Tommy Makem - In The Dark Green Wood '1969

Tracks list

Sleeve Notes

There is an old song which says: Some take delight in the fishing and the
bowling. Others take delight in the carriages a-rolling … .
Well, to tell the truth, I take great delight in singing. When Im all alone I
sing to while away the time, and when Im with a crowd of friends I sing to try
and entertain both them and myself. Many a long mile I have shortened, with a
verse of a song, on my travels, and my singing has taken me many a long mile
around the world. In all the places I have been, Ive found that people generally
like to sing. Isnt it great that even in this age of push-button entertainment,
no matter how lavish and wonderful it may be, most people still prefer to sing a
song themselves?
I also take a great delight in writing songs. Ill be jogging along through life
humming some nonsense to myself, when suddenly a line starts skipping here and
there through my head, and then its joined by another line, and the two lines
seem to fit together like a hand and glove. Then I try to add more lines and a
melody, and when I have the song completed, its usually completely different
from the original thought with; which I started. I must say though that I really
enjoy it tremendously.
This particular record is a combination of my singing and writing, but the
lovely sounds produced by the instruments are all products of the mind of Teo
Macero, who produced the record, and I want to thank him for adding so much to
the songs.
We recorded this album in London. I remember getting to the studio about 9:45
a.m. for a recording session which was scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. Teo was
already there pounding out things on the piano, changing things on paper,
working — working, working. Then when the musicians arrived, getting them
set up, rehearsing with them, changing this, that and the other thing as he went
along, trying one thing after another until he got what he wanted. Besides all
this, he had enough energy left to stimulate the enthusiasm of the musicians and
myself to such an extent that we didnt feel like we were working at all. Once
again, much thanks to Teo for all his hard work and enthusiasm.
Well, anyway, here is the finished product. I hope you like it. If only one
person likes one of the songs enough to start singing it for his own enjoyment,
it will all have been worth while.

Tracklist:
1 01. Tommy Makem - I Wish I Was a Big Red Apple (02:04)
1 02. Tommy Makem - If You Should Ask Me (02:09)
1 03. Tommy Makem - Farewell to Carlingford (02:45)
1 04. Tommy Makem - You Are Always On My Mind (02:00)
1 05. Tommy Makem - Four Green Fields (02:45)
1 06. Tommy Makem - The Morning After Blues (01:37)
1 07. Tommy Makem - Im Going Home to Mary (02:39)
1 08. Tommy Makem - In the Dark Green Wood (02:30)
1 09. Tommy Makem - The Ships Coming In (01:58)
1 10. Tommy Makem - Trouble On My Mind (02:15)
1 11. Tommy Makem - Im Gonna Put On My Walking Boots (01:39)

Related artists