{"id":32,"date":"2013-03-17T05:14:30","date_gmt":"2013-03-17T05:14:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artofliberty.org\/?p=32"},"modified":"2013-03-17T20:10:57","modified_gmt":"2013-03-17T20:10:57","slug":"the-minstrel-boy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.arclights.net\/artofliberty\/the-minstrel-boy\/","title":{"rendered":"The Minstrel Boy"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first verse of The Minstrel Boy <\/em>may be too nationalistic for some libertarians. But the second verse is a beautiful tribute to an unconquered spirit. There’s also a third verse (see recording #4) about peace.<\/p>\n

I’ve gathered ten versions of The Minstrel Boy<\/em> for your St. Patrick’s Day enjoyment:<\/p>\n

1. Sung by one of my favorite singers, Paul Robeson, from whose recording I first learned it:<\/p>\n

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2. And here is a rather different version by another of my favorite singers, Roger Whittaker:<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. And here’s a very different version. Am I including it only because it comes with a Firefly<\/em> video? Maybe.<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. Another well-sung version, with a drum as lone accompaniment. This one has a third verse different in spirit from the rest of the song.<\/p>\n

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5. An instrumental version that may water the eyes.<\/p>\n

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6. A high-energy take by Danny Quinn to bring you back from that.<\/p>\n

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7. I went looking for a version with an actual harp. Here’s one on just a harp (followed by Sally Gardens<\/em>):<\/span><\/p>\n

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8. And here’s one with harp and vocal — and the singer’s a woman, unlike the overwhelming majority of solo singers in videos I’ve found of this song. (Never mind her politics!)
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9. And finally, Enter the Haggis, for those who prefer electric guitar — or who, like me, enjoy seeing people take ownership of a familiar song by adapting it to their own style:<\/p>\n

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10. Wait, that wasn’t final. I found accordions!<\/p>\n