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Danny Boy

"Danny Boy" is a song whose lyrics are set to the Irish tune Londonderry Air. The lyrics were originally written for a different tune in 1910 by Frederick Weatherly, an English lawyer, and were modified to fit Londonderry Air in 1913 when Weatherly was sent a copy of the tune by his sister.

The first recording was made by Ernestine Schumann-Heink in 1915. Weatherly gave the song to Elsie Griffin, who made it one of the most popular in the new century. Weatherly later suggested in 1928 that the second verse would provide a fitting requiem for the actress Ellen Terry.

Though the song is supposed to be a message from a woman to a man (Weatherly provided the alternative "Eily dear" for male singers in his 1918 authorised lyrics), the song is actually sung by men as much as, or possibly more often than, by women. The song has been interpreted by some listeners as a message from a parent to a son going off to war or leaving as part of the Irish diaspora.

The song is widely considered an Irish anthem, considered by many Irish Americans and Irish Canadians to be their unofficial signature song.

Lyrics

Oh Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling

From glen to glen, and down the mountainside.

The summer's gone, and all the roses falling.

'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow

Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow,

'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow.

Oh Danny Boy, Oh Danny Boy, I love you so.

But if you come and all the flow'rs are dying

And I am dead, as dead I well may be,

You'll come and find the place where I am lying

And kneel and say an Ave there for me.

And I shall hear, though soft your tread above me,

And then my grave will warmer, sweeter be,

For you will bend and tell me that you love me,

And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.

Alternative lyrics for last two lines:

