Tom Crean – The Antarctic Marine
Being an average singer and a below average but enthusiastic strummer of my acoustic guitar, in 2015, I wrote a song about Tom Crean and decided to go the full hog and have it recorded professionally.
It was a little daunting at the time and I remember tentatively walking into a studio where proper singers and artists had their tracks laid down by Mark Menzies, who, unlike myself is a talented singer, songwriter, performer and producer.
Being used to working with high-end performers, (Mark works with some great artists such as The Blossoms), I wondered what he’d make of a request from me to help with a song about a guy he’d never heard of and with a singer/performer, (AKA me), whose voice and guitar skills were fathoms below the standard he was used to.
I needn’t have worried and if the power above could have chosen anyone to help me it would have been Mark. He immediately put me at my ease and showed as much enthusiasm as me to enhance the song after a stint in the sound booth where I lay down the vocal and acoustic tracks – (wow!! those phrases almost make me sound like I know what I’m on about), I don’t, they’re terms I picked up from Mark.
Anyway the result, after the addition of drums, violins and bass tracks that were skilfully added and allow listeners to concentrate on elements that give them a break from my voice, is the song you’ll hear in the video below. I just hope you make it past the point where my warbling kicks in.
Please accept my apologies if you end up humming this for days and don’t be too harsh on me or I may attempt another.
Discover Tom Crean’s Story Revealed As Never Before
To learn more about this incredible man I’ve written a fully-referenced account that in March 2021 gave rise to substantial revisions to Crean’s story in the Dictionary of Irish Biography.
The book addresses a number of inaccuracies previously written about him and it reveals his incredible life with events and new stories that have never before been published.
All formats of the third edition of the biography ‘Crean – The Extraordinary Life of an Irish Hero’, including a hardcover version and an audiobook, are available via all major online retailers
For children, aged 6-10 years-old, it was important for me to chronicle Tom Crean’s story for the younger generation. The book ‘Tom The Mighty Explorer’, is based on the research I undertook for the grown-ups biography. Like the adult version, it’s generating excellent reviews from those who’ve read the print version or who have listened to the audiobook. Available via all major online booksellers, you can discover more about where to order the books here.
