Bob Dylan: Thoughts on Liam Clancy

Bob Dylan speaks about the genius of Liam Clancy.

[@telebob]

No fear, no envy, no meanness. Best advice in the world.

[@alanoneill3065]

I was just about to say something similar!

[@eamonnmulhern2332]

I've 3 cardinal rules. My 3 sons know these.... 1. Ya pay your own way. 2. TRY not to hurt anyone. 3. Go to work and everything will be alright.

[@jimcolhoun5881]

The time the place The Village the White Horse Tavern the memories?

[@liamthedream]

Liam, I heard you all over the place, Boston, New York, San Francisco, Dublin, Cork. The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem put the Old Ballads and songs of Ireland back into the mouths of a generation that had almost forgotten them. They are all in my thoughts and prayers.

[@AnastaciaMoore]

Classic Irish Music. Liam was the epitome of Irish music! May his music live forever in our hearts and memories of him.

[@patricklenehan1778]

Grew up on these guys. They're embedded in my soul.

[@theliamofella]

“Remember bob, no fear no envy no meanness”!, I’m going to use those words as if they were told to myself .

[@joemamamatt]

Every once in a while, if I find myself derailed, I think back on this, and draw strength from it.

[@chriscampbell3817]

To have bob dylan sing your praises!!!

[@incitingariot9925]

Bob Dylan was a hack compared to liam......

[@joemarshall4226]

@@incitingariot9925 Liam would certainly not agree with you.

[@keithkeegan2956]

Rip to liam and all traditional Irish musicians we need to keep our heritage alive and there is some wonderful and great young Irish traditional musicians out there

[@joemarshall4226]

Bob lets us know how he got to write and perform so many wonderful songs. He really worked at it. He wore records out by listening to them over and over, and he took what he could from the ones he liked the best.....Woody Guthrie, Chuck Berry, The Clancy Brothers, Hank Williams, Big Bill Broonzy, Gordon Lightfoot, Simon and Garfunkel, Yip Harburg, traiditional songs, etc etc. He has nothing but the highest praise for these guys He kept his ears open, he kept reading, and he kept working at his craft, and he still does.

[@HerFatherDidntLikeMe]

That is a great description of songwriting. It holds true for so many songwriters, of all kinds, that I admire.

[@nancysherburne7445]

I may not be Irish but I have loved their music for as long as I can remember. The first two Irish groups were the Irish Rovers and the Clancy Brothers. The former sang some very silly and funny songs I loved to sing along to, but the Clancy Brothers' repertoire was more serious and thought-provoking. I also quickly came to love the talking songs and ballads from Bob Dylan but only just today, 11/21/2020, learned Dylan considered Liam the greatest balladeer singer while listening to Liam sing And the Band Waltzing Matilda with such amazing tenderness and feeling. How appreciative listeners from any country can be to be able to enjoy artists like the Clancy clan, Dylan, and others who know how to hone their skills to such heights.

[@joeldeckler3654]

In the early 60's, I bought their songbook[ possibly self-published by Tiparm] and memorized most of the songs, many of which I can still sing by heart, including Johnny Mceldoo. I saw them at Carnegie Hall, and in the 80's met them at Tommy Makem's Irish Pavillion restaurant on 57th St., N.Y.C. where they performed, including my request of the above noted song. A night, a group, and individuals, all to remember. Happy St. Patrick's day.

[@stiofanofirghil1916]

They are the voice of the folk downtrodden, but unbowed.. 👍

[@BarryHawk]

Tommy Makem was a force too - never forget it

[@GoodieWhiteHat]

What a beautiful way to live. I grew up with the Clancy Brothers. Always loved them. It's fascinating to now learn that Bob Dylan shared the same goose bump moments listening to Tommy Makem. Thanks so much for posting this.

[@joemarshall4226]

Tommy taught a Bob how to write songs.

[@kevinmahon7848]

Bob Dylan my alltime favorite. Much respect.

