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I'm Marlene Hutchinson and welcome to Tips for Guitar Plane Success.

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As many of you know, I've been sharing my guitar plane tips every Thursday for more than

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10 years. It's been my way to hopefully help you stay motivated, be inspired, and continue expanding

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your guitar plane journey.

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If you're interested in more learning resources, go to my website marleneesmusic.com.

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And for anyone who's listening and feeling like you're missing out on all the guitar plane

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fun, you can easily get started with my super simple learn to play guitar in a day course.

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Now on to today's tip.

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Today's tip is play traditional Irish songs for St. Patrick's Day.

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Luck of the Irish, you can learn to play a couple of simple traditional Irish songs on

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your guitar. So brush off your emerald attire and prepare to perform a couple of popular Irish folk

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songs at your St. Patrick's Day festivities.

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In this episode, I'll share the stories behind these traditional songs and provide you

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with playing tips to help you make these songs your own.

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As always, I love to give a shout out to my listeners around the world.

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So this week, hello and thank you to those of you listening in Ireland, Argentina, Spain,

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Cambodia and Iceland.

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By the way, if you leave a positive review, I'll give you a shout out in a future episode.

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The first song is called "Molly Malone", also known as cockles and muscles and in Dublin's

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Fair City. It's a beloved traditional Irish folk song with a rich history dating back to the 19th

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century. The story of Molly Malone lies in a tale set in the streets of Dublin, Ireland.

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The song tells a fictional story of a young fishmonger who sells her cockles and muscles.

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She is portrayed as a spiritite, beloved figure among the locals.

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She tragically dies of a fever at a young age.

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Her death gives the song a sense of loss and serves as a reminder of the fragility of life.

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It has been recorded by numerous artists including the Dubliners, Pete Seeger, Danny K and

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Shaneid O'Connor.

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This song lends itself beautifully to guitar accompaniment.

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It's played in a 6/8 time signature using the chords C, A minor, D, D minor, G and E minor.

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The song "Molly Malone" is a slow ballad to be played at 56 beats per minute.

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And it's essential to pay attention to the dynamics and phrasing of this song.

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A simple strum or a tender picking pattern fits well with this song.

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Though listeners can fully immerse themselves in the lyrics and emotions of the story.

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The other song "Wisky in a Jar" is another traditional Irish song.

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It's a tale of adventure and rebellion set in the 17th century.

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This story is said to celebrate the exploits of the Irish highwayman who roamed the mountains

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of county cork and carry challenging authority and robbing from English landlords.

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Revered as national heroes, they became the inspiration for the verses about resilience

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and the Irish spirit.

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It's been recorded by many artists including the Dubliners, Thin Lizzy, The Pogues, Metallica

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and Brian Adams.

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The spirited song features a few basic chords, G, E minor, C and D.

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It's a 4/4 time signature song to be played at 104 beats per minute.

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I recommend you play it with a brisk strumming pattern, like something you might hear in an

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Irish pub. I like to play this song with a fast colipso but try different strumming patterns to find

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the one that best fits your interpretation of this song.

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By the way, your listeners are likely to be tapping their toes and singing along, especially

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with the choruses.

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If you'd like the links to these two songs, go to my Thursday tips blog at marleneesmusic.com.

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Also, if you're interested in learning a few more Irish songs, check out my previous St. Patrick's

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Day Songs episodes on March 11, 2021 and March 16, 2023.

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So with the wherein of the green, let's raise our glasses high, strike up the chords and toast

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to the timeless songs of Mollymillone and Whiskey in a jar.

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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I hope this episode's tip has helped you to continue expanding your guitar playing skills

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and knowledge. If you'd like to learn more, please check out the many learning resources available at marleneesmusic.com.

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Thank you for joining today's podcast and, as I like to say, play on.

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(bells chiming)

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[MUSIC]