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The Minstrel Boy Has Gone To War

by Laurel Premo

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about

This is a bonus single from ’20-’21, captured during the recording sessions for Golden Loam. Like a few others that made their onto that record, this traditional melody floated up while I was warming up for a session one day, and I just decided to lay it down, add some string parts onto it, and then let it live on its own.

My arrangement of the Irish melody is instrumental, but the old lyrics resonate:

The Minstrel-Boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death you'll find him;
His father's sword he has girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him.
"Land of song!" said the warrior-bard,
"Tho' all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"

The Minstrel fell!—but the foeman's chain
Could not bring that proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said, "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and bravery!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free,
They shall never sound in slavery."

credits

released November 12, 2021
Arranged, produced and recorded by Laurel Premo.
Mixed by Joe DeJarnette at Studio 808.
Mastered by Amy Dragon at Telegraph Audio.
Artwork by Brianne Farley.

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Laurel Premo Traverse City, Michigan

Laurel Premo is known for her rhythmically deep and rapt delivery of roots music. Solo performances reveal bloom of underlying harmonic drones, minimalist repetition, and rich polyrhythms. Presenting these sounds on finger style electric guitar, lap steel, fiddle, and voice, Premo fully leans in to the archaic melodies and in-between intonations that connect folk sounds to the mystic and unknown. ... more

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