by David Citron
(April 11, 2011) … When listening to a music CD about kilts, beer, sex, Star Trek, Saint Patrick, horny women, cats, Celtic history, liquor, sex, and No Trousers Day, one must ask: what's not to like? “Kilted For Her Pleasure” is Mark Gunn's latest CD of not-so-traditional Irish drinking songs and generally fun music.
The fifteen tracks on “Kilted For Her Pleasure” range from traditional to fun and downright weird, with eight of the songs written by Maestro Marc “Celtfather” Gunn himself.
I expected this eclectic mix because I have heard Gunn's previous efforts on his web site (MarcGunn.com) – where it says “Marc Gunn is an award-winning acoustic folk musician rooted in the American Celtic song tradition — Celtic music, the Traditional and the Twisted.” Gunn also has a podcast at PubSong.com.
Just about every song here has some kind of suggestive lyrics. Great fun for those not easily offended!
In the bawdy ballad “The Widow And The Devil,” the poor devil is exhausted by a horny widow. The same woman at a younger age might have inspired the traditional “The Maid Went To The Mill,” about bartering her favors for miller's services.
“St. Patrick Never Drank” tells a great story, whether it is true or not. “The True History Of NoPantsDay” is somewhat educational, starting with Bonnie Prince Charlie, Scottish history, and the No Trousers Day Uprising, ending with No Pants Day in Austin Texas. It's a narrative with background music.
The title song, “Kilted For Her Pleasure,” will probably be responsible for many sales merely because of its clever name, Unfortuantely I found that song annoying and repetitious, with the chorus longer than the melody.
Best of all, there are Klingons, red shirts, Captain Kirk, Tribbles (“Oh they're so cute!”), and Romulan ale among the popular Star Trek cliches documented in “We'll Roll The Old Enterprise Along” (officially entitled “A Drop Of Vulcan Blood.”) Many Trekkies could sing for hours to lyrics like “Seven of Nine wouldn't do us any harm – but god, I wish she would!” I have already lost count of how many times I've listened to it. With a little imagination, any respectable Trekkie could write a dozen more verses and then drink til he drops. Even without the Tranya and Saurian brandy.
Some of the lyrics are rather esoteric. “A Drop of Klingon Blood Wouldn't Do Us Any Harm” is a parody of “A Drop of Nelson's Blood Wouldn't Do Us Any Harm,” which comes from a legend that Lord Nelson's body was sealed in a cask of rum to preserve it. I wouldn't have known that without Google.
If you like drinking songs, silly songs, bawdy songs, or Irish songs (all of which tend to overlap a wee bit), you'll enjoy “Kilted For Her Pleasure.” All that's missing is “Who Put The Overalls In Mrs. Murphy's Chowder?” Maybe next time.
