You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well, you just might find...I'm (only four days?) late again....
[Blogger's Aside: All caught up--yay!--for now....]
This is the third time I've written about this week's band, and the story of my introduction to their music remains the same for their third straight tune. I will say, however, that my enjoyment of their music has only grown with the passing of time (now over thirty years)....
I wrote about the Waterboys in Vol. CXIII and Vol. CDLXXVI so a full bio paragraph won't be necessary. Since my last post about them in 2024, they have released another studio album, and this year will release a three CD set of unreleased material as well as tour later this spring. Somehow in the first two posts I failed to note their discography, which can be found here.
"And a Bang on the Ear" was the second single from their fourth album, the rather seaworthy entitled Fisherman's Blues. It was not released as a single in the U.S. but hit #1 in their native Ireland (so many cool kids on the Emerald Isle!), and #51 in the U.K. The album did chart in America, peaking at #76, but did much better in the U.K. reaching #13.
Fun Fact: One of the most popular FAQ's on the band's website is what exactly is meant by "a bang on the ear." A bang is Irish slang for a kiss, so it basically means a kiss on the ear (somewhat akin to our "a peck on the cheek").
"And a Bang on the Ear" recounts the lovers and losses of the protagonist (could well be bandleader Mike Scott, but he isn't telling) over the course of several verses. Scott sings with a lovingly whimsical tone (there's no bitterness here) with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek. The background music is delightful--mostly Irish folk (though the organ reminded me of The Band) with just a touch of pop. It features the aforementioned organ, plenty of fiddle, some piano, and a nice rhythmic drumming that pulls it all together. Scott closes with a short paean to his current love, a nice touch that reminds us that in the end love is what we seek. In the end, it's an imminently clever look back at love and its wonders and pains as we make our journey through life and hinting that despite those ups and downs it's ever worth our while.
Lyric Sheet: "Deborah broke my heart and I the willing fool/I fell for her one summer on the road to Liverpool/I thought it was forever, but it was over in a year (oh dear)/But I give her my love and a bang on the ear..."
Enjoy:
Fuck Donald Trump
Peace,
emaycee
