MANDOLINIA Album Notes (Full detailed album notes containing musical notation, lyrics, history, free downloads and lots more are available on a dedicated web-site: simonmeyler.com) The Rise of Madame Melda (Simon Meyler) 4.26 Simon Meyler- Mandolin & Vocal / Matt Hanaphy- Guitar / Joey Lynch- Bass / Seín Mackay- Clarinet /Martin Lawlor- Bodhrán. ‘Imelda Isis Venus’, goddess of natural beauty and queen of the night. Accompanied on five course mandolin tuned D-G-D-A-E. Kyrk Polska / Hins Polska (Lars Nsbom/Trad Arr. S. Meyler) 3.13 Simon Meyler- Mandolin / Matt Hanaphy- Guitar. Two Swedish polskas, the most common type of tune played there. An unusual retuning of the fiddle in Sweden is A-E-A-C# which is called näckastämning or trollstämning. These tunes are associated with the devil (Hin onde), fan or näcken. Many fiddlers of old have said that they learnt their music from näcken, a fiddling water spirit who lives in streams. Hins Polska is played in this tuning AA-EE-AA-C#C# where the strings are also plucked with the fingers as well as the plectrum. The Pooka Simon Meyler) 3.24 Simon Meyler- Mandolin & Banjo-mandolin / Seán Meyler- Nylon Guitar. Like Sweden we too have our devils and spirits. Both revered and feared, the Púca is a creature of Irish folklore who’ according to legend is capable of assuming a variety of terrifying forms to scare the living daylights out of humans. However, the Púca is considered to be harmless, just a big practical joker! Harmonies are played on mandolin-banjo in standard GDAE tuning. The Little Drummer (Trad Arr. S.Meyler) 4.17 Simon Meyler- Mandolin, Whistle & Vocal / Martin Lawlor- Bodhrán / Matt Hanaphy- Guitar / Jasmin Gangnus- Vocals. My research has thrown up little about this song other than it was recorded by Planxty in 1974. It’s always been a favourite of mine. Unst Bridal March / Da Bride’s a Bonnie Ting (Trad Arr. S. Meyler) 2.22 Simon Meyler- Mandolin & Whisltes. These two ceremonial tunes both hail from Unst in the Shetland Islands. In olden days a fiddler used to lead the wedding procession. The first march was played to lead the company to the church and the second when the bride crossed the threshold. In Shetland it is common to retune the fiddle (scordatura). This tune is often played with the bass strings raised as I have done on this mandolin AA-EE-AA-EE, a common tuning in Shetland and Scandinavia. Lonesome Moonlight Waltz (Bill Monroe 1911-1996 Arr. M. Hanaphy) 6.20 Simon Meyler- Mandolin / Matt Hanaphy- Mandolin & Guitar / Seín Mackay- Clarinet. A great tune written by the ‘Father of Bluegrass’ the legendary American mandolinist Bill Monroe, played loosely as a mandolin duet. Standin’ Tough (Simon Meyler) 4.25 Simon Meyler- Mandolin & Vocal / Joe Rhyder- Guitar / Seín Mackay- Clarinet / Joey Lynch- Bass / Martin Lawlor- Bodhrán. For all you tyrants and oppressors out there! The mandolin on this track is played in Open G, similar to the tuning favoured by most of the great blues guitarists. I have also tuned the G strings in octaves and split the tunings of the middle strings to give me GG(higher octave)-DG(higher octave)-BD-DD. Iara Anacleto de Meddeiros 1866-1907, Arr. S. Meyler) 3.53 Simon Meyler- Mandolin / Matt Hanaphy- Guitar. A beautiful choro written by Brazilian musician and composer Anacleto de Medeiros (1866-1907). In Brazilian mythology, Iara is the name of a water nymph or mermaid who sits on a rock by the river combing her hair and gently singing, luring young men to a life under the sea. The Pibroch of Dómhnall Dubh (Trad Arr. S. Meyler) 2.39 Simon Meyler- Mandolin, Whistles & Scottish Drums / Martin Lawlor- Bodhrán. Dómhnall Dubh, XI Captain and Chief of the Cameron Clan led a kilted army of ten thousand Highland men at the battle of Harlaw in 1411 against the forces of Robert, Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland. The result was indecisive, for casualties were so heavy on each side that they could fight no more. The ferocity of the battle gave it the nickname "Red Harlaw". This piping tune is over 500 