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Alfred E. Hicks - (Trad Arr​.​)

from The Life & Times of James "The Rooster" Corcoran by Vincent Cross

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    During the 19th Century, James “The Rooster” Corcoran emigrated from Ireland to New York City, married, became a champion of the Irish-American immigrant working class, and led an infamous gang. Now his descendent, New York City folk musician Vincent Cross, has created a new album around his life. Through narratives partly researched and partially imagined a soundscape of English concertina, bouzouki, minstrel banjo, bodhrán weave together musical elements drawn from the Irish & American folk traditions. Most of the song stories consist of newly-written original songs with nods to several public domain songs adapted for the cause. Cross took on the task of learning several new instruments (concertina, bouzouki) specifically for this project, even utilizing the talents of Irish based luthier, Brian Lofthouse to design a bouzouki used specifically for the recording.

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    Ten songs (ballads) that paint a picture that is influenced by traditional Irish and American folks song motifs and melodies. You’ll hear fragments of traditional songs throughout from both sides of the pond. The narrative is not completely linear but it does begin in Corcoran’s place of birth , Balbriggan with ‘A Man After My Own Heart’ (adapted from a New York Times article of the same title), and then briefly moves to New Orleans (‘Creole Girl’), and then on to the Five Points in New York City. Corcoran soon moves up to 40th street, and is the first to settle a shanty town on a high ridge of ground known as Goat's Hill (‘King Corcoran’). This soon becomes a home for over 100 Irish families newly immigrated. It’s where the Tudor City is today, and there’s even a Gothic inscription to Corcoran that says, “Here was Corcoran’s Roost till the year 1877.”

    Instrumentation: Mandolin, bodhran, bouzouki, chromatic concertina, and dulcimer.

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about

This next tune is a horrid little murder tale about Alfred E. Hicks or Hicksey. I discovered the original broadside from 1860, and so put a melody to it. I also discovered a ragged booklet that must have been produced for the curious with images of the murder scene and Hicks himself smoking a pipe in a finely tailored suit before his hanging. The booklet covers his confessions for many murders and even his regrets. On a side note- B.T Barnum made a death mask of his face, and his body was dug up overnight and never found again.

lyrics

Verse One
A mournful tale, heartrending
To you, kind friends, I will relate.
The Solemn truth intending
Of three that met a tragic fate
An oyster sloop was sailing
Upon the ocean's sparkling tide.
In the healthful breeze regaling
She moved upon the waters wide.
Verse Two
But upon this oyster vessel,
A pirate bold had found his way.
With wicked heart, this vassal
The captain and two boys did slay.
He seized the gold and silver
Which this poor captain had in store;
His watch and clothes did pilfer,
While he lay struggling in his gore.
Verse Three
He overboard soon threw them,
The murdered boys and captain, too.
The briny deep enclosed them,
And they were quickly gone from view.
But the eye that never slumbers
Did follow on the murderer's track,
And the vigilance of numbers,
To justice brought the monster back.
Verse Four
By a true and faithful jury
He was found guilty of the crime.
Some raved and cursed like fury,
But he had met his fate in time.
'Twixt heaven and earth suspended,
On Bedloe's Island Hicks was hung.
Some thousand there attended
To see the horrid murderer swung.

credits

from The Life & Times of James "The Rooster" Corcoran, released August 7, 2020

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Vincent Cross image

Vincent Cross New York, New York

Vincent Cross is an Irish song poet whose catalogue of critically-acclaimed albums draw from various traditional folk idioms and ancient myths. Born in Ireland, raised in Australia and now living in New York City, he frequently tours globally at folk clubs and festivals, and is a staple at the Brooklyn Folk Festival, and the renowned Scratcher Sessions in Manhattan. ... more

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