Born in Donegal, raised in Cork, conquered the world…
JOE continues our look at some of the best all-time classic songs with a tribute to one of the most talented musicians that Ireland and the world has ever seen.
Artist, album and year: Rory Gallagher, Irish Tour ’74, 1974
Why is it a classic? : What Leonardo Di Vinci could do with a paintbrush , Rory Gallagher could do with a guitar.
This opening riff is probably the best demonstration of Gallagher’s unique ability to play both rhythm and lead guitar at the same time while that moment when the drums kick in still has the ability to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Gallagher’s raw, tribal and visceral style was unique and this song is an absolute tour-de-force from a musician that’s at the very top of his craft.
Did you know? :Bill Wyman revealed that Gallagher almost joined the Rolling Stones after the band’s guitarist Mick Taylor walked out following a series of blow-ups with Keith Richards.
“If he’d have been in the Stones, he wouldn’t have been singing and that was one of his strong points. He would have just been playing (guitar) solos… and learning to be subservient to two big egos. I don’t think it would have worked”.
Gallagher stayed as a solo artist and was one of the few performers who was absolutely resolute when it came to performing in Northern Ireland during the height of the troubles which earned him even more respect and admiration.
A true testament to his beloved status in the world of music can be seen by the multitude of tributes, statues and murals in Donegal, Cork, Dublin, Belfast and Paris.
The lyrical hook: “If I was the atom, split me into three, If I want to see you baby, Don’t you lock your door on me!”
Here’s the performance of the song, both on the album version and live, because no one should ever get tired of watching one of the most gifted musicians that has ever picked up a 1961 Fender Stratocaster.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5EkHK6fi7E
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