Video clip : https://youtu.be/RH0fMgkFl2E
Please visit my fellow musicians music:
https://soundcloud.com/progrockdan1
https://soundcloud.com/mark-hoogslag
https://soundcloud.com/kellie-rowley



The idea of doing a song about Brendan the navigator came from Dan back in June 2015. We tried different tunes and lines - at one time we had four different ideas about either Brendan's homecoming, Brendan's boat (Currach), Brendan's liberty  and Brendan's brother. We could  have done almost a whole album around this Irish Sailor-Saint. One of the ideas got a Caribbean angle and turned into the Island of Light.

But the Brendan idea never got off the ground until we got Kellie singing along and Mark Hoogslag on board with his flute.  So in the end we made a traditional sounding folk song featuring mandoline, violin, mouth harp, flute, budhran and bass, darbuka and Kellie's and Dick's vocals.

So who was Brendan? Did he actually live, and if so did he manage to reach America in the 6th century, in a boat made of leather?

Just like other Celtic figures from that time (Arthur) Brendan's historical background is a bit sketchy. His date of birth and death are given with some certainty (c. 484 – c. 577) but other than that the tales are like legends. His journey is first mentioned in the Navigatio sancti Brendani abbatis, of which at one time 125 manuscripts have been counted, scattered across Europe. Debate about which is the oldest manuscript is still going on among Brendanologists.

In our text we came up with a ficticious brother of Brendan who stayed on land while his brother went to sea. The land-brother worked in the forest that produced the mast that the sailor-brother needed to travel.

Picture from Flickr - https://flic.kr/p/fCUHha - part of a manuscript depicting Saint Brendan on the back of a whale.

Brendan's brother


Come sail with us to distant lands
to seek out unknown shores
we aim beyond the mighty waves
where no one's gone before

Brendan can you tell me,
when we'll be turning back
this journey feels like ages
and we are loosing track

The season's right to catch some wind,
we leave from the bay of Clare
our boat is filled we things we need
so join us if you dare

You went out from the Bay of Clare
and took a Western course
The forest tells me your mast is strong
that can stand the mighty force


waiting for the sun or waiting for the rain
coming down from glaciers 
or up from the flattened plain
Brendan I am your brother 
don't forget me yet
the wood that will carry you, 
came from the forest bed

I am his son and so are you
I travel through the woods
while you have chosen for the sea 
I hope it brings you good

our father he is waiting still
on any news from us
the tales of all this travelling
will arouse his wanderlust

Brendan's brother (featuring Kellie Rowley, Mark Hoogslag & ProgrockDan)

This is the place where I put my songs, some unfinished, some done so much you will be wishing for a fork to taste the succulent and maybe stir a little. 

Comments & ideas for collaborations appreciated. 
Instruments: violin, mandoline, acoustic, bass and electric guitars, harmonica, tin whistle, darbuka, sansula, roland synthesizers. 
Recording with Cubase Elements 11 

Recommending these inspiring musicians: 

https://soundcloud.com/the-plugs ;  https://soundcloud.com/pleudoniem ;  https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett ; 
https://soundcloud.com/dan-lockhart ; 
https://soundcloud.com/julsy ; 
https://soundcloud.com/houckjt ; 
https://soundcloud.com/tante-meli .

Originally from the UK, I play for tips in wild and wonderful West Virginia. Thanks for listening! Check out videos for some of these tunes at my YouTube channel!
https://www.youtube.com/@DuncanLorimer

I like a variety of genres.  You will find a bit of everything on here.  I stick to the genre indicated on each playlist. Language warnings posted if need be.  I hand pick each song.  I do not put any song on a playlist for any reason other than I like it.   Peace.  Lyn

I am Dan Lockhart/ProgRockDan.  I am half of the duo Dan X2.  I enjoy making music with my partner Dan Blackard.  I was born in East St. Louis, Illinois.  I was raised in a rural area near Edwardsville, Illinois.  I have lived in San Antonio, Texas; Bad, Kreuznach, Germany;  Kansas City, Missouri; Columbus, Georgia; Haverhill Massachusetts;  St, Louis, Missouri, and Indianapolis, Indiana.  I have resided in Carmel Indiana for the past 20 + years.  I consider this home.  I have a small studio in my home.  I go to it everyday and work on creating (writing) songs.  I play bass, guitar, banjo, mandolin, pedal steel, piano, violin, and viola.  I use Cubase for my DAW.  I master using Izotope, Ozone.

You can find my other music on these sites:
https://soundcloud.com/progrockdan1
https://soundcloud.com/dan-lockhart
https://soundcloud.com/progrockdan-instrumentals

https://www.reverbnation.com/prdvocals
https://www.reverbnation.com/progrockdan1
https://www.reverbnation.com/daniellockhart4

My songs with Dan Blackard can be found here:
https://soundcloud.com/user-106484228
https://soundcloud.com/user-590884876

https://www.reverbnation.com/dananddan5
https://www.reverbnation.com/danx2


I have a collection Christmas songs here:
https://www.youtube.com/@prd.christmas4703

Children's music are here:
https://www.youtube.com/@musicfirkids

Here is a link to my Patreon Page.  You can find music that is only available to my patreon supporters on this page.
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=59878068

I have 72 Songs about Space here:
https://hearthis.at/progrockdan1/set/space-songs/

Brendan's brother (featuring Kellie Rowley, Mark Hoogslag & ProgrockDan)

Oorlab