Music
Adam & Eve
This song features Anna Litvinenko on cello. Anna is Ukrainian and the proceeds from the sale of this record will go to help the people of Ukraine. That will be done via the World Central Kitchen, an organisation that is operating there right now, feeding people much needed hot and nutritious food.
Barry’s written a blog about it and we recommend you go read it before listening to the song.
Adam & Eve
Lyrics
Now her father and her mother
Didn’t seem to understand
Fought night and day for power
Just to keep that upper hand.
At times she felt so lonesome
Didn’t even have a friend
One to help and understand
Be there to the end.
She was nineteen years young
Yet she thought she was so old
And she’d listened to the stories
All the stories they’d been told.
Well, tonight she’d take her best friend
And she’d lead him by the hand
And give to him her secret
Secret of the promised land.
Oh tonight I’m going with you
Gonna lay down in your arms
Oh tonight I’m going with you
Gonna give you everything.
It had all been in her mind now
Had been there for quite a while
It had led her to the point
Where she could no longer smile.
Well, her friends all spoke about it
They had all been there before
But for her it wasn’t easy
To open up that final door
Chorus
It’s the hardest part of growing up
Gonna leave some things behind
From that day on you’re older
Different thoughts now in your mind.
Now that Adam’s bit the apple
She can’t stay in paradise
Some say that’s just growing up
And some say that’s the price
Chorus
Credits
Adam & Eve Credits
Song written by Barry Mc Cabe
Barry Mc Cabe: lead vocal, acoustic guitar
Ralph Schraven: additional acoustic guitar
Anna Litvinenko: cello
Mixed & mastered by Ralph Schraven at Squank Recording Studio, Riel
Graphic design: Ralph Schraven
Cover photo: Ralph Schraven
My Hometown Virginia
Available through all major online distributors such as Amazon, Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
“Congrats on the song: really nice vocal, lovely fills and harmonica.” – Jim Lockhart
“Great song: has the same wistful flavour as Charlie McGettigan’s “Bailieboro and me.” – Barry Devlin
“It’s a gem, Barry. Great vocal, good lyrics and tasty arrangement and production. I think you have a hit there.” – PJ Curtis
“When music is honest, heartfelt, authentic and personal it will likely draw me in and win me over. That is the case with Barry Mc Cabe’s song “Virginia”, ticking all those boxes, exploring his acoustic roots, enhanced by beautiful images in the accompanying video.” – Ad Vanderveen
My Hometown Virginia
Lyrics
My Hometown Virginia
The wind it blew up from Riverside
And being young, I didn’t know to hide
Pulled my coat up around my shoulders
Pulled my cap down low
Content to call this place my home
The old mill has long closed its doors
Nestled neatly along the river shore
From a time that’s long gone
All the workers have moved on
Yet the water it still flows there every day
And I still call it home
Even though I had to roam
That’s my hometown
Virginia
Some things change and some they stay the same
The alley’s closed but Sunday brings a game
Under-14’s tog out
And the parents come to shout
Then it’s home for dinner and off to school next day
The V.V.S. lies on Lough Ramor’s shore
I went to school there, who could ask for more?
Gave us lots of things to do
But lots of freedom too
Like I said, who could ask for more?
And I still call it home
Even though I had to roam
That’s my hometown
Virginia
I remember knocking doors, one Halloween
From the church grounds with fishing line unseen
Oh, they tried so hard to catch us
We tried hard not to laugh
If my mother’d known, why she’d have blown a fuse
The Farmer’s Ballroom sadly is no more
No more dancers jiving on that floor
I remember playing there
Then playing everywhere
Oh, those early days seemed long and packed with fun
And I still call it home
Even though I had to roam
That’s my hometown
Virginia
Credits
My Hometown Virginia Credits
Song written by Barry Mc Cabe
Barry Mc Cabe: lead & harmony vocal, acoustic guitar
Ralph Schraven: acoustic guitar, harmonium, harmony vocal
Ruurd van der Vegt: harmonica
Recorded, mixed & mastered by Ralph Schraven at Squank Recording Studio, Riel
Graphic design: Monica Knaapen & Ralph Schraven
Cover photo: Ian Mc Cabe
Beyond The Tears – CD
The total price is EUR 9.99, which INCLUDES postage to anywhere in the world. Click on the ‘buy this album’ link under the album cover.
