Jonathan Ramsey

I took my recycling to Willmore Park near my home in Saint Louis. While driving around the circle to the bins, I spotted an odd sight. A pair were picnicking at one of the shelters. Now, some prefer charcoal. Others prefer mesquite. Others love propane. Some, apparently, must have the microwave!

You’ll notice a white microwave, just above the center of the photograph. They’d set it atop a trash receptacle, and set up a few other implements about.

Tags: microwave picnic saint+louis+park st+louis+park willmore+park picnic+shelter

Next up, “Roddy McCorley”, written by Ethna Carbery about 100 years after the event in question. Not long before the 1798 Uprisings, the Presbyterian McCorleys were evicted from their farm, following the death of Roddy’s father. McCorley took part in the 1798 Uprisings in Co. Antrim, then went into hiding. He was betrayed and captured a year later and hanged in Toome, Co. Antrim, on Good Friday, 1799. The British soldiers dissected his body and buried it under the road between Derry and Belfast. Half a century later, his body was recovered and place in a proper, if unmarked, burial site.

Feel free to stream, download, share, create derivative works all you like. I’ve released this recording under a Creative Commons Non-Commercial, Attribution, Share-Alike License. So, you can mix it, share it, use it in videos, what have you. Just let me know, if you might make money from it.

Cheers!

click the play button to stream

Tags: free+mp3 live+recording bootleg irish+song 1798+uprisings united+irishmen rebel+song roddy+mccorley

I’ve uploaded number 12 on the list of hits from Westport Flea Market. “The Bonny Maid of Fyvie-O” evolved from the much older Irish song “Pretty Peggy”. This is, of course, a happy song about death, to which I’m known to gravitate, perform, and embellish.

Feel free to stream, download, share, use, and modify this recording in any way you wish. It’s Creative Commons licensed, and PODSAFE.

Bonny Maid of Fyvie-O click the play button to stream

Tags: irish+song scotland happy death irish+dragoons bonny+maid+of+fyvie-o bonny+maid+of+fife love+song

Today, I’ve uploaded the MP3 for “Stitch in Time”. This song is ripped from the headlines, and set to music by Mike Waterson, Martin Carthy, and friends. In my experience, it has brought on a number of after-show comments from women who, in one way or another, identify with the heroine. Some have escaped similar situations. One woman had taken matters into her own hands, much like in this song, only she used duct tape. 

At Westport Flea Market, I met a woman who works at a Kansas City shelter for women. She asked if I had recorded this song. Well, I have now.

While this song amuses many, at best it’s rarely –but probably it’s never- wise to follow its example.

Women who suffer from any kind of abuse should know that real help is a phone call away. My friend Lynn, at Reality Exploits, has provided the number for Women’s Support and Community Services, serving Saint Louis city and county in Missouri. Call (314) 531-2003 if you, or someone you know, could use support and help. They provide services and referrals for women dealing with domestic violence, sexual assault, relationship issues, legal issues, and shelter information.

Nationwide, in the United States, you can call:

National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TDD)

Other cities, nationwide, and throughout much of the world, have people who can help. Please, if you are hurting, find the people in your community who can help you get back on your feet, and feel safe.

Note: Computer use can be monitored. Please use a safe computer –at the library, school, etc.- to find resources. You can look in places like the Google Domestic Violence Directory or the Support Network for Battered Women.

So, this is for my new friend in Kansas City, and the women she works with:

Stitch in Time click the play button to listen

Watch my mp3 page for an updated version of Stitch in Time.

Tags: free+mp3 domestic+violence women’s+shelters live+recording indie+music

Listen up, all my fellow insulin pump users. This is the thing we’ve all been waiting for. Haven’t you always wanted to beautify your ugly infusion set? Stop wishing and start accessorizing, Babies!

No longer must you worry about wearing that crop top, going to the pool, or participating in the other thing. Everyone will be excited when they see your Groovy Patch!

