A Mad, Mad World

In honor of “International Talk Like a Pirate Day” please enjoy this free mp3 download of our tune “Rough Music“. It refers to how when sailors were mistreated by their officers and were unhappy with conditions aboard ship they would wait until nightfall and then start to roll shot – cannon balls – on the decks and bang other metal objects. These discordant sounds are called rough music and often prefaced a mutiny.

—–
ROUGH MUSIC ©M. Martin

I’m a roving man, I ply the waves
from Bristol to Benin
from Boston Harbour to Barbados
and back again

Side by side I sail and fight with
brave and brazen men
Our bond is born of circumstance and the
quest for rich fortune

I owe the scratches on my back
to a captain drunk with power
His wrath bled all of loyalty
and set the crew to sour

We bade our time with firm resolve
to carry out the plot
Then one dark night every hand
took to rolling shot

Ay O Ay O Heed these sounds of righteous discontent
Ay O Ay O We shall have proper recompense

Of all the women I have known
I’m true to only one
To her I’ll bring these silver coins
and silks of dark crimson

I’m a roving man, I ply the waves
from Bristol to Benin
from Boston Harbour to Barbados
and back again

—–

FYI there are more free downloads on our fanfare page.

We are now working on the follow up CD to “Skull and Magpies“. More adventures on the high seas!

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Catch us in the act on the plaza at 83 MacAllister Street in SF – 6PM-7PM

This is our last People in Plazas gig for this season.

As always, a special shout out to our city friends — love to see you at the show!

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To be honest it takes much to pull me away when I’m writing music. I don’t want to hear other sounds. But inspiration and admiration struck when GDub brought home “San Patricio” a wonderful compilation put together by Paddy Moloney/The Chieftains with Ry Cooder which pays tribute to the deep affection between Mexico and Ireland. (About the San Patricios)

One song particularly pulled me in — “Luz de Luna” sung by Chavela Vargas. Her singing literally makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

She is fascinating. Besides her intense, dramatic vocal skill she has lived a life! She was a very successful touring singer in the 50s, was most likely a lover of Frida Kahlo‘s, is a close friend of film director Pedro Almodóvar, came out as a lesbian at 81, made her debut at Carnegie Hall when she was 83. Definitely the stuff of legends. But it’s the voice …

• National Geographic feature

• A pop magazine write up about Chavela

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We are talking perfect September Sonoma County weather. Warm, sunny.
Relax! Eat good food! Hear live music!

We start playing music at 2PM.

Valley Ford, CA

http://www.rockeroysterfellers.com/

http://themadmaggies.com/calendar.html

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