And you'll not fail to tell me that you love me,

I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

Recordings

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir on their album Voices in Harmony
The St. Olaf Choir on their album A Choral Tapestry
The Flying J Wranglers recorded the song as part of a medley, pairing it with "America the Beautiful" on their album ' Cowboy Dreamin' '
Black 47 for their 1994 album Home of the Brave, a rather different version, only retaining the melody and one of the original verses.
Joan Baez recorded the song as part of a medley, pairing it with Stephen Foster's "I Dream of Jeannie", on her 1975 album Diamonds & Rust
The Seekers recorded it on their first UK album (1964) The Seekers (also known as Roving with The Seekers)
The Bachelors recorded the song on there album 'More great song hits in 1965.
Harry Belafonte recorded a version
Brobdingnagian Bards recorded it for their album Songs of Ireland (2002, Mage Records)
Marc Gunn parodied the song about his cats for his album Whiskers in the Jar: Irish Songs for Cat Lovers (2008, Mage Records)
Tony Bennett recorded this, released on the 1987 Columbia CD, Jazz, with Stan Getz on tenor sax, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums.
Till Brönner on his 2006 album Oceana
Johnny Cash on American IV: The Man Comes Around. Cash recorded an earlier version of this song on his 1965 album Orange Blossom Special remastered in 2002.
Eva Cassidy recorded a performance of the song on the album Imagine (2002)
Celtic Woman on their Celtic Woman CD, 2005, EMI-Manhattan Records
Cher recorded it in 1969 on her Jackson Highway album
Charlotte Church, Welsh singer, recorded the song on her Voice of an Angel album (1999, Sony)
The Choirboys (boyband) recorded the song on their album 'The Choirboys' (2005, Universal)
Judy Collins sang it at her Live at Wolf Trap concert (released on DVD/CD in 2000)
Harry Connick Jr's 1999 big-band record Come By Me has a voice and piano take on this song Harry Connick Jr's character Daniel sings Danny Boy at a talent show in the movie Life Without Dick. As a cast member in the 1990 World War II aviation film Memphis Belle he sings the song at a dance. It becomes the principal music theme of the film, particularly prominent in the harrowing ending and the end credits.
Sam Cooke recorded it on his Sam Cooke album on Keen Records (1958)
Bing Crosby recorded it for his Top O' the Morning album (re-released 1996, MCA)
Dennis Day, Irish tenor sang it several times as a regular on the Jack Benny television program
Joe Feeney, Irish tenor, performed the song numerous times, both on The Lawrence Welk Show and in a 1964 recording
Gracie Fields sung this on the Soundtrack to her 1939 film 'Shipyard Sally,' and recorded the song once in 1939 and in 1978 for Jess Yates's TV show 'Stars on Sunday.'
Tommy Fleming recorded it on his Contender album.
Joseph Flummerfelt arranged, conducted and recorded this piece with the Westminster Choir for the Spoleto Festival USA (Gothic Records inc. 1996)
Connie Francis on her Connie Francis Sings Irish Favorites album (1962, MGM)
Declan Galbraith The opening track on the eponymous debut album by the young British singer.
Helen Gallagher performed the song as her character Maeve Ryan, on the final episode of the ABC-TV soap opera Ryan's Hope on January 13, 1989
Judy Garland recorded it several times, once for her film Little Nellie Kelly (1940) MGM Records and again for her Miss Showbusiness album (1955, Capitol Records) and sang it live during her concerts in Dublin's famed Theatre Royal and at her now legendary New York Palace Theatre show. Her last recording of the song was in 1962 in London, for The London Sessions album again on the (Capitol) label.
Percy Grainger's setting of this tune (Londonderry Air) for wind orchestra was released on the British label Chandos as part of its series of the complete works of that composer
Great Big Sea recorded it for their live concert DVD Courage & Patience & Grit (2006)
Al Hibbler recorded it in 1950 for Atlantic Records
House of Pain Hip hop Irish-American band on their Homonym album. "Danny Boy" is also the stage name of a member of this group.
Les Humphries Singers recorded song on the album Kansas City in 1974 with John Lawton on vocals.
Irish Tenors, group comprising Ronan Tynan, John McDermott and Anthony Kearns, recorded it on the Irish Tenors CD, Music Matters (1999)
Daniel Johns from Silverchair and Bernard Fanning from Powderfinger recorded a duet version of this song in 2007.
Tom Jones sang it on the first episode of his weekly television show (February 1969) and recorded it on Las Vegas to London, the Best of Tom Jones Live CD on the Spectrum label (1999).
The Kelly Family recorded their first single called Danny Boy in 1979. In 1991 they put the song also on their album Honest Workers.
Brian Kennedy, recorded it on his Live in Belfast CD on Curb Records (2004)
Nigel Kennedy, recorded it on his Nigel Kennedy's Greatest Hits CD on EMI Classics (January 7, 2003) and performed by English Chamber Orchestra with Liam O'Flynn, Osian Ellis, Nigel Kennedy
Seamus Kennedy recorded this song, prefaced with a number of partial variations, on "By Popular Demand, Vol 1" (Gransha, 1993)
The King's Singers, a cappella version on the album Watching the White Wheat (1985)
Diana Krall performed the song with The Chieftains on their album Tears of Stone (1999 RCA)
Tir na n'Og, recorded it on their 2006 self-titled debut album
