Celtic/Brit Folk/St. Patrick's Day Whimsy

Drinking Songs

Folk Durge

This is a good old fashioned song about beer. When love let's you down, you learn who your real friends are...cheers.

Love Can't Make You Happy

Another circa 1984-ish effort which I finally made into a sort of country-folk song when I recorded it a few years back. This one has me on all vocals and instruments. Emma Dean was a borrowed name that intrigued me for use here.


Emma Dean

This country-ish tune speaks for itself. A simple tune capturing a guy soaking in a hot summer night and pondering whether it really matters that "she said goodbye". Sort of a look at the simpler things in life as mattering most of all, and not letting relationships dictate your ultimate contentment. Or something like that...

Red Eyed Fly

Red - Eyed Fly

A country style, story telling song which is slow tempo, somewhat of a waltz. Tells the story of a down on his luck regular at a local bar who relates his tale of the music and love he lost long ago.

Liquor and Pictures

The premise of this traditional country ballad is that the love of this man's life has died and left him to the apparitions that bring her back at moments. The device is his drinking at the local tavern and it's his only solace, providing temporary relief to his hopeless blues. Yeah, I know...bummer. But I'm a sucker for sad drinking songs, what can I say?

Apparitions

Another simple country tune relating a lost love and more bar time for the poor slob...

Beer Cans and Arrowheads

The Lonely’s Full Of You

The Lonely's Full Of You

Copyright Daniels & Durgy 2018
This original song describes that feeling of escaping your day-to-day work life, wandering through the crowds to the sanctity of a local pub. And there the really deep rooted thoughts and meanings get their chance to rise to the surface and take over. In the contemplative world of the low lights and the general banter, the heart overcomes the brain and for a while you get lost in it, on that side of the line between real life and the one that got away..... (lyrics below)
This Side Of The Line:
Out of the crowds I 
Look for a break in this fast moving day
As I look about I
Shiver awake to the city’s cold grey

Turn down the lane
And into a pub, dimly glowing and warm
Settle my brain
With the flame in the whiskey as it goes down

Man on the rise I, lose sight of the prize, my 
Time really flies when I’m getting things done
But now and again I, remember when I 
Escaped to the arms of a certain someone

Ordered a beer
Wash down the whiskey and stir up the past
Bringing her near
Just like this bottle, the curve of the glass

Study the mirror
Reflecting the colors of spirits and light
Everything’s clear
Dissecting old lovers like stars in the night

Man on the rise I, lose sight of the prize, my 
Time really flies when I’m getting things done
But now and again I, remember when I 
Escaped to the arms of a certain someone

Time to go home
Can’t stay too long on this side of the line
But here all alone
I feel her lips on this bottle of mine
This side of the line
I feel her lips on this bottle of mine

This Side Of The Line

A brief experience between a grandfather and his young granddaughter this song tries to capture the present joy along with the remembrance of his own childhood on, The Swing.

The Swing

Copyright Daniels & Durgy 2019
Gentle Rain Records
Written and Performed by Nat Daniels and Craig Durgy
Guitars & Mandolin - Craig Durgy
Tin Whistle & Piano - Nat Daniels

Two Lovers From Glenfinnan - by Nat Daniels & Craig Durgy

Come in from the cold, wet your 
whistle my friend
I’ll tell you a story of two lovers
And by the silver shimmer
On an old hallows eve
You can still hear them calling for each other

Singing  hey-ho, hey-ho
Where’s the bonnie lass from Glenfinnan..
She’s waiting for him, between swaying sheaths 
Like a dreamless dream, singing hey-ho

Bound to his Lordship, he was torn from her arms,
Setting sail across to New England
But her love broke his bonds
From the bow he just flew
But a musket rang true singing Hey-ho!

Oh, hey-ho, hey-ho
Where’s the bonnie lad from Glenfinnan..
He’s searching for her, between toil and the sea 
A tormented breeze, singing Hey- ho

Instrumental 
And we sing, hey-ho, hey-ho
Where’s the two lovers from Glenfinnan?
We still hear their song, as the  
North wind heaves, swaying barley sheaths
And their souls, still cry,   hey-ho!

Blue on Blue

Two Lovers From Glenfinnan

Two Lovers from Glenfinnan

Copyright Daniels & Durgy 2019
Gentle Rain Records
Written, performed and produced by Nat Daniels & Craig Durgy
Nat Daniels - Piano, vocals, tin whistle & production
Craig Durgy - Vocals

Lyrics:
By dim light, you whispered sweet,
Will you bind, your heart to me?

