© The Winter Codes 2016
1. Dublin Girl
2. Friend in Tullamore
All songs B. Murray
except: 3. B. Murray / P. Walshe
Too Cool To Dance is the first musical offering from new Irish duo The Winter Codes. It is the brainchild of Barney Murray and David Walshe.
Their five tracks on their EP rouse the spirits while being thoughtful too. There are love songs for people who don’t ‘do’ love songs; songs of affection for the country that bred them and the delight of pastures new. Then there is the tale of a ne’er do well getting his comeuppance and all presented with raw emotion, heart and soul. They cite influences ranging from The Pogues to the classic songwriting of Joe Jackson and melodic new wave bands like The Undertones.
The project was over ten years in gestation.
Barney was the founding member of the band Blood Or Whiskey. He and Paul Walshe, David’s twin brother, were driving forces within that group. They gigged for nine years ‘the length and breadth of the country’ but became increasingly disillusioned with the direction that the band they loved was taking. ‘I formed Blood Or Whiskey but they became influenced by bands such as Dropkick Murphys and I felt pressurised by the other members to follow that musical direction,’ Barney says.
Barney had no desire to ‘go electric’ and quit. Paul left too. Barney then moved to Tullamore, in County Offaly. After moving there, he began working as a security guard.
‘There were a good few long night shifts when there wasn’t much of anything to do but listen to music,’ he says. 'Some nights I would spend eight hours straight listening to nothing but Bob Dylan.’
Barney says Dylan was more of an inspiration than influence.
He also began working on songs that satisfied his musical cravings and Paul Walshe used to travel from Dublin to the Offaly town to work with him on the new music he was creating. He recalls a creative period in the midlands.
‘Paul and I would hammer the songs into shape until all hours of the night in the kitchen, with a small tape recorder to record what we were doing. Originally we called ourselves Winter Dream Stars; this was later changed to The Winter Codes. We wanted a name that took us away from the shamrocks, shillelaghs and alcohol references; we’d done all that.’
Sadly, Paul was suddenly taken ill. He was rushed to intensive care but tragically after two weeks he succumbed to pancreatitis. The musician who is still much missed was only 40.
‘After Paul took up guitar I began to learn guitar from him,’ David says. ‘I know he would have wanted us to continue what he and Barney had started. I think he would have loved what we’ve done.’
‘At times it was as if Paul was with us. We did find ourselves at times wondering: "what would Paul think of this?"' Barney says.
They began casting around for personnel who could add to the sound. First to sign up was Dave Hingerty, who has played drums with the Frames and sound engineer Sean Montgomery-Dietz who is as informed by stints working in the States as his experiences on the Irish music scene.
‘Dave Hingerty really ‘got’ what we were doing and Sean wasn’t just some gun-for-hire, he loved it too,’ Barney says. ‘They told us they felt it was honest, truthful and were enthusiastic straight away.’
They took their time to appraise what they felt they needed to bring to the recordings in terms of other players and instrumentation. Over a two year period a select band of players brought body and soul to the embryonic pieces. At various times they called Dáithí Melia to add banjo and acoustic guitar; Louise Condron lent her skills on Tin Whistle, Flute and Piano; Jason Lyons added Bass and Electric guitar while Peter McNamara brought his prowess on Fiddle and Harmonica.
Barney and David are agreed that ‘when we persuaded Dáithí, Louise, Jason and Peter to come on board, it was like ducks in a row. It just took shape exactly as we’d hoped.’
The title of the EP, Too Cool To Dance, is taken from a lyric in the first track, Dublin Girl. Barney also sings ‘she will dump me right on the spot if I ever call her a mot’ in an unashamed use of Dublinese. He also sings ‘Not so hung up about the past, I’m just glad to find love at last.’
‘You know that she’s my Dublin girl…for life’ is a chorus that is instantly memorable and it could become an anthem for anyone lucky enough to have found love in the fair city or county.
‘Friend In Tullamore is autobiographical,’ Barney says. ‘I had lived all my life in Leixlip before I moved to Tullamore. It just celebrates the welcome I received and friends I’ve made since I moved there over ten years ago.’
Satellite Town is about a girl who leaves for a life beyond its constricting confines but before the parting of the ways warns ‘In 10 or 15 years from now I’ll call you on the phone you’ll be still living in this Satellite Town…alone’
Troublesome Girl ‘is just about girls I’ve known,’ he says.
A line in the chorus goes: ‘She’s a troublesome girl and I love her so. She tries to tell me everything she thinks I need to know.’
The closing track, Too Sly To Die tells of a character who ‘ruled by pain and fear’ ‘had a conscience like a sieve’ ‘would avenge a crooked look’ though it was thought he was ‘too sly to die… (he) but bought it still.’
It’s a composite of different people,’ Barney explains.
‘The character is just one of those types of people that if you met him for real you would avoid eye contact with.’
That is definitely not the case with The Winter Codes.
‘We have many other songs,’ they say.
‘If the people like Too Cool To Dance then it would encourage us to make an album.’
Let’s hope that it is only a matter of time.
