On Fire [Live]

Black 47

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 26, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Gadfly
• ASIN: B00005OKSQ
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #346,922 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Big Fellah

2. Those Saints

3. Czechoslovakia

4. Fire of Freedom

5. Bobby Sands MP

6. Rockin' the Bronx

7. American Wake

8. Johnny Byrne's Jig

9. Our Lady of the Bronx

10. I Got Laid on James Joyce's Grave

11. Biko

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Black 47 is named for the darkest year of the Irish potato famine. They are first and foremost a live pub band, and they're at their rowdy, profane best when heard from a piss-and-Guinness-soaked stage. County Wexford-born bandleader Larry Kirwan sympathetically addresses the sometimes radically opposed concerns of Irish immigrants in New York and native-born Irish-Americans, keeping a wary foot in both camps. While their economic and cultural points of reference often part company, the two groups nonetheless share a tragic and much-brooded-over history, a fondness for a dram downed in good company, an obsessive preoccupation with sex, and a sense of humor so wittily self-deprecating that it passes for satire. This live "greatest hits" package offers refueled versions of Black 47's most blistering anticlerical and/or political rants, including "Fires of Freedom," "American Wake," and "I Got Laid on James Joyce's Grave." --Christina Roden

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Meet "the house band for New York City", October 29, 2001

By	"oconnell7" - See all my reviews

"On Fire" is the second live recording from the Irish-American rock band Black 47. However, this album goes beyond serving as a follow-up to "Live in New York City." It was recorded at Wetlands Preserve in New York and captures the raw energy of a live Black 47 concert. The band has a new lineup with Joseph Mulvanerty replacing Chris Byrne on uillean pipes. He sets himself apart from Byrne with a free, improvisational style rarely heard on pipes. The interplay of the sax and trombone is a highlight of this album. Tracks include unreleased material and bold new arrangments of classic Black 47 songs. Lead singer Larry Kirwan's black humor and socio-political ideals are represented here. Add this to your collection if you're a Black 47 fan, or introduce yourself to 'the house band for New York City'

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Play it again, Larry--LOUD!, March 22, 2002

By	William R. Nevins (Albuquerque, New Mexico United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If the Clash came back they'd be Black 47 and why the hell wouldn't they be proud and glad to be? Rebel stance, laughing good hearts, brave enough to take a bullet and keep rockin'--these lads don't mess. Fans love them enough to catch dozens of shows a year, beauties in the front row lipsynching every word while the uileann pipes wail and the brass section soars. Hey, you have to see and hear them to really get it--and they play everywhere from Shea Stadium to Times Square to Argentina, the hardest working band in America!
This second live cd brings you close to the Black 47 gig. You can taste the whiskey burnin'down as you shout back at Larry Kirwan--"Where the hell are ya now?"! A wonderful roiling roistering party of a record. Get it and play it, you'll play it again. And again and again after that. Loud. Guaranteed.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not a "greatest hits package", November 23, 2003

By	T. murphy "funkyceli47" (east rockaway, new york United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

most live albums either serve as a introduction for the non-fan or for fans who have never heard the band live. seeing black 47 live is almost a religious experience, and you can't get on a cd what you get from seeing them live. it comes pretty close. the first black 47 live album, "live in new york city" was phenomenal and covered many of the "hits" such as james connolly, funky ceili, maria's wedding, etc. none of those songs, which are their best songs are on this album. there are still plenty of good songs on this album. our lady of the bronx was a great choice, along with big fellah, and american wake. but they really miss chris "seanchai" byrne. doing rockin in the bronx and those saints without chris' raps aren't very good. they could have included something else instead like "back to the west," which still isn't on a black 47 album. all in all it's not a bad album, but if you're looking for a better introduction to the band, get "live in new york city" or try to find the very rare greatest hits album "ten bloody years."