Though the banners wave,
And the shields wait true,
Marry me this night,
B’fore the morning dew....

In your eyes, Shone the fire light
Heather sprig,  Lying by my side.. 

Oh my love, 
Return to me
But should you fall, 
I’ll follow thee,
A Shield maiden fair.

Will you follow, my ribbon there
To shores of Loch Shiel
Where the sun yet shines
We’ll shimmer bright
On the shield of dreams....
You’ll find me there.

Shores of Loch Shiel

Shores Of Loch Shiel

Copyright 2020 Daniels & Durgy
Gentle Rain Records
Written, performed and produced by: Daniels & Durgy
Tin whistle, piano - Nat Daniels
Guitars - Craig Durgy
Lyrics: 

You & Me (On Saint Patrick’s Day)

The winter grows weary, as March fills the air
I sit here alone at the bar
A song makes me teary, Rose of Clare
This cheap Irish whisky is hard

And I picture you here, with a pint glass of beer,
In an old wooden booth by the wall
With a plate of corned beef and a smile ear to ear
And hardly a worry at all, no
 Hardly a worry at all

(Chorus)
Drink one for the troubles and one for the laughs
One more for old Galway Bay
And though life has taken us down separate paths
It always will be, you and me, on St. Patrick’s Day   

We’d head out the door ‘fore the morning was o’er
As thirsty as two lads could be
And walk to Gahan’s just as fast as ya can
Just to make sure we got the best seats

We’d sit ourselves down and order a round
And that shot glass of Paddy’s would sting
Then the bagpiper played, oh the sweet sound he made
And all through the day we would sing, yes
All through the day we would sing

(Chorus)
Drink one for the troubles and one for the laughs
One more for old Galway Bay
And though life has taken us down separate paths
It always will be, you and me, on St. Patrick’s Day

Blue On Blue

You and Me (On Saint Patrick’s Day)

You And Me (On Saint Patrick's Day)

I've seen many friends walk a thin line in marriage and so often found themselves walking away from many years of love, sweat and tears. This song captures some of the common themes I've witnessed and the seemingly inevitable conclusion between two people in different worlds.

One More Tear

Copyright Daniels & Durgy 2021 / Gentle Rain Records
Tin Whistle - Nat Daniels
Bag Pipes - Donald P Hicks   -  Our profound thanks to you Don!!
Written by Craig Durgy
 
For those that have occasion to think back on "the one that got away". Imagining that other person today, wondering what might have been and what has actually happened over the years since. This wistful, original song is done in traditional folk style with an Irish/Celtic feel. Let your guard down a moment and go with the contemplation, for better or worse, a brief indulgence as Saint Patrick's Day visits us once again...only to drown our lament and fancy in Guinness and whiskey. Many thanks to our good friend Don Hicks for his wonderful bagpiping on this song.

Lyrics:

Darling Where Are You Now  - by Craig Durgy

Where are you now, is it too far away
Will the distance allow, you to say
To say you remember, when there was no doubt
Just an ember, oh where are you now

Have you really forgotten, did you really move on
Did life take you to, where I am gone
Do you sometimes imagine me,  some day some how
Or abandoned me, where are you now

The heart’s a good soldier, as time marches on
But wiser and older, seems wrong
The days melt like candles, but one won’t burn out
As my heart rambles, where are you now

Did the mountain Laurel bloom like a sunrise at noon
Did your eyes shine like light from the moon
Do our promises echo like birds in the clouds
Have you let go, oh where are you now

If we came face to face, would we smile and embrace 
Or has love disappeared with no trace 
When your memory’s near I may, wish you could hear me say 
Darling, oh where are you now

Chances

Darling Where Are You Now

Starting as a poem written in the 80's I had been looking at a photo of someone from my college years, sitting in a chair in a familiar setting. It just struck me how that person was so removed from my life at that point in time and the chair suddenly seemed "empty" as a result. Then a few years ago I decided to use it for the simple ballad recorded here. 

Empty Chair

Two song writers, two kindred spirits... that found each other by pure happenstance and great fortune, to collaborate and create music together.
To see our separate artist pages, please click on the following links:
Nat Daniels   https://soundcloud.com/natdaniels
Craig Durgy  https://soundcloud.com/durge