Friday, March 18, 2016

St Paddy's Day 2016


SONG OF THE IRISH WHISTLE
with apologies to Joanie Madden

Sure, it's a holy instrument
Like everything that comes from God
You must learn to hold her reverently
Like Father Kelly's Holy Wafer
Or a patch of Irish sod.

 Close your lips around her fipple
And thru her narrow airway
Blow a prayer across that tilted floor
Called "labium" when there's one of them
And "labia" when there's more.

 Now the noise she makes is frightful
Like a pack o' banshees wailin'
The men are rising from their seats
And now your life depends
On the music you can coax from her
With your fancy fingerin'

 Sure breathin' (and tonguin') have to be mastered
But they're just a part o' the thing
For it's how ye move yer flesh
Across the openings, laddie,
That makes the Irish whistle sing.

 You may play in a grove
You may play in a pub
You may play with a maid in the spring
But playing the Irish whistle
You must mind your fingering
For it's how ye move yer flesh
Across the openings
That makes the Irish whistle sing.

 Sure, it's how ye move yer flesh
Across the openings
That makes the Irish whistle sing.




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6 comments:

  1. UnknownMarch 18, 2016 at 11:56 AM

    That'd be some fine movin' of the flesh by himself on that Holy Instrument, Saint Nick.
    This Irish lassie be dancin'.
    love,
    Galen

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMarch 22, 2016 at 9:34 AM

    Hi Nick, Your play made me forget to breathe litteraly! I enjoyed this video. I love the people walking by and pretending not to hear or care :). The only other flute player that makes me forget to breathe is Erik Bosgraaf. Although he's another league :).. Sorry!

    ReplyDelete
  3. nick herbertMarch 22, 2016 at 10:33 AM

    Thanks for your honest feedback.
    Video clips like this remind me
    how much more I need to practice
    to improve my whistle playing.
    The whistle by the way, is cheap
    aluminum made by Walton decorated
    with a Guinness sticker for sale
    to tourists at places like Blarney
    Castle.

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownMarch 23, 2016 at 6:33 AM

    Hi Nick,
    You're welcome but reading my post again makes me think that you might think I called your performance bad but that was not my intention. In fact I liked it and I held my breathe because you seemed to be doing the same. I respect your lung capacity! The flute sound indeed as a cheap one :)
    Keep whistling! (and posting :) )

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mistress AliceApril 9, 2016 at 12:54 PM

    Thank you for ritually banishing all of my misfortune, yet again. <3 <3 <3

    ReplyDelete
  6. Horny Hearts ClubOctober 25, 2023 at 3:34 PM

    Great readingg your blog post

    ReplyDelete