The Kitchen Musician ~ December 2020
Hello friends,
Please join me in the kitchen for a song and an old Irish proverb to bless the coming new year. May your home be graced with the sound of crickets on this Christmas day!
Index
NEWS: Everyone should have “Apples & Cheese!”
THIS MONTH’S MUSIC: “The Cricket (Piper of the Hearth)”
UPCOMING SHOWS
FEATURED NON-PROFIT: The Greater Boston Food Bank
In the back yard, Dedham, MA
News: Everyone should have “Apples & Cheese!”
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Click here to listen to the full album, download it or purchase a CD.
This Month’s Music: “The Cricket (Piper of the Hearth)”
“The Cricket (Piper of the Hearth)” © 1982 Tom Smith (ASCAP)
“Píobairí Teallaigh” old Irish proverb, Traditional
Lyrics in the comments below.
In 1982 I taught middle school math and science. That is when I first heard of a cricket referred to by the Irish phrase “piper of the hearth”. It must have been in the back of my mind while I struggled to make the deadline to correct my students’ final exams. That is when the lovely music of a cricket distracted me. He (I understand only male crickets chirp) hid in the wood pile next to our fireplace. I had never actually seen a cricket chirp, so I put aside my red pencil and spent the next hour looking for this sweet “piper of the hearth”. He would stop making his sounds when I hunted, but as soon as I tried to go back to correcting exams, he’d start up again. Breeeep! Breeeep! I eventually gave up looking and used my red pencil to write this song. Oh, and I did make my exam correcting deadline, but it was a late night for this tired teacher.
Years later I sang “The Cricket” song for my good friend, Dr. Kate Chadbourne – singer, storyteller, poet, harper, teacher, and Celtic languages scholar. Kate has a vast knowledge of such things and (in Gaelic) she shared the old Irish proverb of the píobairí teallaigh with me.
- Tuar maith don athbhliain na píobairí teallaigh a chloisteáil Lá Nollaig
Translation: “It is a good sign for the New Year to hear the pipers of the hearth (the crickets) on Christmas Day.”
On all Christmas’ since Kate first shared it with me, I hear this proverb in my heart. With Kate’s help, I approximate her beautiful Gaelic in this video. We don’t have a definitive source for this proverb. That mystery appeals to me though, as I take it as meaning it has always been there.
At no time have we ever needed the blessing of the píobairí teallaigh more than we do now as we complete 2020 and look ahead to 2021. As the winter solstice marks the lengthening of daylight, may the music of crickets grace your house and bring a blessed new year!
Steady on!
Tom
(If so inclined, I invite you to leave a comment by scrolling to the end of this page.)
Featured Non-profit
The Greater Boston Food Bank “works passionately to end hunger across Eastern Massachusetts by providing our neighbors in need the healthy food and resources they need to thrive… Your support enables GBFB to distribute healthy food to neighbors in need as well as nutrition programs and resources for sustained, healthy lives and healthy communities.” The GBFB has really stepped up its support for families adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic – and there are a great many of them.
Please join me in supporting The Greater Boston Food Bank, or click to find a food bank in your area.
Tom
December 23, 2020Old Irish Proverb
(traditional)
“Tuar maith don athbhliain na píobairí teallaigh a chloisteáil Lá Nollaig.”
Phonetic transcription: “Too-er my don ah-vlee-un na peeberee chally a chlish-tuhl law noll-eg.”
Translation: “It’s a good sign for the New Year to hear the pipers of the hearth (the crickets) on Christmas Day.”
– – – – – – – – – –
The Cricket (Piper of the Hearth)
© 1982 Tom Smith (ASCAP)
Cricket you elude me
Though it’s my house you grace
I hear you every evening
Around my fireplace
A piper of the hearth
Your music sounds so sweet
If only I could do the same
By the rubbing of my feet
Refrain: (repeat last two lines)
Good luck is said to follow
To the houses that sound out
With nature’s purest music
Of crickets round about
So here’s to our whole household
It’s filled with love and cheer
And sure, I know the reason
It’s this cricket that I hear
Refrain: (repeat last two lines)
Trisha Knudsen
December 24, 2020What a lovely little tune and proverb to begin our waiting for tomorrow! Merry Christmas, Friend to you and Margo and all of your dear family. Miss and Love you – Trisha xo
Tom
December 24, 2020Thank you, Trish! And wishing a blessed New Year to you, Phil and “the littles”.
Valerie Warren
December 24, 2020Just SPECIAL…
DEEPLY SPECIAL…
I MUST BUY THIS CD…
NEED 3…
BLESS YOU
AND
YOUR
SINGING SOUL
Merry Christmas
Fine Person
❤
Tom
December 24, 2020Hello Valerie. Thank you for your kind comment. Here is the link to where you can listen to my new album, and purchase it. Happy New Year!
Roger Williams
December 25, 2020A lovely reminder, Tom, of the times I have had crickets blessing my houses. And I always took them that way, as a blessing, even before I knew this proverb. A blessing to you and yours this Christmas Day.
Roger