I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen
Encyclopedia
I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen is a popular song written by Thomas P. Westendorf in 1875. In spite of its American origins, it is known and revered as an Irish
ballad. Westendorf, a school teacher in Plainfield, Indiana
, wrote it for his wife (who was, however, named Jennie). It's in the form of an "answer" to a popular ballad of the time, "Barney, Take Me Home Again."
Music of Ireland
Irish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland.The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music. It has remained vibrant through the 20th, and into the 21st century, despite globalizing cultural forces...
ballad. Westendorf, a school teacher in Plainfield, Indiana
Plainfield, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,396 people, 7,051 households, and 4,914 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,023.1 people per square mile . There were 7,449 housing units at an average density of 414.3 per square mile...
, wrote it for his wife (who was, however, named Jennie). It's in the form of an "answer" to a popular ballad of the time, "Barney, Take Me Home Again."
Recorded versions
- Frank Connors (released by Varsity Records (a label of the Wright Record Company) as catalog numberCatalog numbering systems for single recordsThis article presents the numbering systems used by various record companies for single records.- Capitol :...
519, with the flip side "When Irish Eyes Are SmilingWhen Irish Eyes Are Smiling"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" is a lighthearted song in tribute to Ireland. Its lyrics were written by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff, Jr., set to music composed by Ernest Ball, for Olcott's production of The Isle O' Dreams, and Olcott sang the song in the show...
") - Bing CrosbyBing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
and John Scott Trotter's Orchestra (recorded July 17, 19451945 in music-Events:*The Motion Picture Daily Fame Poll designates Bing Crosby "Top Male Vocalist" for the ninth straight year.*July 26 - Composer Ernest John Moeran marries cellist Peers Coetmore.*August 19 - Dick Powell marries June Allyson....
, released by Decca RecordsDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
as catalog numbers 18721B and 28261, both with the flip side "The Bells of St. Mary'sThe Bells of St. Mary'sThe Bells of St. Mary's is a 1945 American film which tells the story of a priest and a nun at a school who set out, despite their good-natured rivalry, to save the school from being shut down. It stars Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman...
"; also as catalog number 23789B with the flip side "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral") - Merv GriffinMerv GriffinMervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
(released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-4749, with the flip side "Wild Colonial Boy") - British novelty pop band Lieutenant PigeonLieutenant PigeonLieutenant Pigeon was a British novelty popular music group, originating from Coventry.-Career:Lieutenant Pigeon was a British musical group popular in the early 1970s. A spin-off from an experimental music band Stavely Makepeace, it was fronted by Rob Woodward and managed by David Whitehouse....
(released by Decca Records in 1974 as Decca F13486), with the B-side "Big Butch Baby", reached #3 in Australia. - Danny Malone (recorded November 27, 19341934 in music-Events:*March 12 - the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler given the world premiere of Paul Hindemith's symphony Mathis der Maler in Berlin.*May 28 - The Glyndebourne festival is inaugurated....
, released by Decca RecordsDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
as catalog number 12052A, with the flip side "All That I Want Is in Ireland") - Henry Moeller (released by Gennett RecordsGennett RecordsGennett was a United States based record label which flourished in the 1920s.-Label history:Gennett records was founded in Richmond, Indiana by the Starr Piano Company, and released its first records in October 1917. The company took its name from its top managers: Harry, Fred and Clarence Gennett....
as catalog number 10069, with the flip side "Sing Me To Sleep") - Oscar Seagle (recorded September 19151915 in music-Events:* Tom Brown's band from New Orleans goes to Chicago, Illinois and start advertising themselves as a "Jass Band"*Herbert Howells is given six months to live, and becomes the first person in the UK to receive radium treatment .*The ukulele becomes popular as a result of its appearance in the...
, released by Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
as catalog number A-5718, with the flip side "The Bloom Is on the Rye") - Vaughan Quartet (released by Vaughan Records as catalog number 725, with the flip side "When Honey Sings an Old Time Song")
- Lew White (released by Victor Records as catalog number 27467, with the flip side "On the Wings of Song")
- Clarence WhitehillClarence WhitehillClarence Whitehill was a leading American bass-baritone. He sang on both sides of the Atlantic and is best remembered for his association with the music dramas of Richard Wagner....
