Friday 31 March 2017
Tune of the Day: The Patriot Game
Traditional English/Irish air
The lyrics of the ballad “The Patriot Game” were written in 1960 by the Irish singer-songwriter Dominic Behan. Its melody, however, is a much older traditional tune, previously known as “The Merry Month of May” or “The Nightingale”, probably of English origin.
As “The Patriot Game”, the song has been recorded by numerous artists, including the Kingston Trio, The Bluebells, The Dubliners, The Wolfe Tones, and The Clancy Brothers.
The same melody was also borrowed by Bob Dylan for his 1964 song “With God on Our Side”.