Arthur McBride (Paul Brady Cover)

Arthur McBride arranged by Paul Brady.
This one of my favorite songs to play at Christmas and year-round. I remember when I first heard it a couple years ago I was completely mesmerized, and after listening to it thousands of times, combing through live videos, and attempting (emphasis on attempting) to learn it myself, the song still feels just as fresh.
There is something so striking about the combination of Brady's intricate and ornamented playing with the stark, unvarnished story he is telling. Arthur McBride has become such a source of comfort and beauty to me, and especially so in 2020, a year of isolation and long over-due social upheaval in America, I found that I clung tightly to this-- an earthy, hypnotic melody, ripe with a defiant spirit.
I hope you all find it as poignant a song as I do. Infinite gratitude to Paul Brady for breathing new life into this masterpiece.

[@SebastianaAparecida-tm6wo]

Nossa!! Que maravilhoso música linda 🎸🎤👏👏👏💯✨✨♥️✨♥️✨♥️✨🌹🌿🌹🌿👍👍💪💪🤠😻😍🤩🥰🤗🎉🎉🎉😊🙏🙏😊

[@user-te5jl9rg7w]

Outstanding playing and singing......I have loved this song since Paul sang it first on the BBC Northern Ireland in 1974. I never get fed up listening to it.....your's is a great version that I have saved to a playlist.....Thank you , Karl in Belfast Christmas Morning 2023

[@squamish4244]

Great version, lovely voice.

[@ciarangallagher2729]

Still many months after hearing this for the first time it’s one of my favourite renditions. Maith thú!

[@dannynolan6841]

Beautiful!

[@StephenJStephen_Photography]

Beautiful version and lovely voice! Thank you for sharing.

[@MaryWinterroth]

This is one of my favorites! Nice job!

[@TheFrandad]

First heard this song in the 70's and this is probably the best version I've heard since! Beautiful!

[@keysofthekingdomholybible]

Agreed.

[@ghostie7028]

My favorite cover of this song!

[@keysofthekingdomholybible]

Fantastic!

[@joedegroat7702]

Classic!

[@murrayeldred3563]

LOVELY.

[@bruceparks3124]

Great job! Thank you for doing the Paul Brady version.

[@williamswhistlepipes]

Lovely...best I’ve heard ❤️

[@melaniemaclaren]

wow thank you !

[@shaunmccaffs]

Lovely stuff

[@somesongs9605]

Brilliant

[@domeister76]

bravo! This is fantastic!

[@briankelleher5014]

Lovely voice!

[@brendanmcnamara1414]

Gorgeous version beautiful and natural the song itself is beautifully crafted and is best sung sung like this but Melanie is up there I love them both it takes bravery to tackle it it’s daunting Paul will love he is a gentleman

[@malduddy6901]

Amazing cover 👏

[@LittleGuitarConcert]

amazing job! wonderfully emotive voice and guitar playing :)

[@melaniemaclaren]

thank you !

[@StephenAKatz]

Cool!

[@Folkskammer]

Wonderful cover! Greeting from Germany

[@seancaseo84]

beautiful, so hard to play

[@banjo1434]

Gorgeous. And a fabulous rendition of Arthur McBride too! 😊

[@krishnavdas9336]

Wow... What a beautiful voice and what a feel.... 👍❤️Loved it.

[@lisalawson6128]

Really really nice

[@tradingcardsincTCI]

What a fantastic performance of a fantastic tune!

[@JockLambert1972]

Damn, this is fine. 👌🏻

[@tonymurray814]

Prob my fav Paul Brady ballad of all time and you killed it Melanie!!Absolutely excellent! Instant subscription and shared with my family and friends here in the U S and Ireland.Maith an Caitlin!

[@tonymurray814]

P.S. How in Gods name have u so few subscriptions!!!😳.

[@dannyrichard2311]

I have shivers in my whole body, beautiful

[@brianwalsh607]

nice work

[@stacyguffey6743]

Just made one of my favourite songs even better. Great work!

[@JohnMac2023A.D.]

Wonderful cover (Arthur Mc Bride) of possibly, one of my top 5 favorite songs of all time. 😎

[@skye3292]

I just got this in my recommended, the second I heard your voice it was an instant sub.

[@d.e.kocher814]

Absolutely beautiful!!

[@abeardneglected]

I love this.

[@jimmyhunt]

You have to have guts to try to cover this song--which is a good thing. Very cool!

