leonardcohenforum.com

Hi folks!

Big fan of Cohen, and at 20 years old I've been pretty lucky to see the man a few times, something I never thought I'd be able to say. I've read through stuff here in the past, but never joined.

Anyway, reason I did join was: I only heard today that Leonard Cohen ever performed the song 'Kevin Barry'. In fact, first time I did hear I thought someone was having me on. I'm a student of history but more importantly remember hearing my own Grandmother singing this song when I was a baby, which isn't uncommon. The song actually means a good deal to me and many Dubs in particular for one thing, so I nearly sprawed coffee all over the PC when I heard.

I have versions by The Dubliners, Paul Robeson, Christy Moore and a wide variety of singers. It would be much, much appreciated if someone would be willing to point me in the direction of this song. My mother first saw Cohen in Dublin in the 80s, and has seen him several times since, and I don't think she's aware of it either. It's a fantastic little obscure piece of information, that truly shows how small the world is- as a schoolmate was actually related to the great Kevin Barry.

This isn't point A for my search btw, I've spent three hours online now going through expired links!


A young Kevin Barry



Thanks!
D.

Hi,
Here's some more info:

Kevin Barry
1-Dublin, Ireland, 1972/03/18
2-København, Danmark, 1972/04/04
3-Frankfurt, Deutschland, 1972/04/06
4-Wien, Österreich, 1972/04/10
5-München, Deutschland, 1972/04/11
6-Amsterdam, Nederland, 1972/04/15

From http://www.leonardcohenlive.com/rareliv ... esongs.htm

If you want the Kevin Barry from Dublin 1972, send me an email.

All the best,
Maarten

Oddly enough I was looking for more information about the song myself recently and Leonard's version is available online here:

http://www.bobbysandstrust.com/archives/1003

(look in multimedia section)

On this site go to the 'Links' section and open.

On this page go down to the 'LC Rare Live Songs hosted by Greg' link and open.

A recording of the the song is there...plus many other fabulous rarities.

Actually, during the 1960s there was a great 'folk music' boom. Though the likes of Dylan, Baez and so on were very popular, in all the folk clubs Kevin Barry was pretty much a given to be sung by someone during the course of an evening. The particular folk club I used to go to, held in a pub called "The Black Horse" at West Kirby in the Wirral, had acts on from everywhere and many did sing it, not just the Irish bands which is what you might think. Maybe Leonard could have been used to it being sung around the time he was here so it doesn't surprise me (as much as it might someone who didn't live through that time) it was in his repertoire around 1972, though the folk boom was pretty well over by then.

I expect it was a big crowd pleaser in Dublin and Leonard does like to please all his 'friends'. Maybe he will read this thread and pop it in this time.

Evie B

Evie B,
You must have have lived so close to me! Did you ever visit the Spinners folk club that was in a pub called Gregsons Well in Liverpool? It's long since been pulled down and some of the Spinners are no longer with us .

Hi margaret, I lived in Birkenhead, was born and lived there with my parents until I was twenty (around 1968) and then moved to london and lived in various flats. I worked in Liverpool city centre for a few years (occasionally even went to The Cavern during lunchtimes); I never did get to the Spinners folk club, though they did appear at The Black Horse on one or two occasions I seem to remember. The most famous person who was on at TBH was Paul Simon in his pre-Simon & Garfunkel days. He was very good if not strictly speaking 'folk', it was obvious he was very talented - the boy did well.

Actually, later on I do remember seeing the Spinners on at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Evie B

Dear Evie B,
At that Black Horse concert where you saw Paul Simon, did you see/ remember another singer called Robin Harper on the same bill?
He's a friend of mine, and recalls times he performed with Paul.
Yours,
Andrew.

Dear Evie B,
An afterthought...the concerts where Leonard sang Kevin Barry took place 2 months after Bloody Sunday....Dublin first, then mainland Europe.
Not England.
This all happened 38 years ago, yet it was just last month that the independent enquiry revealed that all those shot dead were "unlawfully killed".
Andrew.

Hi

I have been a fan of Leonard since i Was 17, 22 years ago now I'm 39 lol have got all his albums books, countless video's and audio tapes of his concerts and seen him in concert 4 times and shook hands with Mr.Cohen! he is my No1 favourite, I have heard him sing the Kevin Barry song and got it on CD a great song and am glad to hear your grandmum used to sing it you when you were a baby that is really nice:) keep in touch if you want

phillip

Hi Andrew
Wasn't ignoring your post about the Black Horse, have only been dipping in and our of the forum for a few weeks so didn't catch your reply until now, my reaction to being sad that Leonard wasn't coming to the UK.
Apart from Paul Simon, my long or short term memory isn't up to remembering much else about singers so long ago. Did he sing on his own and what type of songs did he sing, I mean maybe you know a few examples?
Most of the folk music played then was of English, Irish or Scottish origin, Kevin Barry was just one of them. I don't believe it signified any particular affinity or comment regarding any problems that may have been happening at that time in Ireland (it certainly didn't in my case), to us at the time it was just another folk song.
Does your friend still pluck a few strings, Andrew, and do you sing or play in a band?
I saw a car today in Cambridge with the registration LC (any then some numbers I can't remember)! Just thought I'd mention that, it made me smile.
Best wishes
Evie B

I can add to the list of outings for Kevin Barry and add another later of complexity as to the 'meaning'. I heard him singing it in Paris (18 April 1972 Salle Pleyel?). I wasn't there but listened (live?) on the radio (Europe 1 probably). His dedication referred to 'une autre revolution manquee'. In my mind this clearly linked the failure of the Irish War of Independence (either to liberate the six counties or to create anything worth dying for south of the border - I am not sure) and the somewhat different failure of May/June 1968 in France. Whatever the meaning it was received rapturously by the (soixante-huitard?) audience. I wonder whether anyone on this forum was there in person and can explain how the statement would have been interpreted in France.