Track Listing

1. Star Of The County Down
2. Irish Heartbeat
3. Ta Mo Chleamhnas Deanta (My Match It Is Made)
4. Raglan Road
5. She Moves Through The Fair
6. I'll Tell Me Ma
7. Carrickfergus
8. Celtic Ray
9. My Lagan Love
10. Marie's Wedding

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #64381 in Music
• Released on: 1999-06-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's not often mentioned as one of Van Morrison's signature performances, but the highpoint of this 1988 collaboration--a heartbreaking rendition of the traditional tune "Carrickfergus"--ranks with anything the man has done. Morrison delivers the deathbed lament with a mix of fervour and penitence that's utterly convincing as the Chieftains enshroud him in a Gaelic tapestry of sound. The remainder of this reissue of the 1988 collaboration between Ireland's finest ain't too shabby, either. On more upbeat selections such as "The Star of the County Down", Morrison sounds uncharacteristically frisky, as if he's delighted to share the burden with the Chieftains. Listeners are likely to find the alliance equally satisfying. --Steven Stolder

CD Description
It was inevitable that Ireland's finest singer and its mostcelebrated traditional folk ensemble would eventually collaborate. We have both talent and providence to thank for the fact that their collaboration, IRISH HEARTBEAT, works as well as it does. The Celtic folk influence had always been lurking just below the surface in Morrison's music, occasionallypeeking out, as on INTO THE MUSIC. His evocative, emotionalstyle is a perfect fit with the timeless sound of the Chieftains.
Things get off to a rollicking start on the randy "Star Of The County Down" before moving into more introspective areas. The beautiful ballad "Raglan Road" explores Celtic myths while examining the nature of art and inspiration. The well-known tune "She Moved Through The Fair" is given a haunting reading here, as Morrison fully exploits the ghostlyaspects of the tale. Morrison sounds perfectly at home on the traditional tunes that are the Chieftains stock in trade,and they back him with equal aplomb on the tile track, a paean to home and family that is the album's sole original tune.

Customer Reviews

Van Morrison does Irish Traditional - what a combination!
This album combines the incredible vocals of Van Morrison with the superb instrumentalism of the Chieftains to produce a unique combination. Van adds his distinctive style to a selection of classic Irish folk numbers. He also includes a couple of his own Celtic style songs. Even if you think you don't like Irish Folk you should give this a listen and your mind could be changed. "Raglan Road" is beautifully sung and would move anybody. The rendition of "Carrickfergus" is the best I have heard anywhere. These slow numbers are interspersed with more upbeat classics to produce a fine album which I have been listening to for years without getting bored. I only wish Van would team up with the Chieftians again to produce another one of these.

My favourite CD of all time. I wouldn't travel without it.
From the first time I heard this album in 1990 I was enthralled. There is something magic about the combination of Van Morrison and the Chieftains that engages you forever in this album. Van Morrison seems to encompass all the earthiness and attraction of the voices of the Irish over the centuries in this collection. Carrickfergus is my favourite as I am sure it is probably everyones who has heard this CD. He gives it a tragic and haunting quality which tells the story in the voice as much as in the words.

The Star of the County Down , I'll tell me ma, and Marie's Wedding offset the slower renditions beautifully, so that there is not one section of the album which seems out of balance or which you could ever want to skip over.

I take this CD everywhere, to my workplace and to do my housework. It is so engaging that I could put it on permanent play 24 hours a day 7 days a week and I defy anyone to be sick of it.

Pure Folk-Soul
The cover does this ground breaking album no justice - a seemingly disparate group of vagrants congregating without purpose. Press the play button and...sheer apotheosis.The Chieftains have played effectively as a backing band to a variety of artistes, but surely Van is their ultimate foil. He brings to the tradition a searing heart-felt soulfulness that transcends genre. Listening to "Carrickfergus",for example, is to experience the trailing off of a Celtic sunset with a genuinely pagan pain. Conversely , the upbeat numbers are riddled with veins of fresh-aired optimism. Utterly indispensable. Forget the novelty of "Unplugged", these guys have been passing the accoustic test for decades and the disc represents the zenith of their troubadour alchemy.