peace of Aix-La-Chappelle in 1748. It turned out to be merely a truce before the start of the Seven Years War, the big war of the Eighteenth Century, known as the French and Indian War in America, and initiated by a 22 year old George Washington! Counting the fighting in America which began in 1754, it should properly be known as the Nine Years War. Continue reading →

Cabin Fever

Published Sunday, July 8, 2012 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

(Guest post by Don’s wife Cathy:)

Ever feel like the extreme heat & humidity this past week (across most of the USA) was driving you nuts – not to mention being cooped up (in air-conditioned splendor, but still . . .) that whole time? Apparently this was also a problem for the intrepid-but-becalmed ship’s crew in Muppet Treasure Island! Thankfully, by the time you see this, the temperatures will have dropped to more reasonable levels (approx. 85 degrees Fahrenheit/30 degrees Celsius) in our part of the country – although readers of this blog on the US East Coast will still have to suffer for a day or two. Continue reading →

Fortnight For Freedom Day 3: Chester

Published Saturday, June 23, 2012 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

Their blood flowed as freely (in proportion to their numbers) to cement the fabric of independence as that of any of their fellow-citizens: They concurred with perhaps greater unanimity than any other body of men, in recommending and promoting that government, from whose influence America anticipates all the blessings of justice, peace, plenty, good order and civil and religious liberty.

John Carroll, first American bishop, on American Catholics in the Revolution

Something for the weekend. Chester, America’s unofficial national anthem during the American Revolution. This fits in well with the Fortnight of Freedom proclaimed by our Bishops in resistance to encroachments by government on our religious liberty.

Written by William Billings in 1770, he added new lyrics to the song in 1778 and transformed it into a battle hymn for the Patriots in their war for independence. The song reveals the strong religious element that was ever-present on the American side of the conflict, with most Patriots viewing the war as a crusade. Continue reading →

S.O.S.

Published Saturday, June 9, 2012 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

Something for the Weekend. Some of the reactions to my post with the ABBA song Waterloo in it were so, I think the term I will use is “special”, that I decided that S.O.S. was warranted. Don’t make me bring out Dancing Queen!

They Will Shoot Me on Tuesday

Published Saturday, June 2, 2012 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

I die but God does not die!

Blessed Anacleto González Flores before his martyrdom, April 1, 1927

Something for the Weekend. El Martes Me Fusilaran. (They will shoot me on Tuesday.) A song performed by Vicente Fernández Gomez celebrating the fight for the Church and religious liberty by the Cristeros in Mexico in the twenties of the last century. This seemed appropriate on the day when my family and I will be seeing For Greater Glory. Go here to read my post on the film and the historical background on the Cristero War. Here are the lyrics of the song translated into English: Continue reading →

Eternal Father

Published Saturday, May 26, 2012 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

Something for the weekend. Eternal Father seems very appropriate for a Memorial Day weekend, as we remember those who paid the ultimate price for the freedom we cherish. Written in 1860 as a poem by William Whiting in England, the music to accompany the lyrics was composed by John B. Dykes in 1861. The moving hymn has always been a favorite of those who serve in the military:

Eternal Father, strong to save,

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,

Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep;

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,

For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard

And hushed their raging at Thy word,

Who walkedst on the foaming deep,

And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,

For those in peril on the sea!