(recorded July 30, 19141914 in music-Events:*October 15 - In Rovigo, Beniamino Gigli makes his operatic debut in Amilcare Ponchielli's La Gioconda.*The first recorded calypso music is made in Trinidad and Tobago.*First publication of Orchestration, the classic book by Cecil Forsyth....
, released by Victor Records as catalog number 74425 (a single-sided record); also as catalog number 1275, with the flip side "In the Gloaming")
- Victor YoungVictor YoungVictor Young was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. He was born in Chicago.-Biography:...
and his Orchestra (released by Decca RecordsDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
as catalog number 28194, with the flip side "My Mother")
- Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
released a version (with overdubbed accompaniment) of him singing to his own piano-playing on the 1973 self-titled album called ElvisElvis (1973 album)Elvis is Elvis Presley's self-titled 1973 album. This album is often called The Fool album after one of the songs included in it, in order to differentiate it from the 1956 album of the same title. The album sold over 1 million copies worldwide despite it being released soon after the much more...
on RCA Records, better known as The Fool album. He can be seen rehearsing the song by himself in the 1981 documentary This Is ElvisThis Is ElvisThis Is Elvis is a 1981 documentary film directed by Andrew Solt and Malcolm Leo, based on the life of Elvis Presley. It combined archival footage with reenactments, and narration by pop singer Ral Donner. It was screened out of competition at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival...
as taken from the footage for the 1970 film That's the Way It IsElvis: That's the Way it IsElvis: That's the Way It Is is a documentary movie directed by Denis Sanders about Elvis Presley that was released on November 11, 1970. The film documents Elvis' Summer Festival in Las Vegas during August 1970...
. He can also be heard performing the same song while in the Army while stationed in Germany in the so-called "Bad Neuheim Medley" of the 1997 RCA CD boxset Platinum : A Life In Music.
- Michael CrawfordMichael CrawfordMichael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City...
performed the song for his album In Concert in 1998, and also in his concert tour.
- Mitch MillerMitch MillerMitchell William "Mitch" Miller was an American musician, singer, conductor, record producer, A&R man and record company executive...
– Favorite Irish Folk Songs - Originally released 1959 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT - USSM10020418
- Ken CurtisKen CurtisKen Curtis was an American singer and actor best known for his role as Festus Haggen on the long-running CBS western television series Gunsmoke.-Early years:...
and The Sons of the Pioneers – Featured in Rio Grande, the last of John Wayne's "Cavalry Trilogy" classic western movies, as "The Regimental Singers" singing to Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.
- Slim WhitmanSlim WhitmanOttis Dewey Whitman, Jr. , known professionally as Slim Whitman, is an American country music singer and songwriter, known for his yodelling abilities. He has sold in excess of 120 million albums in unit sales and has had numerous successful recordings...
recorded a version in 1957, label not known. - Issued in the UK on London (HLP.8403), label citing 'recorded by IMPERIAL Hollywood'
- On March 31 1971 Johnny CashJohnny CashJohn R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
sang a version of this song on the 56th episode of his televison show The Johnny Cash Show (TV series)The Johnny Cash Show (TV series)The Johnny Cash Show was an American television music variety show hosted by Johnny Cash. The Screen Gems 58-episode series ran from June 7, 1969 to March 31, 1971 on ABC; it was taped at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The show reached No...
.
- On 30 January 2011 Jon BodenJon BodenJon Boden is an multi-instrumental musician and English folk singer.-Career:Boden plays fiddle as part of the duo Spiers and Boden, the band Bellowhead and up until 2007, Eliza Carthy's band The Ratcatchers. In 2009 he toured with his new backing band The Remnant Kings. He has also written a...
released a version as part of his A Folk Song A DayA Folk Song A DayA Folk Song a Day is a project by Jon Boden where he recorded and released a folk song each day for one year. The project 'ended' on the 24th of June 2011, the podcast contines to release the same song it did on that same day in 2010.-About:...
project.)
External links
- Lyrics and MIDI
- http://www.voicesacrosstime.org/units/5/
- Willie Sutherland version on Youtube.
- http://www.contemplator.com/england/blowcand.html Blow the Candle Out - Irish folk tune