Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)

Short of full-blown war -- and it may come -- the best attack against spiritual ugliness is beauty. This song certainly applies. The “Londonderry Air” first saw print in 1855, in a collection from the “Society for the Preservation and Publication of Ancient Irish Music.” The “Danny Boy” words were added later – by an Englishman! -- in 1926. Both tune and lyrics are hence firmly and unalterably in the public domain safe from even the most well-funded efforts at copyright extension by the likes of the Wokey Mouse Club and Sonny Bono’s widow Cui.