Here’s Barry’s description of how the album came into being.
“The idea for all the material on this CD hit me one evening while I was sitting in the car waiting for someone. It was what I’d been waiting on for awhile and I knew I’d recognise it for what it was when it did hit me.
I set to work on it and “Lonely Road” was the first song written and rehearsed. Then, following my usual crazy pattern of working, I didn’t do much for about another year. Don’t ask me why – I can’t answer it!
The idea to work with some good friends was always there and I was thrilled when they all said yes! That meant a studio had to be booked – within a time frame that would suit everyone – which in reality turned out to mean I had about a month to write the rest of the album. I have found over the years that having a strict deadline has always helped to focus me and so I didn’t feel any stress at all.
Working in the recording studio is regarded as a very stressful occasion but I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute of recording this album. It seemed to have an energy and a tempo all of its own and I just went along with the ride.
I’m eternally grateful to everyone who brought their special magic to the proceedings. Making music is a wonderful thing and I hope you all enjoy listening to the results as much as we enjoyed recording them for you.
To those of you who ask – “who’s Johnny?” – the answer is, Johnny is the personification of many people we see – or don’t – around us every day. Johnny is the misunderstood, the lonely, the outcast, the unfortunate, the part of society and ourselves we’d rather not know about.
The album title “Beyond The Tears” should be seen as positive. We all know that it’s difficult to get through life without picking up a few scars along the way but the idea is to keep on going so that eventually you get to dance to the sunset waltz”.
02 - In The Dead Of Night
09 - Lonely Road
2. In The Dead Of Night
3. Crazy Love
4. Catch Me If You Can
5. Trouble
6. Arthur (dedicated to Arthur Conley)
7. I Wonder
8. Rollin’
9. Lonely Road
10. Bye Bye Johnny – Be Good
11. The Sunset Waltz
The Peace Within – CD
The total price is EUR 9.99, which INCLUDES postage to anywhere in the world. Click on the ‘buy this album’ link under the album cover.
“The Peace Within” is a musical collaboration between blues-rocker Barry Mc Cabe and the exceptionally talented uilleann pipe player Davy Spillane, which was recorded in Davy’s own studio “Burrenstone Studios” in Ireland.
Using their Irish heritage, and incorporating Barry’s love of the Blues, both he and Davy have managed to interweave Irish Traditional music with the Blues, into a totally new and invigorating musical sound that could possibly be best described as “CELTIC BLUES”.
This exciting new collaboration takes all that is best from both Irish Traditional music and the Blues and makes them ready for the 21st century. Their version of the Peter Green song, “Oh, Well” fully illustrates both the diversity and the power of these two musical collaborators and of these two musical styles, and will have Leprechauns reelin’ and rockin’ all over the world.
02 - One Of These Days
08 - Kissin' In Your Sleep
1. Burrenstone Sunrise
2. One Of These Days
3. Pick A Bale O’Cotton
4. Interlude
5. The Emigrant (Dedicated to Rory Gallagher R.I.P.)
6. The Peace Within
7. (Gotta) Let It Go
8. Kissin’ In Your Sleep
9. You Don’t Love Me
10. Istanbul Blues
11. Oh Well
12. Adam & Eve
13. Nobody’s Hero
Troubadour – CD & DVD
The total price is EUR 9.99, which INCLUDES postage to anywhere in the world. Click on the ‘buy this album’ link under the album cover.
Troubadour” is a ‘fold-out’ CD & DVD collection. You cannot order them separate.
“You don’t make music…music finds you. Your job is to practice to get yourself ready.”
