Irish Artist – The Saw Doctors
Ireland isn’t a big place. Nevertheless, Irish artists have always had a huge presence on the international charts. More than that, Ireland and her music is often cited by songwriters and musicians worldwide as a musical influence and inspiration. What is it about this small, rain-soaked island that breeds such excellent music? This is the twelfth in this series.
This week’s artist is The Saw Doctors.
The Saw Doctors are local boys, hailing from Tuam, and have been playing their rural-Irish version of college rock n’ roll for a couple of decades now.
I first saw them at the Cambridge Folk Festival and was expecting something completely different. Hey, it was a FOLK festival and this was an Irish band. The Chieftans they are not – inane, playful lyrics and jangling electric guitars are the order of the day. The lads don’t dig too deep, but then they’re more about having a bit of craíc that plumbing the depths of the human condition.
Their song “I Useta Lover”, is the highest-selling single in Irish history. With lyrics like,
Well, I used to see her up the Chapel when she went to Sunday mass,
When she’d go up to receive, I’d kneel down there and watch her pass.
The glory of her ass!
That’s the Doctors there in a nutshell. Their fans, a zealous lot who follow them around like the deadheads used to trail Gerry Garcia, will mime along with arm gestures to songs like “Tommy K.” Their live show is a jubilant, bouncing affair that has converted legions of fans with the same up-for-the-craíc sensibility that their music embodies.
Picture Cake meeting The Replacements in one of the rural Co Galway Irish pubs that have yet to close and you’ll have a good idea of what the Saw Doctors are like.