The Rambling Irishman

Born in Midland, Ontario, in 1927, Tom Brandon was a second-generation Canadian whose grandparents had left Ireland in the 19th century. His repertoire hailed from both his paternal roots in Belfast and maternal roots in Wexford, spanning northern and southern regions of the island. On this recording, made by the Canadian folklorist Edith Fowke, Brandon sings unaccompanied ballads with a clear Irish brogue, which somehow survived two generations outside of Ireland. The selection here is varied, including Irish broadsides, rebel songs, lumberjack songs, and even American cowboy ballads, all sung with a keen grasp of melody and phrasing perfectly suited for his style of singing. The Rambling Irishman was originally released by Folk-Legacy Records in 1962.

Track Listing

101	The Rambling Irishman	Tom Brandon	02:36
102	The Irish Soldier Boy	Tom Brandon	01:54
103	There Is A Lady In This Town	Tom Brandon	02:41
104	Muskoka	Tom Brandon	02:04
105	The Maid Of The Mountain Brow	Tom Brandon	02:47
106	The "Lady Leroy"	Tom Brandon	03:39
107	The "Flying Cloud"	Tom Brandon	06:20
108	The Trans-Canada Highway	Tom Brandon	04:55
109	The Rock Island Line	Tom Brandon	03:51
110	The Croppy Boy	Tom Brandon	02:29
111	Kevin Barry	Tom Brandon	02:29
112	Patrick Sheehan	Tom Brandon	02:29
113	The Blarney Stone	Tom Brandon	02:06
114	My Bonny Black Bess	Tom Brandon	03:10
115	Jack Haggerty	Tom Brandon	02:34