Perfect Songs for Any St. Patrick's Day Party

On March 17, people of all races and nationalities will become Irish for a day to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. One of the biggest party days of the year, St. Patrick's Day parties often feature Irish-American foods like Corned Beef and Cabbage and green tinted beer. It's also a good opportunity to listen to some great Irish music. Here are some songs that should show up on any good St. Patrick's Day playlist.

"Black and Tans" Black Irish Band

For those who only know Black and Tan as a drink made with Guinness and Harp, the original use for Black and Tans was a name for the Irish Constabulary Reserve Force, an organization used by the English-controlled Irish government to stamp out nationalism. This song, written in 1920 by Dominic Behan tells the story of his father who would come home drunk at night and yell taunts to the Black and Tans such as "tell us how you slew/those Arabs two by two/like the Zulus they had but spears and arrows/how you bravely faced each one/with your sixteen pounder gun."

"All for Me Grog" Black Irish Band

This traditional sea shanty is a perfect song for any St. Patrick's Day party as the singer tells of the sad state of all of his clothing with lyrics like "Where are me boots/me noggin noggin boots/they've all gone for beer and tobacco/the heels they are worn out/and the toes are kicked about/and the soles are hanging out/for better weather." In the chorus, he laments that "I've spent all me tin/on the lassies drinking gin/and across the western ocean I must wander."

"Finnegan's Wake" Brobdingnagian Bards

No St. Patrick's Day party is complete without Finnegan's Wake. The song, written in the 1850's and the inspiration for James Joyce's book of the same name, tells the story of one Tim Finnegan who "had a sort of a tippler's way/for the love of the liquor old Tim was born." Finnegan falls from a ladder and dies, and is carried home by his family for a traditional Irish wake. The wake is complete with "a gallon of whiskey at his feet and a barrel of porter at his head." The wake soon degenerates into a drunken brawl which culminates in the gallon of whiskey being thrown at Finnegan. The spirits revive Tim, whether from death or severe drunken blackout is left unsaid, and his first words are complaint about the waste of whiskey.

"I Know My Love" Chieftains w/Andrea Corr

This traditional Irish song was included on The Chieftains' critically acclaimed album "Tears of Stone" and featured vocals by Andrea Corr. An up tempo song primarily performed on acoustic guitar, this tells the story of a woman lamenting her love's upcoming trip to America and her imaginings of what he will get into during his time there because "bonny boys are few/and if my love leaves me/what will I do?"

"A Stor Mo Chroi" Chieftains w/Bonnie Raitt

Another song from "Tears of Stone", this time The Chieftains team up with blues guitarist Bonnie Raitt for a song which, while lyrically similar to the previous, is musically very different. Sung almost like a dirge, Raitt's weather-worn voice and blues guitar are perfect for this song, with lyrics like "the road may be weary and hard to tread/and the lights of the cities blind you/won't you turn a stor/to Erin's shore/and the one you have left behind you." While not the happiest of songs in this list, this is nevertheless an essential component of any good St. Patrick's Day playlist because is absolutely bleeds Ireland.

"Whiskey You're the Devil" The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem are the super group of traditional Irish music and anything from their collection would be welcome on a St. Patrick's Day playlist but this song exemplifies the holiday better than any other. The song is alternately a lament of the evils of whiskey and a love song about its properties. The singer blames whiskey for sending him off to war "over hills and mountain/and to Amerikay" but later goes on to say "you're spunkier than tea/whiskey you're me darling/drunk or sober."

"Flannigan's Ball" Dropkick Murphys

Flannigan's Ball is a re-write of the traditional Lanigan's Ball by Boston punk rockers The Dropkick Murphys. In the song, they get some help from Ronnie Drew from The Dubliners and Spider Stacy from The Pogues. This song is thematically similar to Finnegan's Wake in that it features a party that ends up in a drunken brawl. It tells the story of Brian Flannigan who frittered his inheritance away learning to dance at Forbes Academy and decided to throw a huge party to show off his skill. As the night goes on and the liquor flows, the dancing becomes more frantic, eventually ending up with the band getting trampled.

"Swallowtail Jig" The Waybacks

This traditional Irish instrumental is perfect for any St. Patrick's Day party that features dancing. Led by an upbeat fiddle, this song is sure to get even the least Irish member of your party on his feet and dancing. This version, by San Francisco folksters The Waybacks, is six minutes of pure Ireland.