Ballad by Simon Oak about the emigration of an Irish family from Wexford to Texas in 1834. Before Elizabeth left Ireland, she lost three of her six daughters in one week to the whooping cough. The story is based on Rosalie Priour/Hart’s biography, her only…
The second of two songs in Dutch by Simon Oak to the old Irish melody of The Little Beggarman. The indented lyrics sit on the B part of the tune. The first one is Mijn Fiets is Kapot. Lyrics 1. Ik ben een ouwe bollenboer,…
Ballad by Simon Oak to remember the 2023 edition of the Traditional Singing Weekend in Inishowen. The stone is real and still on his desk in Holland. Lyrics There you are, just a stone Are you waiting for some company? On the sand, all alone…
A short song by Simon Oak about too much faith to the tune of The Mason’s Apron. Lyrics 1. Some say that doubt is the Devil if you have to drive a car Doubt is the Devil for the one behind the bar Doubt is…
Protest song against Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Lyrics I wished the drones above my head were song birds Singing at the dawn to start the day I miss the shadows of our lofty palm trees Everything is rubble now and grey I wished my lovely…
Song in Dutch for the fifth anniversary of the Roode Remise, a bar in Amsterdam, to the melody of an old Dutch classic “Eén Kopje Koffie” by VOF De Kunst, which itself was written to the song “Verde E Amarelo” by two Brazilian friends Erasmo…
The first of two songs in Dutch by Simon Oak to the old Irish tune of The Little Beggarman, which was made famous in the sixties by Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers. The second one is De Oude Bolleboer. This song was updated with…
A new song by Simon Oak to the melody of Tommy Makem’s Rambles of Spring. It challenges you learn a Dutch word: Fiets = Bicylce (noun) or Cycle (1st person verb), sounds like “feats”. The song is based on the real experience of abandoned Christmas…
A special kind of love song by Simon Oak to the beautiful air of Jay Ungar’s Ashokan Farewell, which has an A and a B part. The indented verses 3, 4, 6 and 7 have the B part of the air. Lyrics 1. I could…
A US-mocking version of Dominic Behan‘s The Sea Around Us, written by Simon Oak in the first week of Donald Trumps second term as president. The first verse and the first line of the chorus are Dominic’s own. Lyrics They say that the lakes of…