years old. It is in 6/8 time and again is played scordatura AA-EE-AA-EE. The Plains of Kildare(Trad Arr. S. Meyler) 4.07 Simon Meyler- Mandolin & Vocal / Matt Hanaphy- Guitar. Skewball was the name of an 18th-century British racehorse, one of those rare olden breeds who could talk and also drink copious amounts of alcohol. He won many races in England before being sent over to Ireland where in 1752 he became the top earning runner according to the Irish turf calendar. The Hills of Coor / Poll Ha’penny (Junior Crehan/Trad Arr. S. Meyler) 4.18 Simon Meyler- Mandolin / Matt Hanaphy- Guitar / Shirley Rodgers- Flute / Martin Lawlor- Bodhrán. Two of my favourite hornpipes, the first written by Junior Crehan. Poll or Moll Ha’penny is said to have derived from an old Irish lament called Molly Mc Alpin, dating back to 1601 when five members of the Mac Alpin family were outlawed during the first full conquests of Ireland. Carly(Simon Meyler) 1.54 Simon Meyler- Mandolins. A slow cross-picking melody I dedicate to her. TOTAL TIME: 45.49 Lyrics: The Rise of Madame Melda A lady swaggered from the shade and cast a smile on me, my name is Melda Venus, she announced seductively- Goddess’ of the universe, my beauty well renowned Men bow before my feet and drool when I'm in town. Women’ mere spectators in our sordid game they despise and loath my every move, I' take all their blame for inciting the beast in their men and boys who wait- for Melda' to take their hand and make them copulate. There I lay impaled beneath a naked light, amid the stench and snorts as they feed their appetite Gorging on each fantasy, handed on a plate howling to the moon while endlessly I wait. The hunger has been satisfied, now I fall from grace the same lustful eyes can't bear to view my face- Yet, all know the rule, when each has had their fill, as the table’s cleared away the diner pays the bill. I've known every alleyway each sign and neon light, each nocturnal vagabond, each prowler' on the night- the scarlet basement brothels and infested tenements the lecherous clientele and each pimp in residence. I rose beyond the squalor to the affluent thoroughfares to play the chic salons, fashion houses, brassieres- I've rode the tinsel cabarets, each bustling uptown haunt- A twenty-four hour playground for wealthy debutantes. But here I' call the shots and here I' rule the Vice It's here I've gained celebrity and finally name my price- Here I have the final laugh on those who've lined the purse, of Madame Melda Venus, Goddess’ of the Universe! Standin’ Tough Mark my words, you’re going down gonna organize and blow this town gonna bring an end to your tyranny gonna walk this land, proud and free. I’m standing tough, I’m standing tall for the mighty are going to fall You’ll beg for mercy on bended knee for all the pain you brought to me. You walk in threes, you hunt in packs you plot and scheme behind my back Better dot your ‘I’s and cross your ‘Ts’ For I’m well on top, of my ‘A,B,C’s I hear your bark, I feel your bite I see your hate and smell your spite I’ll take your blows, I’ll take your best and bounce it all, off my chest You fascist cowards, you worthless scum read the signs, the time has come It’s gathering speed, this rolling train there rising up and taking aim. Repeat first verse Mandolins: Stefan Sobell five course mandolin 2006 large bodied quilted maple back & sides with spruce soundboard. Joe Foley F5 mandolin 1996 Irish walnut back & sides with spruce soundboard. Joe Foley round backed mandolin 1993 rosewood back & sides with cedar soundboard. Carlo Loveri & Figlio Neapolitan mandolin 1895c rosewood ribs & sides with spruce soundboard. Georges Caucasonne banjo-mandolin 1920c Mahogany and Metal tank resonator with skin top. Thanks: Sincere thanks to all my accompanying musicians- Martin, Seín, Joey, Seán, Joe, Shirley, Jasmin and special thanks to my bro’ Matt. Thanks to Pat Daly, Paul Mc Grattan, Paul Kelly, Niamh Parsons, Ellen Meyler, Wolf and Neill Tarrant for their expertise, support and encouragement. Thanks Yvonne xxx.