It is a real thrill to finally get to record an album of acoustic music. I’ve been meaning to do it for years. The funny thing is I’m only returning some of these songs to their original state because I often write my songs on an acoustic guitar. I decided to include some songs from other writers too because they are songs that have touched me in some way over the years.
I sincerely hope you get as much pleasure listening to them as I got from singing and playing them and as always, I am truly grateful for the opportunities life has presented me with through the medium called ‘music’.
“I have to say there is a maturity and a richness to Barry’s voice now that gives these songs a strength and a ‘truth’ that is stamped deep into the performances…that makes them REAL…and all coming from an artist that knows exactly where he is, and what he is, in relation to his art” – PJ Curtis
03 - If I Were A Carpenter
04 - Million Dollar Bill
1. Long Way From Clare To Here
2. Bye Bye Johnny – Be Good
3. If I Were A Carpenter
4. Million Dollar Bill
5. The Peace Within
6. Sheilagh
7. Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore
8. In The Dead Of Night
9. I Wonder
10. The Joker
Absolutely Live Vol. 1 – CD
The total price is EUR 9.99, which INCLUDES postage to anywhere in the world. Click on the ‘buy this album’ link under the album cover.
“ABSOLUTELY LIVE VOL. 1” is from Barry’s Albatross years. The main portion of the CD is a live concert from Norway, recorded during an Independence Day Festival (500 miles above the Arctic Circle). Did this Irish boy ever melt the snow that day! This concert was originally released on the Blue Horizon label as “Everybody’s Got the Blues”. It has now been digitally re-mastered and bonus tracks have been added – all to bring you over 70 minutes of non-stop hard rockin’ blues with subtle asides to show the many hats worn by guitarist/singer/songwriter/front-man, Barry McCabe. The bonus tracks are studio outtakes, live radio performances, and performances from numerous live shows recorded throughout Europe – which have never been released before!
02 - Someone I Used To Know
07 - Sweet Little Angel
1. Intro
2. Someone I Used To Know
3. Never Say Die
4. Full Moon On Main St.
5. Freddie Wants A Cadillac
6. Talk To Your Daughter
7. Sweet Little Angel
8. Night Time People
9. Tempted
10. Stay With Me
11. Alberta (live version)
12. Walkin’ Blues
13. Nobody’s Girl
Absolutely Live Vol. 2 – CD
The total price is EUR 9.99, which INCLUDES postage to anywhere in the world. Click on the ‘buy this album’ link under the album cover.
Like “Absolutely Live Vol. I”, the main part of this CD is from one concert. With “Absolutely Live Vol. I” the location was Norway. This time the recordings took place in Lille and Montpellier, France – originally released as “C’est La Vie”.
Everything recorded on this CD is 100% live, and a lot of the songs were actually written on the road – as most of that year was spent on the road. The songs represent both sides of being on a long tour – the fast songs represent the hectic speedy moods you get into as you try to keep schedules that are often inhuman, and the slow songs represent the melancholic moods that break through sometimes as you miss the people and things that you love.
Again, like on “Absolutely Live Vol. I”, some bonus tracks have been added – studio outtakes, live radio performances and concert performances – all previously unreleased material and all digitally re-mastered. There was a little more space left over after the main concert this time, leaving room for seven bonus tracks!
We hope that between these two releases we have managed to capture the essence of Barry’s “Albatross years”. From his first single “Alberta” on this collection to the last note of “Tempted” on Absolutely Live Vol. I” it’s been an incredible journey. There is blood, sweat & tears all over these songs – and he wouldn’t want it any other way!!
03 - Fine, Fine, Fine
12 - Love That Burns
1. Intro
2. Too Late Now
3. Fine, Fine, Fine
4. Feel So Good
5. I Don’t Know Your Name
6. Move It On Over
7. Prisoners of Conscience
8. Some Kind of Wonderful
9. Everybody’s Got the Blues
10. Rock ‘n’ Roll Medley
11. Talk Too Much
12. Love That Burns
13. Alberta
14. High-School Queenie
15. Sheilagh