The Chieftains — Molly Bán (w/Alison Krauss)
Album: Down the Old Plank RoadAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 488
Length: 4:42
Plays (last 30 days): 1
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Come all ye young fellas
That handle a gun
Beware of night rambling
By the setting of the sun
And beware of an accident
That had happened of late
To young Molly Bán
And sad was her fate
She was going to her uncles
When a shower came on
She went under a green bush
The shower to shun
Her white apron wrapped around her
He took her for a swan
But a hush and a sigh
Was his own Molly Bán
He quickly ran to her
And found she was dead
And there on her bosom
Where he soaked, tears he shed
He ran home to his father
With his gun in his hand
Saying "Father dear father
I have shot Molly Bán"
Her white apron wrapped around her
He took her for a swan
But a hush and a sigh
'Twas his own Molly Bán
He roamed near the place
Where his true love was slain
He wept bitter tears
But his cries were in vain
As he looked on the lake
A swan glided by
And the sun slowly sank
In the grey up sky
That handle a gun
Beware of night rambling
By the setting of the sun
And beware of an accident
That had happened of late
To young Molly Bán
And sad was her fate
She was going to her uncles
When a shower came on
She went under a green bush
The shower to shun
Her white apron wrapped around her
He took her for a swan
But a hush and a sigh
Was his own Molly Bán
He quickly ran to her
And found she was dead
And there on her bosom
Where he soaked, tears he shed
He ran home to his father
With his gun in his hand
Saying "Father dear father
I have shot Molly Bán"
Her white apron wrapped around her
He took her for a swan
But a hush and a sigh
'Twas his own Molly Bán
He roamed near the place
Where his true love was slain
He wept bitter tears
But his cries were in vain
As he looked on the lake
A swan glided by
And the sun slowly sank
In the grey up sky
Comments (51)add comment
this is the main mix on radio paradise
Fiddlefye wrote:
Thank You for the info!
The history of the song is quite interesting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Thank You for the info!
if a voice must be heard in Heaven, it can only be hers.
I thought this was Cara Dillon at first. Love Alison's voice.
jim_walsh wrote:
amen to that
RIP Paddy Moloney
amen to that
Very nice!
RIP Paddy Moloney
The history of the song is quite interesting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Ooh, don't you just know what yer man sitting in the front is looking at, and why he's got such a sly grin on his face 
Steven_G wrote:
Steven_G wrote:
I was stressing about work and then this song came along... bumped the rating up because I'm not stressing out anymore 
"teenage fiddle prodigy"?!? 
Dang, I just thought she was a killer soprano! 
I recently rediscovered Alison Krauss here on RP playing in her native genre - bluegrass and folk music. Bluegrass/folk and country music are two different genres. Even if you don't find country music palatable give a listen to some true folk music.
And I can't commend better than the mastery of Alison Krauss and Union Station as seen on of their latest album Lonely Runs Both Ways . If you like this celtic music , which is usually also folk music (though there are many different genres of Celtic music) PLEASE give a listen to Alison's bluegrass/folk music too. (Click on this link given to Lonely Runs Both Ways and listen to the Amazon.com samples.)
Here is an interesting review of this album -
By the way, my enthusiatic promotion of Alison in no way diminshes the primary band on the album Down the Old Plank Road, namely, The Chieftains . They are, in my mind, the epitome, the very embodiment of great Celtic music.
I previewed the entire album Down the Old Plank Road on Amazon.com. While I am not a big fan of country music (but do like folk and some bluegrass music) this is an interesting album. On some tracks you have The Chieftains providing musical accompaniment to a country singer on what sounds like a country piece. (Like I said, I am not into country music!) On other tracks you have The Chieftains doing a clearly Celtic piece and being accompanied by the country singer lending their voice (as is the case with Alison's track). To me that makes this album very worth buying. And no matter what genre is being played, the astute fiddle playing is wonderful to hear! 
(Hey, can't we petition Alison to do an entire Celtic album with The Chieftains or some other Celtic artist or group??)
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Nobody makes somber sound more exquisite than Alison Krauss. She's come an awfully long way from her days as a teenage fiddle prodigy, as her glamour gown on this CD's cover suggests and the bittersweet maturity of the music confirms. Krauss exchanges her bluegrass fiddle for the chamber strains of viola on much of the material, including four songs by Robert Lee Castleman (whose "The Lucky One," "Let Me Touch You for Awhile," and "Forget About It" were previously popularized by Krauss). Castleman's compositions showcase the emotional intimacy and interpretive subtlety of her breathy trill. The yearning harmonies on "Wouldn't Be So Bad" (written by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings) and "Borderline" (written by Sidney and Suzanne Cox) reinforce the album's restless spirit of quiet desperation. Change-of-pace contributions by Krauss's bandmates are more deeply rooted in the bluegrass/folk tradition, with Dan Tyminski renewing Del McCoury's "Rain Please Go Away" and Woody Guthrie's populist anthem "Pastures of Plenty"; Dobro master Jerry Douglas leads the charge on his instrumental "Unionhouse Branch." Few bands in bluegrass can match the virtuosity of Union Station's interplay, but the artistry of Alison Krauss transcends genre.