[@ron88303]

Well played.

[@MindDetergentNJ]

Gave me shivers down my back. Amazing.

[@PeterMillerMusic]

🙌🙌

[@siriuschip]

gorgeous! True to Paul Brady's version with a lot of your own feeling.

[@dylanvillainy]

Beautiful cover. I love the emotion in your voice

[@NiallMor]

Outstanding rendition!

[@albrennan20]

Awesome 👍☘️💚☘️

[@connalmacbride8754]

100 % stunning

[@iancavalari7286]

This is absolutely fantastic.

[@jeff9347]

Amazing !!!

[@Scottrob2001]

This is now 2 of my favourite ever songs I’ve heard you cover, and both sung with the truest understanding of the songs! Never change, you’re a beautiful soul!

[@cuvarsnova]

Very beautiful voice, thank you ~

[@ericboberic]

Just came across this song and Paul Brady - you've done a lovely job with it. What a lyric and melody!

[@yummyjackalmeat]

Wonderful!

[@fmcnally]

You're insane for doing this all fingerstyle! great job.

[@connalmacbride8754]

Absolutely stunning!

[@melaniemaclaren]

thank you !

[@simonruss9214]

I could never tire of this, beautiful playing and singing from a beautiful lady. But Wowee Zowee!! ......... i don't think i've ever seen a performance with such intensity and focus upon portraying lyrics emotionally. Spellbinding.

[@timmiller997]

Fantastic version

[@scoomeey]

wonderful, thank you.

[@seamusmeagher8681]

Yes lovely all round got it all hope you're still going

[@bbjoseyjw]

Beautiful! Like

[@grahamnoft4420]

Well done! This became my fave song first time I heard Paul Brady do it. I enjoyed it best when he was young but also love it big time when he plays it in recent years. I listen to it regularly and tried playing it but couldnt figure it out though I can sing it half decent. I really liked finding your version and commend you big time! I'm gonna check out your stuff. I think you do it way better than Bob Dylan...way better! I play and sing a lot of trad Irish and am a big fan of Andy Irvine and Paul Brady. I got to see Andy a couple years ago and Paul is an aquaintence of a musician friend of mine. Thanks for your awesome rebdition. Cheers!

[@melaniemaclaren]

thank you for the kind words, and thank you for listening !

[@grahamnoft4420]

@@melaniemaclaren Absolutely my pleasure! Cheers!

[@robertdaly5568]

Beautiful version! Well done, not easy to play and sing, been wrecking my head for years😉

[@rocketpost1]

Lovely performance Melanie, I've always loved this song and it never seems to get stale. It has such a distinctive melody and I love stories of bullies getting their comeuppance. I must check out what else you have done. Thanks for posting.

[@billybyrne5245]

Go to the top of the class and stay there my favourite ever Christmas song

[@kevinpendred1586]

Strong distinctive voice , great performance . Well done .

[@abacussin]

An incredible version of a very difficult song.

[@davidsare2760]

👍

[@Korn1holio]

Beautiful

[@Littlewing4201]

Hands Down.. Best female Vocal version of this Song I have found...Inspiring for me as a Singer to be sure Adventure/Storyteller Songs are a favorite and you have given me such insight OOXOO Anam Cara

[@frankrusselldesign7563]

Gorgous version. Great viice and great playing as well.

[@ronaldbeyl5159]

Thank you i have doen thuis song weeral thousands times ..form 1975 until the present day and .heard about a couple of hundred versions ..your timing and syncopations are realy wonderfull...again thank you ! Dr ron Beyl.

[@laurentcinus]

Wow!!! 🤩🤩🤩 - Bravo to you for this superb song with Celtic tinges and for your beautiful guitar playing 👏👏👏 - Greetings from France 🙏

[@kennethdonedmund8988]

Really inspirational take on a great Paul Brady song.Thank you.

[@MrCOUNTYCORK]

Excellent voice for this old Irish song , greetings from Ireland ,go raibh maith agat cailin

[@dmanntube]

My favourite Christmas song. Nice cover

[@Scottrob2001]

This has got to be the loosest term of ‘christmas song’ I’ve heard

[@thomassean6618]

Brilliantly done! Thanks for sharing!

[@derekanthonyfarmermusic1559]

i had to subscribe after stumbling across this video & upon hearing your cover of Paul's song. It is not an easy song to play and sing at all. And you do both very very well indeed. kind regards from London UK.

