Alison Krauss and The Chieftains

OK. It is Friday night after a week of anitibiotics, the desolation of virus, narcotic cough syrup, aspirin, orange juice, hot toddies and mucus galore. And this has soothed me. Alison Krauss, long over due for St. Paddy's, singing the traditional irish folk song "Molly Brown," or "Molly Ban" as the Irish say. Take a look at the lap bagpipe being played. It looks something like a clarinet attached to a vacuum cleaner bag. It sounds mournful and beautiful.

The song tells the tale of a young man who shoots his love by mistake. "Her apron wrapped around her, he took her for a swan." The Irish have quite a tolorance for tall tales and sad folly. The songs can be so beautiful and the tales so...odd.