Why do I want these kitties to say, in IMPACT typeface, “I’M IN YR ABZ KYOOTIFYING YR NPHYOOZHUN SETT”?

Tags: diabetes insulin+pump groovy+patch infusion+set freedom lolcats

“Poor Paddy”, number ten in the series of tunes from 17 June, and the story of a man who hates his job a smidge.

If you can’t make it to the pub, tonight, then kick back in front of the browser, and feel the navvy angst by listening to this free MP3. Download and share with your friends. Just tell them where you got it.

Poor Paddy “Poor Paddy” Free MP3 click the “play button” to stream.

Tags: irish+song free+mp3 work+song pub+song live+music irish+music navvies railrood poor+paddy

I know. I know. “Whiskey in the Jar”. This is definitely a heavily derided traditional song. To some critics, it’s the poster child for overdone Irish songs. For each of those, however, there are 20 people, who will be very disappointed if they don’t hear the song, when they go out to the pub. It’s the “Freebird!” of Irish pub songs. So, I sneak it in, now and again –right after “Freebird!” [Zippos up high, now!]

So, grab a wooden spoon to bang on the jar or pot, or just clap your hands along with this fine, well-aged Irish pub favorite. If you like, you can even get the more refined version on my download music page.

Cheers!

click the play button to listen

Tags: irish+song free+mp3 pub+song drinking+song whiskey live+music irish+music ireland whiskey+in+the+jar

“Star of the County Down” is number eight from the recording of my Westport Flea Market show.

My version is a lightly speedy one, with a hint of fennel. Listen, download, and share with your friends. Under the Creative Commons license, you may also use it in non-commercial works –videos, mixes, etc.- without asking permission or paying anyone.

Again, if you like it, feel free to buy the higher quality version on my mp3 page.

Star of the County Down click the play button to listen

Tags: irish+song free+mp3 love+song live+music irish+music ulster northern+ireland star+of+the+county+down

Jack Haggerty worked as a raftsman, escorting logs down the Platte River in the mid 19th century. He and his friend Dan McGinnis found the local blacksmith’s daughter, Anne Tucker, easy on the eyes. They were, however, not allowed to go near her. There was probably some sort of frontier “restraining order”, that involved guns and ax-handles if not followed.

See the Jack Haggerty Lyrics for more.

From “They Knew Paul Bunyan”, by E.C.Beck, 1956:

“Flat River rises in Six Lakes, has a splendid mill-site at
Greenville, and empties into the Grand River near Lowell. It is in what was
a great pine belt of Michigan. A lively incident there is the basis of the
song. When it was composed, Greenville was a small logging town and Anne
Tucker’s home was just across the street from her father’s blacksmith shop.
In the late [18]sixties big, burly, red-haired Dan McGinnis came to town.
Dan knew Jack Haggerty, a good-looking fellow from Hart and Shelby. Neither
Dan nor Jack was permitted to keep company with pretty Anne Tucker.
McGinnis, a clever entertainer as well as a good raftsman, was assigned to
the camp where George Mercer, Anne’s fiance, had been promoted to woods
boss. McGinnis was so aroused that he composed this shanty song, using
Haggerty’s name to conceal his own identity. At first Mercer was so angry
that he would not permit the song sung in camp, and the Tuckers disliked
it. In time the family aversion wore away, and Anne herself is said to have
sung it to her Canadian friends.”

click the play button to stream

Check out my page of mp3s for more songs and to purchase higher quality versions.

Tags: irish+american+song free+mp3 love+song live+music irish+music michigan+logging jack+haggerty

Okay. First, let me say that I do not do these “Which [pop culture icon/movie character] are you?” quizzes. They remind me of the emails with horrible, cutesy MIDI background music, Precious Moments images, and daily affirmation verbiage. They’re like the slightly edgier version of those.

This one made me look, perhaps because it’s not a very well done one, or because it had a high likelihood of casting me as a Johnny Depp or Winona Ryder character.

If you want to find out who “I am”, you’ll have to read on…
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