Ceann - Bad Pirates, Almost Irish, Mostly Perfect
June 20, 2006 | 3 Comments
I personally discovered Ceann while listening to Marc Gunn’s Pub Songs Podcast. The song that first intrigued me was “The Worst Pirate Song” off their “Almost Irish” CD.
Thr lyrics go:
If you’re a pirate I don’t believe it
I don’t believe that you are capable of such deeds
If you’re a pirate let’s see your wallet
and we will see if you are licensed for the seas
Are you capable of swinging from the riggings of a ship
Or wearing a black do-rag when it really ain’t that hip
I don’t think so,
I don’t think so, at allCHORUS:
So where’s your eye patch
Where’s your peg leg
If you’re a pirate
Where’s your gun
Where’s your booty
Your sassy parrot
I can’t picture you on a bottle of cheap rum‘Cause You’re the worst pirate,
the worst pirate in the world
You’re the worst pirate,
the worst pirate in the world
‘Cause you’re a girlSo all you females just put your swords down
I’m not a fool and I’m not amused
You’ve got no hook hand, no secret island
And pirates never go to the bathroom in twos
So if this isn’t some sort of cheap prank
Then tell me who exactly walks your plank
Not me, not me
No, nay, never, not meCHORUS
A pirate vessel is not a bedroom
No walk-in closet, there’s no bidetThere’s no pink loofah hanging in the shower and
pirates don’t worry about what shoes they wear todayBecause everyone knows that pirates just wear black
They raise a flag of skull and bones when they attack
Not birds and flowers, not birds and flowers, no way!CHORUSx2
Those lyrics with the sweet pub song melody had me hooked. When I started exploring I found their main site and their MySpace page. Sampling some of their available songs, I quickly fell in love with “Almost Irish”. The song is in many ways the story of this ragtag almost Irish band. They have Irish heritage and they play in an Irish style, but beyond that they’re mostly american, it’s true. This rings quite true with my own feelings and heritage.
I was further engaged with the band when I started noticing a general Pittsburgh, PA recurring theme in their songs. Especially great is “Ahrn at This Bar” which is steeped in Pittsburghese with more references to that city than you should be able to cram into a song. The tune is done to the melody and beat of the classic Irish song “Whiskey in the Jar”, which anyone with any claim to an Irish heristage is at least a bit familiar with. My love for Pittsburgh and the ability to travel back there if only in song would be enough to sell me on them alone.
If you like the Pogues or the Dropkick Murphys, you have to check out Ceann. If you like pirates, pittsburgh, or fun and entertaining songs, you gotta check these guys out. Plus they’re independent music, so buy their CD and put money in the pocket of true artists without padding to many sucky music executives and copyright lawyers.
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