Jan 31, 2023

The itinerary for my Celtic Invasion of Westport, Ireland is now online. Find out what my Firefly song, “Blue Sun”, has to do with Monopoly and Walmart. Get an Atlanta Food Recommendation. Then go out to eat with your own Celtery.

This is Sci Fi Pub Songs & Stories #264.

0:20 - Kilted Kings “Blue Sun” from Flower of Scotland

WELCOME TO SCI FI PUB SONGS & STORIES

I am Marc Gunn. This is the audio edition of my newsletter as well as the liner notes for the songs I record. You can follow this show at PubSong.net or send an email to pubsong@celtfather to sign up and get the MP3s for my songs featured in this episode.

3:10 - WHAT’S NEW: A NEW SHOW NAME

One of my weaknesses is sometimes I have to try something before I can see how effective it is. The past two episodes were called Atlanta Pub Songs & Stories because I wanted and still want to highlight things around Atlanta, where I currently live. The problem is I wasn’t sure what to do. Yes. I have a food recommendation coming up. But when I put myself in the shoes of potential listeners, like you, I just don’t see the Atlanta part as being useful for reaching an audience. More than likely, you’re interested in Sci Fi, fantasy, Celtic music and culture, or pop culture because that is what I do. Atlanta is not as essential to the music story even though most of my shows are located in this city.

And so, I’m pleased to introduce Sci Fi Pub Songs & Stories.

5:15 - UPCOMING SHOWS

• FEB 9: Drinking Songs Concert on Bandcamp @ 7 PM ET
• FEB 11: Pontoon Brewing, Sandy Springs, GA @ 12-3 PM
• JUN 3-10: Celtic Invasion Vacations, County Mayo, Ireland

6:25 - CELTIC INVASION OF WESTPORT, IRELAND

This June, I’m bringing a small group of people to Westport, Ireland. I’d like you to join me.

Westport is part of the Wild Atlantic Way. That’s a spectacular, scenic route from Irishowen in County Donegal all the way down the west coast of Ireland to Kinsale in County Cork. It’s broken up into 14 stages, two of which are in the area we are staying, Achill Island and Clew Bay, and Westport to Clifden.

5 Things You Should Do in County Mayo, Ireland

1. Go to Matt Malloy’s Pub in Westport.
2. Visit Westport House and take a train around town to get to know the history behind the Irish of County Mayo
3. Hike up Croagh Patrick, This pilgrimage area has a story that St. Patrick himself scaled this mountain and fasted atop it for 40 days way back in 441 AD. It’s definitely a revered site in this area of the country, and can make for a great stop on any trip to the region.
4. Take a boat out to Clare Island to visit O’Malley Castle, one of the castles owned by the Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley.
5. Take pictures all along the Wild Atlantic Way.

I completed the itinerary for the trip and already I think I scheduled way too much. There are so many fine castles, cliffs, and amazing things to see, not to mention the time I hope to spend in Matt Malloy’s listening to music. It’s gonna be an incredible trip.

I still have space for just two more people. If you’d like to join me in Ireland, hear me perform live in your living room, you won’t be sorry. It’s gonna be spectacular.

Check out the itinerary for the Celtic Invasion Vacations of Ireland 2023 and drop me an email to let me know that you want to go!

10:35 - Marc Gunn & Jamie Haeuser “Gypsy Rover” from How America Saved Irish Music

13:50 - DOWNLOAD MY FREE EP

You can download all of my songs in this show. Just send me an email to pubsong@ celtfather. You will get an auto responder with a link to download this month’s album. You can also subscribe to the podcast if you’re not already subscribed. It’s quick and easy.

While you’re emailing me to get your free EP, let me know what you’re doing while listening to this episode.

14:35 - STAND AGAINST BLUE SUN CORPORATION AND GET LOCAL

I loved Monopoly as a kid. I taught Kenzie it. After just two games, I was kinda done. The game drags on just way too long. Unfortunately, Kenzie is not done with it. She loves it and makes us play as often as we will let her.

So I finally figured out how to endure the game. It’s a quick win or lose strategy. If you’re lucky enough to buy all the property as soon as possible, then demolish and win. If you’re not, do your best to lose and get out of the game as soon as possible.

Kind of sad. But that’s what a monopoly is. If you learned about early 20th century monopolies, it wasn’t much better. In fact, the woman who created the game was trying to teach people the evils of monopolies. Yet, we haven’t learned.

The government allowed Live Nation to create a monopoly of concert venues. Ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s summer tour busted their online system. Well, actually, it was already busted thanks to bootleggers.

Monopolies are one of the reasons I finished “Blue Sun”. But the song actually goes back before that, all the way back to the writing of “Monahan’s Mudder’s Milk”. That’s when I wrote the chorus.

Blue Sun. Blue Sun
Another corporation with their hand on the gun
Blue Sun. Blue Sun.
Free yourself to run from Blue Sun.

Blue Sun is the corporation in the TV show Firefly with a seemingly nefarious background. You see their imagery on Jayne’s shirt, on the docks of Persephone, and other places.

The blue color makes me think of the Two by Two, Hands of Blue from the episode Ariel. I can’t help but wonder if a connection is there. It feels to me like Blue Sun is a monopoly that largely is in control or at least has a big blue hand in their Alliance government.

And because they have a monopoly, they can do what they want. They can also destroy what they want all in the name of profit for their investors.

I did my best to come up with what a bully corporation would do. That's what the first two verses are all about. It’s about subjugating the people they are supposed to “serve”.

