Metallica: the origin of the song Whiskey In The Jar ("Whiskey in the jar")

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Metallica: the origin of the song Whiskey In The Jar ("Whiskey in the jar")
Metallica: the origin of the song Whiskey In The Jar ("Whiskey in the jar")
Anonim

It was noticed that most famous musicians go deep into the folklore of various countries to create their works. The old Irish ballad "Whiskey in the Jar" became popular in the 20th century thanks to Metallica, who covered it so amazingly that it won the hearts of music lovers around the world. Since then, it has been covered by many other famous bands, so it will not be possible to forget about this hit.

Song story

It is not known exactly when the national Irish song called Whiskey In The Jar was born. However, folklorists usually date it to the 17th century. It is believed to be based on the story of the famous criminal Patrick Flemming, who was reportedly executed in 1650.

Meaning of the song

From the Metallica video
From the Metallica video

The lyrics of the song "Whiskey in the jar", or translated into Russian "Whisky in a flask", tells the story of a robber who, after committing a daring crime, was betrayed by the lady of his heart. However, it is also worthunderstand that the original simply does not have a single test - it constantly changes the names of both the girl and the main character, as well as the place in which events unfold. Even the ways of betraying her beloved are very different - in some texts she spoils his weapon, and in others she simply surrenders to the authorities after the robber robbed the official.

When the song began to spread around the world, hitting the then colonial America, she was very fond of the local population. Sympathy arose because of the meaning of the text: the robbery of a British official - a representative of power that the Americans did not like. Thus, a new version of the piece of music was born, which had the same storyline, but used American characters and places.

Image
Image

Performers

Performed Metallica's "Whiskey in the Jar" for her album Garage Inc. This version was so popular with the listeners that it earned an honorary Grammy award for the most "Best Hard Rock Performance".

However, in addition to this group, it was brought to life by a number of other popular musicians. For example, among them are U2, Smokie, Thin Lizzy and many others. Now the song is recognized as almost a hallmark of Irish folk musicians, who constantly rehash it to their tune.

Conclusion

Metallica group
Metallica group

Whiskey In The Jar is considered a great example of how a national song can be crafted to become a real hit. It is believed that based onThe Beggar's Opera was written, the creator of which John Gay was so impressed with Whiskey in the Jar that he decided to write his own version of the legend. Now there are many variants of the composition, which is performed in various musical styles.

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