Damien Leith, winner of Australian Idol 2006, featured an acoustic version of his homeland's traditional song on his debut album, Where We Land (2007 Sony BMG). The version also features Leith on guitar and was originally recorded for a fan. Also recorded a raw version on his latest album Where We Land (2007)
Josef Locke recorded it numerous times throughout his career (available on several reissued CDs) .
Natalie MacMaster, Cape Breton fiddler, on her Yours Truly album (2006) with vocals by Michael McDonald
John McDermott Irish-/Scottish-Canadian vocalist. Performs during every performance.
Mireille Mathieu, (French singer) recorded the French version titled L'enfant De L'Irlande on her Amoureusement Votre 3 CD box set on EMI/Virgin Records (2002)
Megan Mullally (Karen of Will and Grace) recorded it on her album Big as a Berry.
Ruby Murray on her When Irish Eyes Are Smiling album in the late Sixties (re-released 1997)
My Friend The Chocolate Cake recorded a chamber pop version for their 1991 album My Friend The Chocolate Cake (re-released 1995)
Willie Nelson on One From the Road (released in 1979; re-released on a compilation Stardust/Honeysuckle Rose/One From The Road)
Sinéad O'Connor performed the song, adding a third (political) verse, on whistler and piper Davy Spillane's album The Sea of Dreams
Daniel O'Donnell, most recently in 2006 on Greatest Hits CD on the DPTV Media label.
Off Kilter Celtic-rock band on their Etched in Stone CD 2001.
Mary O'Hara, Irish singer and harpist recorded it on her Song for Ireland CD on the Shanachie label (1993)
Maureen O'Hara Irish actress recorded it on her Maureen O'Hara Sings her Favourite Irish Songs album (1962, Columbia Records)
G4 on their Act 3 CD (2006, White Rabbit)
Roy Orbison on his 1972 Memphis album
Korla Pandit. Appears on the compilation Remembering Korla Pandit .
Frank Patterson, recorded the song for his album Ireland in Song. His rendering is prominently featured in a stunning gangland hit sequence in the movie Miller's Crossing by Joel and Ethan Coen.
Elvis Presley recorded the song in 1976 during the Jungle Room Sessions at Graceland in Memphis, TN. The master take is available on From Elvis Presley Boulevard. Other takes are available on The Jungle Room Sessions and Platinum. The song was noted as one of his favourite songs and was played at his funeral. Elvis said it was his father Vernon's favourite song.
The Pogues on the soundtrack for the 1987 film Straight to Hell, with Cait O'Riordan on vocals. Pogues frontman Shane Macgowan also recorded a version of the song with his solo band The Popes which appeared on their "Christmas Party E.P."
The Poxy Boggards on Whiskey Business (2006)
Ray Price had a top 10 hit on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart in 1967, and is an example of his Nashville Sound output
Quartetto Gelato twice, first on their debut CD Quartetto Gelato and again on Quartetto Gelato Travels the Orient Express
Thomas Quasthoff on his 2006 album A Romantic Songbook
Carmel Quinn recorded it live on her Carmel Quinn at Carnegie Hall album (1970 Columbia/EMI )
Jim Reeves recorded it twice, A slow version for the Album Tall Tales and Short Tempers in 1960 and in 1961 he recorded a version that was released as a single. He always closed his shows with the song.
Eli Reichenbach recorded a popular parody of this song about Dylan Terry entitled Terry Boy.
Paul Robeson recorded it in Ballad for Americans and Great Songs of Faith, Love and Patriotism. Vanguard Records.
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf: 13.07.1958 Abbey Road Studios, London, England
Deirdre Shannon has a version on her album Deirdre Shannon
Brush Shiels, Irish rocker, performs a bluesy version on his album Fields Of Athenry (1988)
Carly Simon recorded it for her 1990 album My Romance
The Swingle Singers recorded the song for their 1991 album of folk songs, Around the World.
Kate Smith delivers a version of it on The Irish Album reissued by RCA in 1989.
Bryn Terfel on his album titled Bryn Terfel Sings Favourites (2003), reissued as Bryn double CD Special Edition (2005)
Thin Lizzy included it in a medley of Irish tunes as part of the title track on their Black Rose: A Rock Legend album in 1979. Under the name of "Funky Junction", Thin Lizzy had previously recorded an instrumental version, titled "Dan", on their Tribute to Deep Purple album in 1972.
Conway Twitty recorded a rockabilly version in 1959 that reached No. 10 on the US Pop charts.
Maureen Tucker of The Velvet Underground recorded it for her album Dogs Under Stress
Ronan Tynan's solo rendition plays while photographs of the 343 members of the New York City Fire Department who perished in the September 11, 2001 attacks are shown in the closing minutes of the documentary film 9/11
Kiri Te Kanawa on her folksongs album Come To The Fair.
Sarah Vaughan, recorded it on her album It's A Man's World (original release: Mercury Stereo SR 611220; released as an audio CD on Verve label in April 2002)
Don Walser recorded a version on Texas Top Hand (1996); it's also included on Walser's best-of compilation, Dare To Dream.
Andy Williams recorded it on his Danny Boy album re-released as Andy Williams-Danny Boy/Wonderful World 2 CD set on the Collectible label (2002)
Wolfe Tones recorded it live on their Wolfe Tones The Troubles 2 CD set.
Tir na n'Og, Serbian celtic band, recorded it on their debut album in 2006.
Hayley Westenra's 2007 UK album Treasure and the international counterpart Celtic Treasure include her rendition of the song.
Jackie Wilson recorded two different versions.
Link Wray recorded a version of this song in 1960.
Sung by Luba Mason and Ruben Blades one the grammy-winning cd Mundo (sony-columbia 2002)
Sung by Celtic Thunder on their second CD, Celtic Thunder: Act II