[@alanoneill3065]

Zimmerman was there to steal his act...courtesy of Mrs Hamilton...Dianne Hamilton Guggenheim, a protégé of Alan Lomax..... The only child of millionaire Harry Frank Guggenheim, president of Newsday and onetime U. S. ambassador to Cuba, She was married and divorced four times: She " befriendesd" 19 year old Liam in 1954...they became "companions"...Jean Ritchie tipped her off They made a few shekels

[@imovedy]

"Oh, the foes will rise with the sleep still in their eyes and they'll jerk from their beds and think they're dreamin' but they'll pinch themselves and squeal and know that it's for real the hour when the ship comes in" - Bob Dylan - The Clancy Brothers rocked this song out !!!!🍀🍀🍀

[@0otee]

Beautiful singer Liam Clancy👌❣️He could sing anything at all.. even opera.. but whát he sang was profound, great🌺 Remember No Fear, No Envy, No Meanness!!❤️🌞

[@nancyrobinson7764]

Bob has no envy or conceit in him ; he gives the greatest compliments about Clansey Brothers , that one can give ,esp. about ballads ! Seems to me Bobby has done a number of great ballads himself , but he still says Liam is the best there is ! So humble , one of Bob’s great virtues !!!!

[@user-un5iz6th1n]

Nancy Robinson yes he's utterly honest. He has tremendous integrity.

[@RealDealJJP9]

Liam 1 of the best of the folk music singers of all time never forget ty

[@roycroftki5358]

Tommy makem had such a beautiful voice.

[@jubjub2112]

Two of my favorite singers and song writers of all time . . . Liam and Bob . . . God I was so sad when Liam passed . . .

[@christianhafer9819]

Pretty cool to have Bob Dylan as a fan. Liam Clancy was excellent. And the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.

[@emersonbolen784]

Liam Clancy, Tommy Makem, Luke Kelly...amazing...

[@williefinn4932]

great to see bob dylan win the nobel prize and the inspiration of the clancys is in there....oct 2016.

[@jillyhawk]

@CFDJFC ...yes, too much hate & intolerance in our world...liam said it right & dylan takes his words to heart...clancy & makem's influence is all over dylan's poetry...listen up peoples..the masters know of what they speak.."there is something in their eyes...i know something you don't know, & i want to be that performer"...there was no fear, no envy & no meanness in them thar eyes nor in their souls...learn from the legends... write on & rock on.....peace, jilly~

[@Siobhan1195]

@brelfan I'd say your mom was right on--having visited with both Liam and Tommy at fests and after concerts in later years, I'd say that while they were both consummate entertainers and extremely interesting people, Tommy was easier to be around. Liam was deep...and not that Tommy wasn't serious too, but he was "good company". Slan abhaile to the both of them!

[@franknberry6397]

When I was a kid I used to see commercials selling their albums and I would be, "who are these weirdos". Now they touch me deeply.

[@shoulderghost1]

I agree with Dylan on what he says about Liam Clancy. I could listen Clancy all day long, but does anyone else find it a tad ironic that it was a Tommy Makem song that swept through all of this docu. I ain't complaining, perhaps I'm splitting hair, but Makem's voice was one that certainly shook the barley! Thank you Liam, Tommy and Bob (and probably in that order too, but Christ, Thanks).

[@sheilabloom6735]

shoulderghost1 A toast to all of them.

[@HeatherHeininge]

..it was something in their eyes that would say, "i know something you don't know.."

[@raherql]

Who do you think is playing guitar so beautifully and singing harmony in that song?

[@colourlessbluethings]

I went to the premier of the documentary about Liam, released shortly before he died. Liam was there and did a Q and A after the screening. I really wanted to ask him how he felt about this point. But I bottled it.

[@ToddAndelin]

No Direction Home could have been a lot longer... like evan as long as 24 hours, a series, whatever..... So much amazing footage and so much insight from Dylan and other genius level people.... Anyways, LOVE this clip!

[@gudlisner501]

Here in ireland there was a joke back in the day that had a ring of truth about it. While the rest of the world disowned Bob for going electric the “Irish Trendies” disowned him for liking the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. Bob Dylan knew the real thing when he saw and heard it.

[@DorianDevereaux]

Excellent tribute. Thank you!