By the way, my enthusiatic promotion of Alison in no way diminshes the primary band on the album Down the Old Plank Road, namely,
(Hey, can't we petition Alison to do an entire Celtic album with The Chieftains or some other Celtic artist or group??)
iTuner wrote:
Wouldn't have been the Parting Glass, would it?
That's the one!
RedPR wrote:
love this. Saw Alison Krauss at a tiny pub in Saratoga Springs in the 90's. So glad Peter Brodie brought me to that. Thanks Pete!
Wouldn't have been the Parting Glass, would it?
I like the Chieftains when the drums are thumping. This stuff puts me to sleep.
love this. Saw Alison Krauss at a tiny pub in Saratoga Springs in the 90's. So glad Peter Brodie brought me to that. Thanks Pete!
Beautiful!
Beautiful. Shivers run up my spine with this simple, classic tale. Thank you.
heavenly... 
aflanigan wrote:
Wow,
Just yesterday Fiona Ritchie was featuring highland pipes, lowland pipes, and Irish uilleann pipes, on Thistle and Shamrock. Now I get this recondite gem from the Chieftans and guests. This and snow falling outside now just makes my day!
For those who love Celtic music of any kind, aflanigan shared this web site address with me. You can use the link to see when a Celtic music program is scheduled for airing next on National Public Radio - the Thistle & Shamrock .
You can find the current schedule of programs by clicking On Our Program within the graphic circle in the center of the web page. (Not exactly intuitive design!)
You can also find how to tune to your local NPR station is by clicking on Where & When to Listen .
Wow...just WOW!
I've always loved this old air...and with Alison's angelic voice...*sigh*
Perfection.
Wow,
Just yesterday Fiona Ritchie was featuring highland pipes, lowland pipes, and Irish uilleann pipes, on Thistle and Shamrock. Now I get this recondite gem from the Chieftans and guests. This and snow falling outside now just makes my day!
Definitely a heartwrenching story here... I can see it in my mind's eye... For some reason Sir Gawian & Ragnell's love story comes to mind ('cept they had a happy ending). 
Wow-a radio station that plays REAL Celtic music! I'm sold! Love the Cheiftains - always have always will!
what really makes this one lovely is genuine instrumentation, as opposed to that new age, synthesized, celtic fusion crap you hear so often nowadays. ie, afro-celts etc..
Alison Krauss has to be one of my favourite female vocalists. Haunting, sweet, delicate and powerful. She could just sing la la la and still be able to convey rich and deep emotion.
Alison Krauss could sing Mary Had A Little Lamb, and make it sound beautiful. 
Magiccamera wrote:
Boy do I miss my homeland. More so when I hear this sort of music. Very pensive and melancholy.
So do I, boyo...& I'm not even from Ireland...Slainte !
Personally I love this song. I love the Chieftains and I think Alison Krauss made an excellent contribution to this song. Personally I love haunting peices like this. Beautiful!
Alison is attractive and sings like an angel. What more could you possibly want? Well if pressed there are a few more things I could think of.
Boy do I miss my homeland. More so when I hear this sort of music. Very pensive and melancholy.
jasonv wrote:
Excellent tune, esp. with Alison on vocals.
Ugh. This will make me switch away from RP the next time it comes back on. This is awful.
Enjoy your time away. I know we will.
Excellent tune, esp. with Alison on vocals.
Wow, I love this song !!
Ugh. This will make me switch away from RP the next time it comes back on. This is awful.
robyn666 wrote:
álainn amhrán!!
That would normally be "amhrán go hálainn" in correct gaeilge ;)
a decent 7 for your effort anyhoo.
Cormac
lukekingland wrote:
Awesome song, but... it's just so darn depressing :(
This really isn't the Chieftains at there best in my opinion. They also play many upbeat songs, both traditional and new (folk). Great band!
This is such a great song. A high point on a fantastic album.
I'm not a country fan by any stretch of the imagination but I loved this CD. And thank God I did, because it was here that I discovered Alison. She has a haunting and awe-inspring voice. And isn't hard on the eyes either...
Thanks, RP!!
Chieftans! 
Beautiful vocals as well!
Beautiful vocals as well!Anything by the Chieftains = 10
Anything by Alison Krauss = 10
Can I rate it twice? :D
Awesome song, but... it's just so darn depressing :(
álainn amhrán!!
Oh. My.
Powerful...
What a voice... great combo... will buy!
That voice always stops me dead in my tracks...
Excellent. How can you beat the Chieftains and Allison?
trekhead wrote:
First!
Or second...
:)
First!
Or second...
Personally I like the muted Irish bagpipe more than the deep drone of the scottish one. It also complements her voice nicely.
this is the main mix on radio paradise
Are you implying that some songs that get airplay the other than RP's main channel should not be played on the main channel? I completely disagree. The main channel should be all of the other channels and more.
Being eclectic makes RP great!