In popular culture

Film

Sung by the crowd in the film The Boxer (film) before the hyped up match where both Catholics and Protestants are present.
Sung by Frankie Laine in the Blake Edwards film, He Laughed Last (1956).
Sung by the Irish-American character Maureen McBain in Sergio Leone's spaghetti western Once Upon a Time in the West, even though the movie was set before the song was written.
In Goodfellas, after being told by Henry Hill to not bug Jimmy Conway about his share of the Lufthansa Heist, Morrie Kessler sings the first two lines to Henry, replacing the name "Danny" with "Henry"
Played in Miller's Crossing (1990) in the scene when Albert Finney's Irish mob boss defends himself against an attempted hit by a rival gang.
Featured throughout the score of Memphis Belle (1990) and sung by the character Sgt. Clay Busby played by Harry Connick, Jr.
Sung by the funeral congregation in the 1990 Andrew Bergman movie The Freshman.
Sung in Into the West (1992) by one of the main characters Ossie, played by Ciarán Fitzgerald, to make money for chips.
Rockabilly version performed by Brian Setzer of Stray Cats in The Great White Hype (1996) as the anthem of the Irish-American boxer portrayed by Peter Berg.
Referenced near the end of the film Good Will Hunting (1997), which takes place in Irish South Boston.
The song is sung in the beginning of the Titanic Town (1998) starring Ciaran Hinds and Julie Walters. The story is set in West Belfast during the early 1970s.
Featured in the New Zealand film River Queen (2005) sung in both Māori and English.
The song was used in the end of the film, Highlander: Endgame.
Featured in the credits of Paradise Road, sung by the vocal orchestra.
In the 2005 film The Proposition, the first lines are sung by John Hurt's character, who replaces "the pipes" with "the flies" in reference to flies surrounding a dead body in his shack.

Popular music

On The Beatles' 1970 final album Let It Be, at the end of the track "One After 909", John Lennon plays the (uncredited) opening of the song with altered lyrics. Probably "Oh, Danny Boy, the oats of Anne are calling...".
In his faustian 1994 song "The Man Who Wrote Danny Boy", Joe Jackson implies that the author of "Danny Boy" created an immortal "perfect refrain".
Mentioned in the lyrics of Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping" (1997).
Canadian Idol 2006 runner-up Craig Sharpe performed the song during the program and included a version on his February 2007 debut CD I Am
Sung by Declan Galbraith on his Debut Album "Tell Me Why"
Performed several times in concert by celebrated singer/songwriter Tori Amos

Television

Danny Boy was the theme song for the long running television show The Danny Thomas Show, aka Make Room For Daddy, from 1953 to 1964.
In the 1997 HBO movie In the Gloaming directed by Christopher Reeve, Glenn Close's character Janet sings it to her son, Danny (played by Robert Sean Leonard), while husband Martin (David Strathairn) listens on.
2004 Judy Garland: By Myself American Masters Emmy Award winning documentary on PBS it is also featured in the Garland biography on the Biography Channel
Sung briefly by Julie Benz as Darla in the episode "Offspring" in Angel: the Series.
In the Torchwood episode "Random Shoes", the episode's central character Eugene attends his own funeral, to see his father burst into a tearful rendition of the song.
On One Life to Live, Evangeline Williamson(Renee Elise Goldsberry) sang the song at the funeral of Detective John McBain(Michael Easton).
Sung by Helen Gallagher in the finale of the ABC soap opera Ryan's Hope.
Talk show host Conan O'Brien sang this song in one of his Saint Patrick's Day episodes.
Sung by Ike in "Something you can do with your finger" an episode of South Park.
Parodied in the comedy Saved by the Bell at the funeral for Slater's lizard.
Sung by James in an episode of Spin City (Local Hero (S3E11)).
Sung by Jack Rudolph (Steven Weber) many times in the show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip in the beginning of several of the scenes when he encounters Danny Tripp throughout the series. Rudolph also once sings the lead line as "Matty Boy" when he encounters Danny's partner, Matt Albie.
Performed by "The Leprechaun Brothers" (Swedish Chef, Animal and Beaker on The Muppet Show)
Sung by Barney Gumble in The Simpsons on the closing of Moe's Tavern in Mommie Beerest, due to excessive health code violations.
Sung by Dr. Zoidberg at Bender's fake funeral in the Futurama episode "A Pharaoh to Remember".
Garrett Morris sang it in the traditional Irish tenor fashion dressed as a leprechaun on Saturday Night Live on March 18, 1978.
Sung by the Gross Sisters form the animated show The Proud Family, but the only part of the song sung was "Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow. For I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow. Oh Danny Boy, oh Danny Boy, I love you so."
A recurring theme throughout The Adventures of Lano and Woodley, appearing as a jazz song and a campfire song, among others.
Sung by Donal Logue in Grounded for Life at a funeral
Sung by a singing ravenous eel in Courage the Cowardly Dog right after attacking Eustace. Followed by a couple more times with different songs.
Sung by Dick Solomon, the High Commander as he is trapped in the stairwell, in an episode of Third Rock from the Sun.
Sung by Pegas in the animated series Teknoman (AKA Tekkaman)
Characters could hear unseen ghosts on clarinet, saxophone and violin perform part of the song in each episode of the first series of Round the Twist; eventually, a choral rendition by the entire cast in the series' climax brought forth the ghosts to save the show's lighthouse from being destroyed.