[@sadeyedlady]

Bob has led me to so many great musicians.

[@AnimalMySoulconniegordon]

Liam Clancy was the cousin of my dad's, colleague's, boyfriend,...and he knew Bobby!!!! :'D Amazing :)

[@bballman]

This is wonderful, thank you for posting this!

[@goofy79248]

Bob Dylan!! Liam Clancy !!

[@seangrogan3622]

I also have some thoughts on Liam Clancy, been thinking them my whole life

[@nikkiforman1342]

Jakob Dylan has got that "something" in his eyes too.

[@nancyrobinson7764]

Nikki Forman If you ever compare close ups , Jakob has the exact same left eye color , same flec spot as his dad . It’s eerie , that kind of DNA . It’s always a battle living in the shadow of such a famous person .

[@user-un5iz6th1n]

I like Jakob and think hes musical and intelligent, but Bob is several leagues beyond that.

[@tomspinks2795]

The Clancy Brothers were standard fare in my Irish family. Didn't a day go by, that me father was singing "The Rising of the Moon," or condemning the Black & Tans.

[@superstarshaker7402]

Tom Spinks God love the black n tans

[@patrickmollahan4157]

And I trust you are keeping up the family tradition

[@bobbyd4298]

I Iove when Liam was shown and asked about this clip while on the Late Late show, if he remembered saying this to Bob and he replied No while laughing. However, the way he described Bob, saying, but he does, and that's what made him and makes him stand out... (and maybe above) ...other artists , he was like a sponge...

[@nikkiforman1342]

You can. There is no fear in perfect love, and God is perfect love, and when you're connected to Him, you have no fear, which means you can love in the face of hate, or misunderstanding, or misinterpretation, or betrayals. So, where there's no fear, there's no envy, and no meanness.. at least, not from you. And one-sided meanness has nowhere to go. A true relationship to God is very freeing indeed.

[@user-un5iz6th1n]

Nikki Forman the issue is getting your body to follow. it's one thing to think it and know it, or force yourself to walk up to it. it's another to get your body to move sufficiently in that direction on its own. and to be consistent and unyielding in it. I agree with the thought and principal, but it's no cakewalk to do it sufficiently. in particular if you had it rough long and early enough to critically damage some necessary things. I agree with what you say but feel more respect is required for the process and for those struggling to plow through it. it's not a flippant or matter of fact thing. With respect-

[@d1973ld]

@@user-un5iz6th1n I think what you're saying is fact. Freeing the mind/spirit and the rest will follow is not that easy.

[@helenaville5939]

@@user-un5iz6th1n I think what you mean is that it's hard to get the mind to follow when it is already in your soul. The body has nothing to do with it.

[@dunkinking]

this is from the movie No Direction Home.

[@patricianaughton5428]

Dear Brian, I'm Praying for You. Chemo is no fun. Listening to uplifting music helps. ne of the foods I've prepared for Chemo patients is Irish Soda Bread. If You can have someone make You some it might be easy to tolerate on Your sick days. Good Luck, Boyo....Paddy

[@fl3jsjif3]

I need help. Im pretty sure its in part 1 of the doc. but theres a part where its showing how well Dylan could imitate other singers and it shows a small clip of Dylan covering a clancy bro song, and hes adjusting his voice to make himself kind of sound irish. Is that full song released anywhere? I thought it might have been on The Minnesota Tapes, cause Ive never had a chance to listen to any of those songs, but it doesn't say there are any Clancy Bros songs on there. any help would be amazing

[@katejacobs5491]

To my shame I know what you mean. Now a reconfirmed fan.

[@jamesokeeffe3216]

God bless the irish🍀

[@irishelk3]

Great lads, Liam was the cool one.

[@FlyingFish747]

Great clip, thanks!

[@yu3p2x1]

He's talking as much about Tommy Makem here.

[@aughalough1]

Is Dylan on the record as saying Liam Clancy was the best folk singer he ever heard.

