St. Pat's Playlist

St. Patrick’s day is quickly approaching. With COVID our celebrations are looking very different. For me pre-COVID was usually wearing green at a friend’s house having good conversations about real estate, investing, and social issues like women’s equality and universal healthcare while consuming Guinness, Jameson Whiskey, and all green colored candies, cookies, and vegetables. Now that it’s the 2nd St. Patrick’s day since COVID hit the world hard, I’ll be wearing green to work (not that we pinch each other – hello, sexual harassment claims), and then maybe making myself up something green for a Zoom call or getting take out fish and chips.

Although not one iota of me has any claims to Ireland, St. Patrick’s day has always been close to my heart. The first St. Patty’s day I can remember, I was ten years old in elementary school and a Celtic dance team came and performed. I was so enchanted by the dresses and dancing. My parents naturally vetoed the idea when they found out how much the activity and dress would cost. Rightly so, since the family ended up moving not long after. The military life has been the death of many a budding hobby in my youth.

I love the food, and the culture. One of my favorite childhood series features a trip to Ireland. It’s been a very long time since I read it so I couldn’t tell you a thing about the book, other than that the series is called Mandie by Lois Gladys Leppard. She’s a young girl that goes on adventures and solves mysteries.

However you’re choosing to celebrate St. Patty’s day this year, I hope you’re wearing some green (power colors!), drinking responsibly if you’re over 21 (virgin if under), and enjoying good food and enjoying yourself. Brief history lesson – St. Patty’s day is held on the death anniversary of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Cultural and religious celebration is meant to commemorate the saint for which the day is named, as well as the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. When the day falls within the Lent window, Christians are given a free pass for the day.

Nowadays we’re more heavily scrutinizing celebrations such as St. Patty’s day and Christmas as being commercialized and potentially inappropriate for our religious selections. I hope that we can lay down our criticisms and just have a good time on this day. If we’re speaking of commercialization, which is alive and well in capitalistic society alongside cultural misappropriation, I’ll plead guilty to all of the above with disclosure of the following dream/goal.

If I ever own a bar in the distant post-COVID future, I want to throw a huge St. Patty’s day bash. Here’s a list of thirteen essential songs for the event. Not all the songs are Celtic/Irish origin, but still make for a good time:

1. The Sidh – Shake that Bagpipe

2. The Sidh – Iridium

3. The Sidh – Nitro

The Sidh are considered Irish Dubstep. Starting the list with Shake that Bagpipe and transitioning into Iridium and Nitro is meant to start and keep up the dancing. They’ve received accolades from Lindsey Stirling, and central to their sound is the combination of bagpipes and keyboard/percussion.

4. Lindsey Stirling – Roundtable Rival

Speaking of Lindsey Stirling, the American electronic/dubstep violinist has been making waves since 2010 on America’s Got Talent. Roundtable Rival is a nice transition song from the high energy elements of The Sidh to some softer European bands while maintaining the Celtic elements perfect for St. Patty’s day.

5. Eluveitie – The Call of the Mountains

Eluveitie is a Swiss folk metal band founded in 2002. They’ve also been categorized into melodic death metal and Celtic metal subgenres. Now for those of us who are familiar with the metal world it is not surprising that there are many subgenres to the vast plethora of metal music. If you’re just discovering this, keep listening to metal and you’ll probably find a subgenre that fits you. While Eluveitie originates in Switzerland, The Call of the Mountains maintains the use of bagpipes, and their lyrics reference Celtic mythology. This is a great softer song for people to get rehydrated and take a break from dancing.

6. The Rumjacks – The Pot & Kettle

For the untraveled or otherwise uninitiated, The Rumjacks are a Celtic punk rock band formed in Australia in 2008. They sound very Celtic, but it’s just a little bit off if you have a good ear for accents. The Pot & Kettle is a fun song about the pot calling the kettle black; and reminding everyone that we’re all in it together.

7. Combichrist – Maggots at the Party

Combichrist is an interesting industrial metal band formed in 2003 in Atlanta, GA. I find myself spending a lot of time there lately. My first Combichrist concert was so much fun and I’d definitely go again in a post-COVID world. With their Norwegian and American origins, Maggots at the Party is meant to amp up the energy again.

8. Avatar – Let It Burn

9. Avatar – Smells Like a Freakshow

No, not the blue people movie, nor the Last Airbender cartoon. Avatar is a Swedish death metal band formed in 2001. I can’t wait to see these guys live. Moving from Combichrist to Avatar’s Let it Burn and Smells Like a Freakshow moves the mood from industrial slowly back into party mood.

10. Alestorm – Drink

11. Alestorm – Treasure Chest Party Quest

Alestorm, previously Battleheart from 2004-2007, is a Scottish heavy metal band focused on piracy and drinking. Given that alcohol is a staple at St. Patrick’s day celebrations and that this is my list for that day if I own a bar, I thought these would set a great tone for letting loose and having a good time. The title of Drink leaves little to the imagination, but please, leave the piracy outside the door. Treasure Chest Party Quest is the same theme – just making money, drinking, and having a good time.

12. Korpiklaani – Vodka

13. Korpiklaani – Happy Little Boozer

In a similar theme to Alestorm, many Korpiklaani songs are centered around drinking. This Finnish folk metal band was founded in 1993. Vodka, while not necessarily an Irish drink, brings back the bagpipes and Celtic atmosphere essential to St. Patrick’s Day. Ending the list is Happy Little Boozer, and hopefully if you’re anything else you aren’t drinking all that much.

Given that St. Patrick’s day is on March 17, I was trying for 17 songs but only found thirteen essential. I’d intersperse the list with more songs from The Sidh, Antti Martikainen, Patty Gurdy, Skald, Wind Rose, Celtica Pipes Rock, The O’Reilleys & The Paddyhats, The Snake Charmer, and Omnia. These are all more classically Celtic in nature.

In this year of COVID, 2021, my plans include consumption of fish and chips. However you’re celebrating, please remember to drink responsibly, never challenge an Irishman to a drinking contest as they’ll drink you under the table, and be able to get some safe, unscathed, and fall into a sound, warm sleep.