The Island (Paul Brady song)
"The Island" is a 1985 song by Irish musician Paul Brady, who comes from Strabane in County Tyrone.
The song appeared on the album 'Back to the Centre', and features Kenny Craddiock on piano. The only other instrument is a guitar solo by Phil Palmer The album was produced by long time Brady collaborator Ian Maidman (later known as Jennifer Maidman).
The start of the song compares the tragic events of the Lebanese Civil War with the Troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1980s.[1] Comments are made on activities in Northern Ireland: "They're rising banners over by the markets / Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard wall". "The Markets" is a well known Republican area surrounding St George's Market in Belfast, and the shipyard is that of Harland and Wolff in East Belfast, near a Loyalist area. The song then compares the peace and serenity of making love on the island with the hypocrisy of some religious leaders and the tragedy of young people being "sacrificed" (on both sides) for political beliefs.
Some claim it was written as a condemnation of the 1987 Remembrance Day Massacre. This is impossible, of course, as at the time of its recording, the bombings were not to take place for another two years. There are elements of the song, however, which could be construed as Anti-Terrorism.
References
- ↑ Kintner, Thomas (18 February 2007). "Brady's Tenor Crosses The Ages". Press cuttings. The Courant. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
External links
Newspaper interview with Paul Brady