1. Dublin Girl
Like a city despite the night
Her modernity shines so bright
Always got the best clothes to wear
In a taxi she knows the fare
She will never be ‘neath my thumb
Said the boardwalks are full of scum
When she’s talking she cuts a dash
Cos she sparkles with bright panache
Chorus:
(you know that)
She’s my Dublin girl
She’s my Dublin girl
She’s my Dublin girl for life
She will dump me upon the spot
If I ever call her a mot
Though in touch with the rank and file
Elevation is in her smile
Not so hung up about the past
I'm just glad to find love at last
And I'm grateful to get the chance
Even though I'm too cool to dance
Chorus
Likes her music on radio
Said the countryside is too slow
Just out walking she looks so fine
I'm so happy that she is mine
Still in awe of her sense of style
Just to see her I'd crawl a mile
Knows the city with all its charms
I'm so proud when she’s in my arms
Chorus
She’s my, she’s my Dublin girl
She’s my, she’s my Dublin girl
She’s my, she’s my Dublin girl for life.
2. Friend in Tullamore
We were disastered from the start
One way trip to a broken heart
Came to this town a bitter man
None of my dreams had gone to plan
Needed a break from my own head
And all the things we left unsaid
Met with such kindness night and day
Out of my hurt they showed the way
Chorus:
As long as I'm alive and well
No matter what’s in store
You’ll always have a friend my friend
A friend in Tullamore
Got down here on a westbound train
Carrying my baggage and my pain
Stepped out on the platform tired and scared
Didn't know anyone really cared
Walking down the high street cars went by
Stars shone bright in the midland sky
Listening to the accents unlike mine
Getting the feeling I might be fine
Chorus
I found some comfort and peace 'round here
It was the antidote to my fear
Gentle people so kind and true
Gave me the chance to start anew
Chorus
3. Troublesome Girl
Talk about some sunshine on a rainy day
Talk about a way to make me lose control
You were always thinking what was hard to say
Even if you said it, it was hard to know
Living without you was the strangest feeling
Wasting my time with nothing else to do
You had a way to set the darkness reeling
You had a way to make the world look new
True: but what could I do?
Chorus:
She’s a troublesome girl and I love her so
She tries to tell me everything she thinks I need to know
She’s a troublesome girl and she blows my mind
She says she'd never leave me but she’s wasting all my time
Talk about a way to make me change my mind
Talk about a way to run and chase the day
I had always wondered what you hoped to find
You were always saying there's a price to pay
Being without you was a hard old station
Sitting around with nowhere else to go
You had a way to change the situation
You had a way to make the good times flow
So: but what do you know?
Chorus
She’s a troublesome girl
(I hope she really loves me)
She’s a troublesome girl
(I hope she really loves me
She’s a troublesome girl
(I hope she really loves me)
Oh no
4. Satellite Town
She came to see me on the night before she left the town for good
I told her that this was her life and not some script from Hollywood
She said the world will know my name if I can only leave this place
I know just how to play the game I've got the body and the face
Chorus:
She, laid it on me, laid it on me
Then, she, laid it on me then she said
In ten or fifteen years from now I’ll call you on the phone
You’ll be still living in this satellite town boy
Still living in this satellite town boy
Still living in this satellite town alone
How can you blame someone so young who wants to rise above it all
I thought before a song was sung that she was destined for a fall
The elevation that she sought I could completely understand
My own attempts had come to nought it hadn't worked the way I planned
Chorus
Her fear of ordinary life was one thing that I also shared
She swore she'd make no man a wife but that depended how things fared
I said be careful what you ask for one fine day it might come true
She said I'm ready for the task and by the way what’s it to you?
Chorus
5. Too Sly To Die
Saw you on the high stool holding court I know you ruled by pain and fear
Dishing out the suffering for the sport I'm glad I never got too near
All that unease you couldn't show you had a conscience like a sieve
Anyone who crossed you came to know you didn't forget or forgive
Chorus:
I thought you were too sly to die
I thought you were too sly to die
I thought you were too sly to die
But you bought it still
You were no stranger to revenge I know you gave more than you took
Half of the time it made no sense you would avenge a crooked look
Paranoid feelings in your heart though you ignored them come what may
Many had tried to take your part oh but you held the tide at bay
Chorus
But you bought it still
But you bought it still
But you bought it still
But you bought it still
One cold night one simple mistake they had the whole thing organised
Didn't feel sad or go to the wake but I really was surprised
Chorus
But you bought it still
But you bought it still
But you bought it still
But you bought it still
All songs copyright B Murray
except Troublesome Girl copyright B Murray / P Walshe
THE PLAYERS
Barney Murray: Songs, Vocals, accordion
David Walshe: Acoustic Guitar, Mandola, Harmonica
Dave Hingerty: Drums and Percussion
Jason Lyons: Bass, Electric guitar
Dáithí Melia: Five-string Banjo
Louise Condron: Tin whistle, Flute, Piano
Peter McNamara: Fiddle, Harmonica
Recorded in Grouse Lodge, Westmeath and Apollo Studio Dublin
by Sean Montgomery-Dietz
t: +353 (0)87 442 1292
e: thewintercodes@gmail.com
www.thewintercodes.com
info: stevo@berubecommunications.com
THE WINTER CODES