MarcSONGS Podcast

Next to "Irish Ballad", I think this was one of the first Happy Songs of Death that I ever learned. So isn't it fitting that it goes on a CD of the same name? The new arrangement is a big favorite of mine. It's something you can tap your toes to. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up this CD, 'Happy Songs of Death' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

Maybe it was my love of the Kingston Trio singing 'Tom Dooley' as a child, or maybe it was totally inspired by watching Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, but when the desire to write a murder ballad overtook me, I ran with it. The song that erupted from my autoharp ended in murder. It also sparked a desire to release an album of lots of fun and happy songs of death. The new CD is out in August 2009! Find out more about Marc Gunn at www.marcgunn.com Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up my CD 'Happy Songs of Death' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

Who doesn't love The Princess Bride? I sure do. I wrote this song in December 2000. It began with the idea of a woman who's True Love was lost at sea. But as the story developed, it reminded me of Buttercup's 'True Love'--Wesley--in the cult classic. So I named it after her. It's a sad, but beautiful song. I first recorded the song for my first solo CD, Soul of a Harper. It went on to be a fan favorite. Find out more about Marc Gunn at www.marcgunn.com Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up my CD 'Soul of a Harper' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

A couple years ago, I was performing at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival when The Mews... I mean Muse struck. No mews was correct. The frequent meowing came from a black cat named Lil' Bit. That talkative cat inspired this bluesy song that turned into a boogie woogie with the masterful guitar of my producer Rich Brotherton. I recorded it because after the Brobdingnagian Bards broke up I knew I needed a new solo demo. But I didn't quite realize how much blues would affect my music, especially when I moved to New Orleans. I feel it creeping into my new arrangements in a beautiful way, mixing in with my Celtic background and adding a little swing. How cool it would be to have people swing dancing to my new version of "Black Velvet Band". Meantime, I posted this recording on Soundclick the other day and it hit #1 two days later. Best of all, it's great for some West Coast Swing dancing. Find out more about Marc Gunn at www.marcgunn.com Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up my CD 'Marc Gunn EP' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

Isn't it kinda funny how St. Patrick's Day is now synonymous with getting plastered on March 17th? What a shame! There's so much more to the Irish than getting drunk. Listen to the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast--www.celticmusicpodcast.com, and you'll know what I mean. Now in all historical honesty, St. Patrick probably did drink. Beer was often used to kill bacteria. But that doesn't mean that his song with lyrics by the great comedic lyricist Spaff--www.spaff.com--are any less true. This is Irish satire at it's finest. Find out more about Marc Gunn at www.marcgunn.com Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up my CD 'What Color Is Your Dragon?' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

I've been on a writing binge this Fall, especially of instrumental autoharp music. I love the sound the autoharp creates. It's very unique and I've heard no one experiment with effects. When I wrote this, my goal was to create a musical landscape to express my mood at the time. It was only late that I allowed my fans to listen and name the tune. The MP3 was originally released in Dec 2007. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up my CD 'Heart's Ease: Instrumental Autoharp Music' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

This instrumental tune was written after watching the new movie based on Neil Gaiman's popular book, Stardust. I like to write music that tells a story, and that movie inspired me to write something on that very topic. It is a song based about seeking love across a wall and finding it in an unexpected fallen star, romantic and elusive. This is also the first of I hope many instrumental tunes that I hope to release in this new podcast. The song is due out on my fae album at the end of the year. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, pick up my CD 'Heart's Ease' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

This is one of the earliest songs I learned when I began playing Celtic music. The Brobdingnagian Bards recorded it on A Faire to Remember, and it never ceased to capture someone's attention. I rearranged the song a couple years ago to make it more sing-alongable. And I love this recording of this classic song by Francis McPeake. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up this CD, 'How America Saved Irish Music' (when it becomes available) at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