[@musik102]

An interesting - emotional - rendering. Of course, Paul Brady's original version is truly amazing. He uses flatpicking with some cross picking thrown in, and employs the technique that we now call hybrid style ( a mixture of flatpicking and fingerpicking.) Check it out.

[@timtsh]

Absolutely lovely rendition. Beautiful vocals and fingerpicking!

[@littleelsematters-vd6wj]

yes. you gave it both: strength, which is a must, and beauty, which is optional. and that's not even taking into account the intricate guitar accompaniment. best cover i found so far. what a voice! small hitch: i sort of missed the structure with the distinct eight line verses that adds to the liveliness of the song. but you will have had your reasons you sang it the way you did. i'll now go and binge your channel

[@volkerteske8360]

Absolutely wonderful! Subscribed. Would be great if you could play more material by Brady, or Planxty or from the Transatlantic Sessions. It would be wonderful to hear more of your interpretations of these old songs. Thank you for a few minutes of pure delight.

[@wjdavey3]

Wonderful Melanie!!!! ❤️🎵 Powerful, Soulful, Hypnotic, and Real!!! ❤️🎵 Good on Ye!!! ❤️🎵 🎵😎 Wes

[@StephenAKatz]

Why is the camera so close that the viewer can't see the guitar?

[@AaronStanczak]

Nice job, I like how you kept the paul brady part recognizable but made it your own.

[@timevans2905]

Lovely that Melanie 👍

[@gearoidmaclochlainn1663]

Iontach. Brilliant 👏

[@johnhonsky6404]

Wonderful rendering

[@timvagg4416]

wow what a great version! congratulations, this song as you know is very complex and simple at the same time. you nailed it well done!!

[@robst247]

Great interpretation of one of the finest Irish folk songs ever performed. Your fingerpicking and voice are superb, and when you smile the sun comes out, even though you're indoors! May all recruiting sergeants have their skulls smashed with shillelaghs, so that peace can break out. :-)

[@tonymurray814]

Love it!!😂. Many people don’t know this(see how I did that🥵)but this is an anti-recruitment song.A metaphorical shillelagh over their heads is exactly what these types need!!

[@chanson0815]

Sehr schön! Wunderbar! Vielen Dank.

[@phumstea]

This is so beautiful! Is this in standard tuning?

[@melaniemaclaren]

thank you, it is in open G

[@christianb.4726]

Very nice playing and singing... 😍 greatings from Germany. Hope you realize the deeper meaning of this song, besides it's beauty...

[@melaniemaclaren]

thank you but i think it's quite evident that i understand the meaning of this song. you are the one focusing on the "beauty," not me, i'm simply telling the story and performing it with conviction.

[@tearitloosetearitloose4670]

@@melaniemaclaren here here.

[@mickgilbert8573]

Excellent cover. So refreshing to hear a female voice singing it. Must check out your other uploads. Pure talent Melanie 👍

[@johnscott3714]

Hi Melanie! I just happened to come across your channel. What a great rendition of this song! As your name is Mclaren, do you have Scottish ancestry?

[@familycorvette]

I have always heard the lyric as "And the little wee drummer we flattened his poll," poll meaning the top of the head, as we say of horses and cows. When I listen closely to Paul Brady, this also seems to be what he is singing, online lyrics sites not withstanding. Oh, and I love your voice. And my hat is off to you for having mastered the elaborate guitar work.

[@m1169199]

I can't believe how good this is...... from America too..... not as near a good cover from Ireland

[@tomclarke8454]

absolutely fabalous, Tom from Cork

[@397jollyroger]

Happy Saint Patty’s Day 2021🍀! Thank you.

[@Mcmotherfuckingrory]

Patty is short for Patricia. It's Paddy's Day, as in Pádraig.

[@MrSchizoid405]

It's paddy with two D's not T's.

[@MrCOUNTYCORK]

Have you heard of a song by daoire o Farrell I think you might like it ,it's called the creggan white hare, another great Irish song

[@nurseSean]

I believe this song should be translated into russian. Or russian and Georgian, russian and Mongolian, russian and Chechen...etc. beating up military recruiters that try to trick you into participating in a war for empire is a message that should be heard today.

[@hennylevering7658]

By tryin' to hit the subscribe button asap , I smashed my phone . . greetings from the Netherlands . . please keep up what your doin''. .

[@melaniemaclaren]

thank you for listening !