Pilgrims on the Ocean [by Terence Winch & Eileen Estes]

 

    Terence Winch & Billy McComiskey, 2016                                                        Eileen Estes, Susan Campbell, & Chérie Campbellcat

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Last year I collaborated with one of my all-time favorite singers, Eileen Estes, on a song called “Pilgrims on the Ocean.”  Eileen wrote a beautiful air to my lyrics, and late last year we recorded the song at Blue House Productions in Silver Spring, Maryland, with Jeff Gruber at the controls. We asked our friend Billy McComiskey, the great Brooklyn-born button accordion player now at the center of Baltimore’s Irish music scene, to lend a hand. For an outro to the song, Eileen had the very good idea to have Billy go into a tune by the legendary Clare fiddle player Junior Crehan. The tune has a number of names, all variations on “With Her Long Dark Hair Flowing Down Her Back.”

The lyrics are below, and the song can be heard by clicking

Pilgrims on the Ocean

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Pilgrims on the Ocean  

 

There’s an awful thing that happens when the people go out marching.

There’s a sad but true confusion when the walls come tumbling down.

When the emcee takes the microphone and shoves it in our faces

and the castles feel the tremors shake, and crumble to the ground.

 

We were stumbling in the darkness when the houses caught on fire.

We were eating late-night dinners when the cops came cruising by.

But we sold our books and diamonds and stripped off our posh attire

and surrendered to the gender squad when they all began to cry.

 

[bridge]

Where the mountain meets the lake

where the lovers hearts all break

in the greening without meaning

when the give all turns to take

 

We’re the pilgrims and the children all forsaken on the oceans

where the storms divide and waves collide and we’re about to drown.

That’s what it’s like down here tonight drenched in our emotions

but swimming for the sunlight and the sight of higher ground.

 

©words Terence Winch/music Eileen Estes

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                                                                                        Junior Crehan

Comments

[Thomas Davis]

When there is magic afoot, and the wind starts to sound like a song drawn out of the soul of the earth, you'd better start looking around for a Winch.

[lally]

feckin brilliant

[Martin Stannard]

Wonderful. Thank you.

[Terence Winch]

Thank you, brother.

[Bill Nevins]

And the sight of higher ground! Cheers this solstice evening, Eileen and Terence and Billy and all!

[Emily Fragos]

Thank you, Terence, Eileen, and Billy for this marvelous song. Gratitude to Billy for the exhilarating coda. Happy holiday to all. Happy, peaceful, healthy 2023.

[Terence Winch]

Thanks, Emily.

[Abbie Mulvihill]

Beautiful lyrics, tune, singing and playing. Well done, all!

[Liz Hill]

Wonderful!

[Jesse F Winch]

it's a fragile existence. lovely song!

[Grace Cavalieri]

This is my CHRISTMAS present, for sure

[Maureen Locke]

Thank you Eileen and Terry for this very timely song. So glad you worked together and with Billy to produce this gift.

[Terence Winch]

Thanks for the comment, Maureen.

[Anne Harding Woodworth]

Sadness (drowning), hope (higher ground), rhyme. This is a beautiful poem (thank you, Terrence), beautifully sung (thank you Eileen), beautifully accompanied (thank you, Billy). And a beautiful outro (thank you, Junior Crehan, RIP). Good holidays to all.

[Terence Winch]

Thanks, Anne. Wonderful comment.

[Susan Campbell]

Beautiful and transcendent, but thoroughly grounded on the planet.

So moving.

[Dick Lourie]

Beautiful.Thank you.
I am always greatly moved when poetry and song are reunited.

---Dick Lourie

[Terence Winch]

Thanks, Dick. Glad you liked it.

[lawrence welsh]

This is a perfect song/poem for the start of 2023. It's also universal, as so many of us have to travel to those dark spaces and places that we have no control over. Here's to the New Year, and here's to Terence Winch. It's like we're all immigrants once again, traveling to the greatest country in the world. That's what my dear Irish mother always said about the U.S. She also said a day never went by that she didn't think about Ireland, but she was grateful that America took her in. Happy New Year to one and all. This song captures it all. Bravo.

[Terence Winch]

Thanks so much for the comment, Lawrence. I have to add that without the beautiful music composed by Eileen Estes, not to   mention the way her extraordinary voice brings it all to life, there wouldn't be that much to praise. Happy New Year to you, my friend.