Theme from Harry's Game
| "Theme from Harry's Game" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Theme from Harry's Game" or just "Harry's Game" is a BAFTA-nominated[1] hit song by Irish group Clannad, written by members Ciarán Brennan and Pól Brennan. It was released in 1982 and served as the main track from their album Magical Ring.[2] However, the song was initially written for a Yorkshire Television production called Harry's Game, which depicted The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
The lyrics are in the Irish language, and the song is to date the only British hit single ever to have been sung in Irish Gaelic.[3] The chorus "Fol lol the doh fol the day, Fol the doh fol the day", is ancient Irish mouth-music which is common in traditional music.[4] The song won an Ivor Novello award, and launched Clannad's global career. It has since appeared in several Hollywood movies, most notably Patriot Games, in which an IRA member is seen watching the music video for the song on his television. Its use in a Volkswagen commercial introduced Clannad to an American audience.
Clannad's debut trans-Atlantic album, Anam, was released in the United States in 1992 and became an enormous American success - spurred on by an overwhelming reaction to "Harry's Game", including extensive video exposure on VH1. The song went on to garner the Billboard Music Award for World Music Song Of The Year and to reach the Billboard 100 charts three years after its release.[5]
The song has been covered by countless different acts, most notably Phil Coulter,[6] U2[7] and Celtic Woman.[8] The song also features on Clannad's vocalists' live albums, 2005's Óró - A Live Session and 2008's Heart Strings. The original has also been Sampled various times by artists such as Kaleef, Elate and Chicane on their track Saltwater.
Meaning
The lyrics to the song were written to depict the story of The Troubles among all sides in Northern Ireland and the future of the sides (Nationalist, Republican, Unionist and Loyalist). Moya Brennan, while explaining how Clannad was about the music and never political, explained the meaning behind the song. The lyrics, derived from an ancient text from Galway, explain how in war and in violence, no side will win - that all lose.[3]
Track listing
- Theme From Harry's Game – 2:30
- Strayed Away – 2:47
Chart history
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 8 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 16 |
| UK Singles Chart | 5 |
References
- ^ Clannad BAFTA website
- ^ http://www.discogs.com/artist/Clannad
- ^ a b http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/reviews/moyabrennan.htm
- ^ http://www.dirtynelson.com/linen/feature/47clannad.html
- ^ http://everything2.com/e2node/Clannad
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/Legends-James-Galway-Phil-Coulter/dp/B000003G93
- ^ http://www.extrasolar.net/clannad/fuaimart.htm
- ^ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Woman/dp/B0007GAEGC/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_i/279-5088083-4377611
External links
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