[@nickkennedy1]

He said he was "the best ballad singer" he had ever heard back in Greenwich Village in the early 60s and probably still was, at least up to the interview in Slane '84 (kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKu3ZKRjZr6hi9E)

[@HIBERNIAN04]

Yes , see the DVD Yellow Bittern about Liam's life and career. A warts and all film. A must have for any Clancy fan.

[@slye1991]

Remember Bob. No fear, no envy, no meanes. I said mmmm Right

[@davidcarlson1208]

Great video!

[@silviaruhsen4666]

Thanks for turf of dunlow/ donegal

[@weswebb1979]

Dunkinking thanks very much!

[@claytonave]

@soldierside66 I know the clip you mean but I can't find it anywhere but in the No Direction Home set.

[@christineelizabethhorner5829]

no envy no fear no meanness,( just love, in jesus). I have good taste in music. i love both bob dylan and liam clancy's music.

[@raherql]

Though, I do admit the closeups are a bit much...

[@variations3]

Does anybody know if the full performances of the Clancy Brothers seen here are available?? Many thanks...

[@reynardwaltz9815]

That first song is the wild colonial boy, which is on KZbin.

[@donhuber9131]

It's from an episode of Pete Seeger's "Rainbow Quest" TV show from the early '60s. Pete was still "Blacklisted" by the networks, so Seeger created a show on a NYC public access station and beat the sensors' pants off. Stars such as Johnny Cash and Mississippi John Hurt and The Stanley Brothers played the show and it flew, no, soared under the radar! You may notice Tom Clancy was absent. The show was taped early in the morning; not Tom's time of day! Liam sang "Wild Rover", Paddy sang "Old Woman From Wexford" and Tommy also sang "Little Beggarman" and danced a jig. Most of the Rainbow Quest shows can be viewed online and all are wonderful.

[@patriciathewisher2315]

It’s all sad and life threatening and then hilarious as F. It’s life ffs

[@patriciathewisher2315]

Love The Butcher Boy. Jesus. Must’ve sung this at five

[@jgpix1]

Where is the rest of this interview ?

[@graziellabovolato5603]

On the Dvd documentary No Direction Home, by Martin Scorsese on Dylan

[@sawdoctony]

try neil young and Bruce Springsteen singing all along the watchtower - another gem!

[@senorsleepy2359]

we can try

[@13loomisst]

Best of luck, man.

[@ChrisMcloviification]

we can its just a choice

[@drrjim]

right......

[@alanoneill3065]

Its puzzling that most of this features Tommy Makem and not Liam

[@ArchStantonify]

I salute you sir :)

[@008overrated]

Myself and my brother walking up through Ballyfermot in Dublin around 1982 wearing our newly just knitted white pullovers identical to the one's the clancy brothers are wearing at 1.15.........the embarrassment i feel when i think about it haha.

[@Frances386]

Great tribute from Bob Dylan; too bad the video featured Tommy Makem, not Liam Clancy. Tommy Makem was great as well, but the wrong singer was featured in the clip.

[@jmdylan4448]

Railroad boy wow!

[@ConorClancy]

nice

[@tarasieger]

very cool!

[@weswebb1979]

What TV program is this from?

[@conorsmith6395]

Do you see the dislike bar?.. no, me either!:)

[@helenmullane3547]

💓💜💛💚

[@yamapenny5960]

💞🤝👍

[@jemsd]

I see Dylan in this interview and how animated he is. It makes me think that ( if he wanted to) he could easily sing " It's all over now baby blue" to Donovan, just like he did in that hotel room all those years ago. Oh and about Liam and Tommy? I don't give a shit about them and could care less about who they are. Thanks for listening,,,,,,,,

[@seanthorntonthornton]

No fear, no envy, no meanness. Something that’s desperately lacking in today’s world. Repent toxicity wherever you find it and try to see the good in everyone and everything

[@Katarinatorn]

I guess he forgot to warn Bob for Bimbos though.....

[@johnfinbarburke]

@CFDJFC i cant fuckin live that way

[@MaximusPeperkamp-hw8sw]

I hear a lot meanness in Bob Dylan, who is talking out of his ass....

[@shuddupeyaface]

When your stuck in a bar with an Irishman talking about himself. Purgatory.