They terraformed the lands of many fine worlds
Then bloodied our hands with our boys and our girls
They offered us cans of food that curdled
And piled on chains by the ton.

You see their emblem emblazoned on crates
On walls, on wombs, even on your dates
You may fall victim to their seductive gaze
So raise up your hands to shun

Now we come to the final idea that motivated writing this song. My family is from a small town in East Texas. It was never a super vibrant town. As a kid, it looked like they stopped growing as a community in prolly the 40s or 50s. But they did have a downtown area.

That downtown area disappeared when Walmart moved in. Walmart’s strategy was to build a big store on the edge of town. It offered low, low prices, on everything. We were all thrilled. That’s where I first experienced the store. I loved it.

Before long, the downtown of our local community was closed down.

You’ve prolly heard the term “Buy Local”. It took a while for me to understand that idea.

The fact is that we need to support our local community if we want to see it thrive and grow.

Much like “Monahan’s”, this song turns into a Woody Guthrie style protest song against corporations.

Their manacles we'll cast off our tired wrists.
Their suits we'll pummel with our bloodied fists
Cut through the red tape and expunge the vile cyst
That cripples our will to run

So raise up your voice and shout to the firm
Let those who control know what it feels like to squirm
Their products we won't buy, but oh they shall burn
For this is their will undone

I love the imagery in these verses. It is very down-to-earth. And fierce. Complete with burning their products in protest.

I made two recordings of this song. The Kilted Kings version features Randy Wothke on percussion. The As Long As I’m Flyin’ version has

Lyrics and music Marc Gunn
Marc Gunn: autoharp, vocals
Daniel Briggs: bass, mandolin, octave mandolin, vocals
LT Panzarella: dumbek

So I wrote, this song, not just as  a stance against corporations but also as a stance FOR small businesses, local organizations and companies and individuals and bands

24:25 - Marc Gunn “Blue Sun” from As Long As I’m Flyin’

26:50 - THANK YOU GUNN RUNNERS!

The show is brought to you by my Gunn Runners on Patreon. If you enjoy this podcast or my music, please join the Club. Every week, you get bonus podcasts, downloadable songs, printed sheet music, or blogs. Plus, you get weekly access to my Coffee with The Celtfather video concerts. Sign up for as little as $5 per month and save 15% with an annual membership.
Thanks to my newest Gunn Runners on Patreon: Emil Volcheck, Bob Harford, Marguerite Kearns, Matt Van Zandt, Chrys Barnette, Eric Eller, Kain Thrace, Jan Czenkusch

28:01 - ATLANTA THAI FOOD RECOMMENDATION

My wife and friends tried going to a Trivia night with friends last Sunday. The one that looked most promising was in Sandy Springs. So we drove 30 minutes over there only to find the place was very smoky. Something I’m not big on.

Happily, we were close to Pontoon Brewing Company. We stopped and had a drink while we picked a place to have dinner.

We were all tired from the day. One of the closest places that sounded interesting was a Thai food restaurant. We drove over to Sweet Chili Thai Cuisine.

I love Thai but never have I loved it as much as I loved it here. There were four of us. We had four appetizers, three meals and two desserts. Every, single, dish, was, AMAZING!

The coconut soup was so creamy and delicious. They recommended Curry Puffs and WOW! The Basil Rolls were so fresh. The Nom Sod was delicious. Drunken Noodles, Spicy Green Beans, and Chef’s Catfish special. Omg!

They apparently just opened six months ago. So now is the time to go. Because this food was incredible. Oh! And the price was very reasonable for Thai food.

Go check out Sweet Chili Thai Cuisine.

31:26 - Marc Gunn “Botany Bay” from Going for Brogue

34:36 - ARE YOU CARRYING YOUR OWN CELTLERY?

You heard that right—Celtlery.

I’m looking for more eco-friendly merch that I can create and sell at shows. I finally packaged up one such item-Travel Celtlery.

How many times do you go to a lower-end restaurant where they give you a small plastic bag filled with plastic cutlery and a napkin that smells like pepper. You know what I’m talking about.

I find this so frustrating because no matter how many times I order out and I tell them no silverware is needed, they bring it.

What do we do with that stuff. You open it up. The plastic bag is not easily recycled. The plasticware usually goes straight into the trash.

One of the things I’m trying to teach myself to do is to bring my own cup and cutlery so I don’t have to use more plastic than I have to.

That’s why I’m trying out selling Travel Celtlery. This is a small bag to hold bambooware that you can take with you so you too don’t have to add to the plastic problem that is destroying our planet.

Right now, I have a small handful of Celtlery Bags in my store. What do you think of the idea? Want your own?

Shop for Celtlery now!

Oh! Shortly after writing this, I found a downloadable guide from Beyond Plastics about how to reduce plastic use at restaurants.

If you love this episode, then take a screenshot on your phone. Post it on social media. And tag @celtfather. Tell me what you like about this episode and what you’d like to hear in the future.

38:08 - Marc Gunn with Mikey Mason “Tough Times” from Selcouth

Listen to the Tough Times episode.

42:05 - CREDITS

Thanks for listening to Sci Fi Pub Songs & Stories. The show is brought to you by my Gunn Runners on Patreon. Every week, you’ll get a new podcast or song or video or video concert. You’ll also save 25% off on all my merch in my store. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs.

Subscribe and listen to the show wherever you find podcasts. Sign up to my mailing list to read the show notes for this episode and get notified when I’m next performing near you.

And of course, please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor.

Have fun and sing along at www.pubsong.com!

#pubstories #fireflytvshow #irelandtravel