Pub Songs & Stories #234: The Selkie Life

Matt & Shannon Heaton share how a beautiful tune blossomed from a pile of dirt. Elizabeth Sutherland was inspired by the selkie of Scotland. I share the story behind my own song about selkie and how it evolved from a love of the ocean and transformed to a mermaid then selkie. And learn the secret ingredient to writing an interactive drinking song.

WHO'S PLAYING IN THE PUB TODAY

Welcome to Pub Songs & Stories. This is a Virtual Public House for musicians to share the stories and inspiration behind their music. I am Marc Gunn, your host. That was…

0:38 – SONG: “Rare Old Mountain Dew” from Another Faire to Remember by Brobdingnagian Bards

Today’s show is brought to you by my Gunn Runners on Patreon. Subscribe to the podcast and download free music when you sign up at PubSong.com.

3:03 – WELCOME

This month, I released “By Amazing Grace”. You can hear it in the last episode. But I confess I’m pretty bummed by Spotify’s algorithms. For some weird reason, it has not been promoting the new single. So it’s getting minimal play right now. And I don’t know why.

I planned to release the NEXT single at the end of this month. But I think I’m gonna postpone that one until September so I can get it ready to go.

In the meantime, I’m excited to have completed all of the recordings for my next CD, Selcouth. Mitchell, my engineer, and I are putting the final touches on the CD. It will go to the printers by the end of the month. Everyone who supported the album on Kickstarter will get their rewards by October at the latest.

7:46 — COFFEE WITH THE CELTFATHER. Speaking of Kickstarter, I’m raising funds for season 9 of Coffee with The Celtfather on Kickstarter. This is a very small funding project. My goal is just $300 to pay for Restream. That’s a site that will allow me to broadcast not just on YouTube, but also Facebook and Twitch. That campaign ends on August 22. Support me on Kickstarter.

9:01 — TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS. Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos.

The Celtic Invasion of Loch Lomond is officially scheduled for June 4-11, 2022. I opened slots to join the invasion on the 9th. The Invasion is filling up fast. We’re staying in a castle 20 minutes from the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland. So you can imagine everyone is excited. Join the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

9:34 — STORIES: Elizabeth Sutherland introduces you to the selkie of Scotland.

11:04 — SONG: “Selkie Call of the Sea” by Elizabeth Sutherland from Forest Dreams

14:30 — STORIES: Marc Gunn shares his own song about selkie and how it evolved from a love of the ocean and transformed to a mermaid then selkie

17:29 — SONG: “Selkie’s Life” by Marc Gunn

21:01 — STORIES: Matt & Shannon Heaton share how out of a pile of dirt blossomed a beautiful tune.

25:11 — SONG: “The Shady Spot” by Matt & Shannon Heaton from Blue Skies Above

New Irish & Celtic Song Lyrics. I updated the lyrics for all of the songs I sing in this show. You will find lyrics and chords so you can play along with me. Just click the song title to find the lyrics or follow the link in the shownotes to find more Irish & Celtic song lyrics.

29:28 — UPCOMING SHOWS

THURS: Coffee with The Celtfather on YouTube (Season 9) @ 12:00 PM Eastern

AUG 19: Celtfather Live @ 8 PM ET. Tickets $6.

AUG 26: The Lost Druid, Avondale Estates, GA @ 6 PM – 8:30 PM ET

SEP 2-6: Dragon Con, Atlanta, GA

SEP 16-19: Gen Con, Indianapolis, IN. Depart Sep 15. Return. Sep 19.

You can find my complete calendar on my website.

30:03 — SUPPORT WHAT YOU LOVE

If you enjoy the music in this show, please show your support. You can learn more about my guests by following the link to them on the website. Sign up to our mailing lists. Buy music or merch. Follow them on streaming and tell a friend.

Pub Songs & Stories is based on the value-for-value model. If you get pleasure from this show, join the Gunn  Runners Club on Patreon. Your support pays for the production and promotion of my music and this podcast. Follow the link in the shownotes.

Special thanks to my newest patrons: Jessica Asbury, Gabriel Eggers, Melissa McCauley, Meridith Vaughn, Samuel Wiseman, Hans Schuts, Keith Gifford, Toron Audura Beldevar, Bri, Patricia deVarennes

If you have questions or comments, email me or Chat in the Celtic Geeks group on Facebook. That’s also a good place to chat with other Celtic music fans who love science fiction and fantasy.

Finally, I would love your review. You can Post a review on Apple Podcasts. It’s been a while since we’ve had one. While it doesn’t really affect the rankings, it’s a great way for people to understand if this is a show they will enjoy. Because not everyone will enjoy an Irish drinking song for cat lovers, like my final song of the show.

31:19 — STORIES: I first heard “The Cat Came Back” in 12th grade. I remember laughing at the ridiculousness of the story. But it was never a favorite. I mean, seriously, why would anyone try to kill a cat. I just found that rather disturbing.

So when I started working on my Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers CD, I decided to flip the song upside down. I rewrote the lyrics of “The Moonshiner”. I  learned from the Bedlam Bards. I retold the story from the cat’s perspective.

This was one of my first toe-dip into writing a call-and-response drinking song. It was a good lesson.

32:55 — SONG: “The Cat Came Back… The Cat’s Perspective” from Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers

Pub Songs & Stories was produced by Marc Gunn. The show is edited by Mitchell Petersen with graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. You can subscribe in your favorite podcatcher or listen on our website where you can subscribe to my mailing list. You’ll get regular updates of new music and podcasts, special offers, and you’ll get 21 songs for free. Welcome to the pub at www.pubsong.com!

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