Other

In the novel Angel Light by Andrew M. Greeley, the protagonist is transported to an alternate history Ireland which superficially seems the same as ours, but is different in many details - and finds out what happened when he sings "Danny Boy" and realizes that nobody in this Ireland had ever heard it before.
The 27th Lancers Drum and Bugle Corps used the piece to close out their competitive shows from 1971 to 1983 (excepting 1974 and 1978)
Sung by The Question after his return to Hub City and as he lay dying in DC Comics 52. Was also sung during his first return to Hub City, after he was almost killed by the Reverend Hatch's gang, he made a comment 'We dump him in the river, then if he arises singing Danny Boy I shall give him whatever he wants.'.
Sung by comedian Peter Kay (who also invites the audience to join in with him) at the end of Live at the Bolton Albert Halls.
Sung by boxer Barry McGuigan's father, Pat, before many of Barry's bouts.
'Battle of Danny Boy' An Iraqi insurgent checkpoint ambush against the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment where bayoneting was used for the first time since the Falklands war a local Iraqi doctor confused the bayoneting with post battle 'abuse'.
In Grand Theft Auto IV after you call up the Irish character Patrick McReary, aka Packie and go drinking with him he could recite the poem in a drunken stupor depending on how many times you got drunk with him before.
In BioShock when you reach Frank Fontaine's home the song can be heard coming from the radio.
In March 2008, Foley's NY Pub & Restaurant attracted worldwide attention by banning the singing of the song for the month. Owner Shaun Clancy cited that the song is ranked among the top 25 most depressing songs of all time, is overplayed (and often sung badly) at the expense of other great Irish ballads, and was written by a man who had never set foot in Ireland. Foley's welcomed the song back on April 2 with a rendition by former Phantom of the Opera star Ciaran Sheehan.
From March 15 – March 17, 2008. AJ's Cafe in Ferndale, Michigan held a "Danny Boy Marathon" in which over 700 performances of Danny Boy were preformed by over 1000 people in a fifty hour non-stop marathon. The song was sung, rapped, and performed on guitar, pennywhistle, piano, drums, bagpipes,flutes, clarinet, violin, tuba, bass, kazoo, and harp. It was done in languages of French, Polish, Yiddish, American Sign and English. The youngest performer was 4 months old as a member of the 30-plus Donnellon Family from Port Huron, Michigan who performed all together, and the oldest was in her nineties, a member of a group of seniors who performed from the Saint Patrick's Senior Center in Detroit. Among other notable performances were five full chorale groups, church choirs, transgenders, sock puppets, and the Governor of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm. The founder of the event, Allen James (AJ) O'Neil, organized the charity event as a tribute to his late father, Alfred James O'neil (1996). AJ sang the first song at 3 pm on March 15 and the last song on March 17 at 5pm