The Minstrel Boy facts for kids

The start of "The Minstrel Boy" music.

"The Minstrel Boy" is a famous Irish song. It was written by Thomas Moore (1779–1852). The song was part of his collection called Irish Melodies. People even started calling Thomas Moore "The Minstrel Boy" because of this song.

About the Song's History

The song "The Minstrel Boy" was first published in 1813. It was part of Thomas Moore's big project, Irish Melodies, which he worked on from 1808 to 1834.

The music for the song is called The Moreen. Thomas Moore said it was an old Irish tune. However, no one has found any record of this tune before Moore published it. Many experts have tried to find its original source, but it remains a mystery.

Some music experts, like Charles Villiers Stanford, tried to find the sources for Moore's tunes. But later experts, like Veronica Ní Chinnéide and Una Hunt, found that some of Stanford's ideas were not quite right. Una Hunt's research suggests that Moore had access to more old music papers than people first thought.

The Irish Melodies were very popular in Ireland and Great Britain. "The Minstrel Boy" was one of the most well-known songs from this collection. After Moore died, many special versions of his Melodies were sold. These books had beautiful pictures and fancy covers. They were also popular in North America.

What the Song is About

Like many of Moore's Irish Melodies, "The Minstrel Boy" is a bit sad. It talks about missing the past. The main image in the song is a harp. The harp is a special symbol for Ireland. In the song, the harp is broken, showing Ireland's struggles.

The song tells the story of a "minstrel boy," who is a poet and a soldier. He is forced to be silent because of slavery.

When the song became popular in America, some people liked its message of freedom. They didn't always focus on the parts about slavery. Thomas Moore himself had visited the United States and Canada. He was disappointed by slavery in America. He wrote in 1806 that he had lost hope for America's future because of it.

The writer George Bernard Shaw thought the song's words were "visionary," meaning they showed great imagination.

Here are the original words to the song:

 I
The Minstrel-Boy to the war is gone,
    In the ranks of death you'll find him;
His father's sword he has girded on,
    And his wild harp slung behind him.
"Land of song!" said the warrior-bard,
    "Tho' all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
    One faithful harp shall praise thee!"

 II
The Minstrel fell!—but the foeman's chain
    Could not bring that proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
    For he tore its chords asunder;
And said, "No chains shall sully thee,
    Thou soul of love and bravery!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free,
    They shall never sound in slavery."

A man named Rafael María de Mendive translated all of Moore's Irish Melodies into Spanish in 1863. His translation of "The Minstrel Boy" was called "El trovador." It was very strong, just like Moore's original. It talked about "patriotic spirit" and "slaves." This was important in Cuba at the time, as slavery was still happening there.

Sometimes, a shorter version of the song is sung:

The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death ye may find him
His father's sword he hath girded on,
With his wild harp slung along behind him;
Land of Song, the lays of the warrior bard,
May some day sound for thee,
But his harp belongs to the brave and free
And shall never sound in slavery!

During the American Civil War, someone added a third verse to the song. It is sometimes included when the song is performed:

The Minstrel Boy will return we pray
When we hear the news we all will cheer it,
The minstrel boy will return one day,
Torn perhaps in body, not in spirit.
Then may he play on his harp in peace,
In a world such as heaven intended,
For all the bitterness of man must cease,
And ev'ry battle must be ended.

How the Song Influenced Other Works

In Operas and Marches

The famous composer Benjamin Britten used parts of "The Minstrel Boy" in his opera Owen Wingrave. The characters in the opera sing a slightly changed version of the tune. Britten likely expected the audience to recognize the song.

Another composer, Charles Villiers Stanford, used the first verse of "The Minstrel Boy" in his Fourth Irish Rhapsody. He used it to comment on politics in Ireland at the time.

John Philip Sousa, who led the United States Marine Band, also used parts of the song in his "Mother Hubbard March" in 1885.

In Books and Parodies

The writer James Joyce made fun of the song in his book Finnegans Wake. He changed the words to "The Leinstrel boy to the wall has gone." In his book Ulysses, Joyce also quoted a line from the song. He used it to describe a character who was like a minstrel singing about lost loves. Joyce and other writers like W. B. Yeats often used Moore's works but also showed them a little disrespect.

William Brough wrote a funny version, or parody, of the song's words in 1857. It was for his play Lalla Rookh:

The minstrel boy through the town is known,
    In each quiet street you'll find him,
With his master's organ—it is ne'er his own,
    And his monkey led behind him.
"Straw laid down!" cries the minstrel boy,
    "Some sick man here needs quiet;
'Bobbin around' will this house annoy,
At any rate I'll try it!"

The minstrel grinds, and his victims pay;—
    To his claims he's forced compliance!
To the poet's study then he takes his way—
    To the men of art and science.
And cries, "My friends, in vain you'd toil
    At books, at pen, or easel;
One roving vagabond your work shall spoil,"—
    He plays "Pop goes the weasel".

Similar Tunes

The tune of "The Minstrel Boy" sounds a lot like a piece by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It also sounds a bit like music from Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen." It's not known if these composers were inspired by the Irish tune.

Famous Performances

Many musicians have performed "The Minstrel Boy" over the years. Some famous singers who have recorded it include:

• Irish tenor John McCormack
• American actor and singer Paul Robeson
• Irish folk singer Tom Clancy
• Irish singer Shane MacGowan
• British singer Joe Strummer with his band The Mescaleros. Strummer's version was used in the movie Black Hawk Down.

Other important times the song has been played:

• In Hong Kong, the 27th Inniskillings Regiment played "The Minstrel Boy" at special events.
• At the funeral of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in London in 2002, Irish and Scottish regiments played the song. The Queen Mother had a special connection with the Irish Regiment.
• The song was played at the opening of the World Trade Center Memorial in New York City on September 11, 2011. This was the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
• The song was featured in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called "The Wounded." The character Miles O'Brien, played by Irish actor Colm Meaney, sings it.
• Eleanor McEvoy recorded the song on her 2017 album, The Thomas Moore Project.