Irish Music
For the people of Ireland songs and symbols are very important parts of their national identity. There are many pubs where guests and musicians have a great time when they come together at night to play their music and to sing traditional Irish folk songs and modern songs.
Let’s begin with the very famous song  The Wild Rover. This song has also been turned into a German version which most of you will know once you start listening to the audio file. Read the text while you hear the melody being played.
- What is the song all about? Who is the wild rover? What happens when he orders a drink in the pub?
- The next piece of music is very short. You listen to the beginning of Chris De Burgh’s song The Power of Peace. Listen a few times and then try to fill in the gaps:
How many ………… of war
W………… what they’ve been ………… for
When will our ………… cease
Not ’til we ………… the power of …………
A final song, also by Chris de Burgh, is about a soldier who has to leave his ‘loved one’: Borderline.
- Read the songtext and listen to the melody of the song. It will be useful to also print the songtext so you can read it carefully.
- Where is the singer (‘I’) and where does he want to go?
- How does he feel during his train journey?
- What does his country expect him to do?
- What makes him so sad?
The Riverdance Company offers a very fresh and modern type of Irish music and dancing. You will soon see why it has become a world-wide success story.
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