Irish musicians are known far and wide for their song-writing skills, their lyrical genius and their ability to give the most mundane of situation a magical tinge. To celebrate St Patrick’s Day and all things Irish, The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show launched a campaign to find ‘Ireland’s Greatest Song Lyric’.
The reaction was incredible and thousands of listeners got in touch with their imaginative suggestions from songs written by celebrated Irish artists, such as The Frames, The Saw Doctors, Declan O’Rourke and Sinead O’Connor. From the countless entries, the list was whittled down to a Top Ten with one clear winner.
The Voyage – written by Johnny Duhan & sung by Christy Moore
‘Life is an ocean and love is a boat, in troubled water that keeps us afloat’
One – U2
‘Love is a temple, love the higher law. You ask me to enter, but then you make me crawl’
Celebrate – An Emotional Fish
‘Celebrate! This party’s over, I’m going home...’
The Pogues – Fairytale of New York
‘You took my dreams from me, when I first found you. I kept them with me babe, I put them with my own, can't make it all alone, I've built my dreams around you.’
Hothouse Flowers – Don’t Go
‘There's smell of fresh cut grass and it's filling up my senses and the sun is shining down on the blossoms in the avenue’
Sultans Of Ping – Where’s My Jumper?
‘Dancing in the disco bumper to bumper, wait a minute, where's me jumper?’
The Stunning – Brewing Up A Storm
‘Give it to me raw, I'll take it home, cook it myself’
Bellx1 – The Great Defector
‘You’re the chocolate at the end of my cornetto.’
The Pogues – Rainy Night In Soho
‘And you're the measure of my dreams. The measure of my dreams’
Bellx1 – Rocky Took A Lover
'I don't believe in any old Jesus. If there was a God, then why is my arse the perfect height for kicking?'
Paul Noonan joined Ian on this morning’s show to accept the accolade and named Ireland’s ‘unique way with words’ and ‘playfulness’ as a big influence in his own song-writing.
@todayfm @IanDempsey delighted BellX1 won and 2 in top ten, Paul Noonan is the best songwriter in this country #amazing, #love 💕
— Maura Hennessy (@hennessymaura) March 16, 2017
@IanDempsey @todayfm "why is my arse the perfect height for kicking" @BellX1
— Barry Fitzgerald (@barryfitz8) March 15, 2017
@IanDempsey @BellX1 if there is a god then why is my arse the perfect height for kicking.
— Keith dempsey (@Keithdempsey10) March 14, 2017
@IanDempsey bellX1 have so many. Why is my ass the perfect height for kicking!. #bestirishlyrics
— Eamon White (@whitebhoy) March 10, 2017