I played this song for a number of years with the Brobdingnagian Bards. Earlier this year, I got bored with my original version of it. I wanted a new rhythm. So I re-arranged the song with swing. When I started playing it Ireland, it quickly became the most-popular song on the trip. T'was then I knew I wanted to add it it a new CD. For now, it's on my Marc Gunn's Free CD, a short EP that you can only get for free. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up this CD, 'How America Saved Irish Music' (when it becomes available) at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

It all began three years ago when I was introduced to Firefly, a Sci Fi Western by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. I became a huge fan. The TV series is still one of my most-watched DVDs. One of my favorite episodes is "Jaynestown" where the ruffian Jayne Cobb becomes a folk hero with his own folk song, "Hero of Canton". I loved it so much, I wanted to write my own Firefly song, but I was too busy watching the show to really spend any time writing about it. Then I was inspired to write "She Said Her Name Was Saffron" for a contest last year. I hoped more songs would come. It didn't until a couple weeks ago. I finally decided I was gonna write a song about mudder's milk, the alcoholic drink from "Jaynestown". The song evolved into a worker's rights folk song ala Woodie Guthrie. I recorded it, and for the icing on the cake, I got a bunch of Firefly fans to sing back up in the chorus, the way a good drinking song should be sung. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up this CD, 'Firefly Drinking Songs' (when it becomes available) at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

When I decided to put together my cat CDs, my goal was to serve up a delicious blend of traditional Irish music, but make it about cats. So I picked some of the best Celtic musicians in Austin to help me record these albums. This set of tunes starts was picked by fiddler Christopher Buckley of The Tea Merchants. It starts with a bouncy jig and busts into a couple rockin' reels. Even with an autoharp it comes across sounding totally tradlicious. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up this CD, 'Whiskers in the Jar: Irish Songs for Cat Lovers' at www.catdrinkingsongs.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

Two years ago, Diane Frost sent me a funny parody of "Lusty Young Smith". It was too funny to pass up. It included first favorite Sci Fi genre, Star Wars, and it beautifully capture the original song, except it is about a battle between a Jedi and Sith. Way cool! I recorded this for my upcoming CD, What Color Is Your Dragon?. Coming soon to a galaxy far, far away. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up this CD, 'What Color Is Your Dragon? Folk Music with Delusions of Grandeur' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

During Spring Break in 1990, my mom and I went on a pilgrimage of the art of Piero della Francesca. We followed his art around Italy, culminating in a stop in Assisi. I don't know what it was about the town, but upon entering, and throughout the visit, I was filled with a blissful sense of peace and joy. It is 18 years later, and I still remember the feeling I had in that town. While watching Rick Steves talk about the Assisi, I was left longing. So I picked up my autoharp and shared my feelings. Upon completion I asked my fans and friends what the song should be called. They voted, and it was named "Song of Assisi". I hope you share in the magic of my experience, and one day have the joy of visiting it too. The song will appear on a CD of instrumental autoharp music. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up this CD, 'Autoharp Instrumental' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

Legend says that after Lord Nelson fell in the Battle of Trafalger, his body was sealed ina cask of rum to preserve it. When the sailors heard of this, they drank their fill. Thus, grog became known as "Nelson's Blood". This walkaway shanty is also known as "Roll the Old Chariot Along" or "Roll the Golden Chariot Along." I arbitrarily chose the later just for the heck of it. The song was also taken up as a hymn for the Salvation Army. The tune is very catchy. Feel free to make up verses as you go. It's great for that. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up this CD, 'Going for Brogue: Irish Pub Songs and Sea Shanties with an Accent' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

I think I first heard this song at the Texas Renaissance Festival by the Flying Fish Sailors. They had a great version of the song, mixing in band members onto the ship. Well, when I decided to throw together a wee piratey set of songs, I decided to add this song. I didn't know it very well, so I just started playing the song, goofing around. This amusing intro was the result. I was happy to find that I actually know the lyrics of the song now. I didn't when I recorded it. Repetition does wonders. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording, support independent music and pick up this CD, 'Going for Brogue: Irish Pub Songs and Sea Shanties with an Accent' at www.marcgunn.com or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.