You may be aware that Queen played "Danny Boy" for the only time during their first ever Irish gig on November 22nd 1979. The 1979 show is therefore highly interesting to Queen fans. As well as that, Freddie sang the song really well and it received a terrific ovation from the crowd.
I know for a fact that a bootleg of the 1979 show existed because parts of it were played on a Dublin pirate radio station the night after the gig. I have, as yet, not been able to locate that show. I wonder whether anyone has ever come across a copy of that show?
If not, is is possible that a recording is in the Queen archives?? Anyone know how many of the Crazy Tour shows were recorded for the archives?
Thanks.
You may get a larger response if poseted in the "Sharing the Music - Request" section. (though this was perfectly acceptable to post under this section, I might add)
Danny Boy is how it is known to the Great Unwashed. (just kidding!!) The tune is actually published under the name of the "Londonderry Air". In a nutshell, the history of the song is based on a tune which was heard in the main street of a town in Northern Ireland called Limavady. (this is where I work.)
The tune was heard by a lady called Jane Ross, and was being played by a fiddler busking in the street around 100 years ago.
Everybody and their dog seems to think that it's the only tune out there that represents "Oirish-ness". But we won't complain - there are worse tunes....
The song has been covered by many, including Johnny Cash. Queen, I assume, in their ongoing tour attempts to produce something for a local crowd, used this tune.
Cheers
Paul
That mp3 is from Dublin 86... I've never actually listened to this whole show (only watched the 1hr video, and it doesn't have the whole guitar solo), so that was a first for me. Very interesting!
Danny Boy was composed by an English lawyer, Frederick Edward Weatherly (1848-1929), who was also a songwriter and radio entertainer. In 1910 he wrote the words and music for an unsuccessful song he called Danny Boy. In 1912 his sister-in-law in America sent him a tune called the Londonderry Air which he had never heard before. He immediately noticed that the melody was perfectly fitted to his Danny Boy lyrics, and published a revised version of the song in 1913.
I attended the 1979 Queen gig in Dublin when I was still at school. I was really surprised when the song was performed in full. Freddie sang it beautifully and there was rapturous applause from the full house in the RDS. Because it was the only time that Queen played the song at a show (apart from extracts in Brians solos at subsequent Irish shows), a copy of the gig would be most interesting to have. (If only I could get my bloody hands on it!!)
btw I would be most interested in a copy of the Slane '86 vid. How can I get a copy??
Thanks,
John.
Its on the Queenhub in black and white,its a bad recording but worth a look 63 min long.
It is also for sale on the net. link
This is the colour version.