It’s a rich & rare reward indeed, for a singer, and a song writer, when you get to sing a song by one of your own heroes, at the end of the final episode of the, currently, most-watched television series, in the world – Lisa O’Neill – from Ballyhaise, County Cavan, Ireland, has done just that when last night at approx. 10.20 PM, we heard her version of Bob Dylan’s, All the Tired Horses – (Portrait / 1970) – at the end of the final episode of the final series of Peaky Blinders. When season six started, the debut episode of BBC One crime drama attracted a record-breaking premiere audience of 3.8 million viewers
In Lisa’s words: “It is not an overstatement to say that it was beyond my wildest dreams to be ‘Ordered by the Peaky Fucking Blinders’ to cover this beautiful song from Bob Dylan.
“Go raibh míle maith agat Peaky Blinders. Go raibh míle maith agat Cormac Begley, Colm Mac Con Iomaire agus Ruth O’Mahony Brady for whom without, this track would not exist.
“We recorded this version of ‘All the tired horses’ in an old horse stable in Cabinteely, South Dublin, over the space of two days. We recorded by constant candlelight as a dear friend was dying at the time. This all contributed to the energy and the charge of the final track. That friend has since passed.
“I wish to dedicate this song to Mick O’Grady – The Long Distance Kid – 1943 – 2022.”
Post-war, industrial Birmingham – the Black Country; the sound is gritty and dark, Cormac Begley’s concertina is breathy and foreboding – however, wherever a Peaky Blinder goes, there is style and swagger – through all the starkness and moodiness of the entire saga – there is pride – and as O’Neill’s song builds – with droning intensity – as is the Peaky Blinder way – through all adversity – there is a sense of winning, and the mood becomes triumphant.
“To have any part in this long anticipated finale of the most evocative script I have ever seen depicted on television has done no less than reconfirm my faith in the mysteries of this creative and elusive universe.” – Lisa O’Neill
All The Tired Horses is out now on streaming services. It features Lisa O’Neill on Vocals, Baritone guitar and Bass drum, Cormac Begley on Bass Concertina and Piccolo Concertina, Colm Mac Con Iomaire on Violin and Ruth O’Mahony Brady on Piano. It was produced & engineered by Ruth O’Mahony Brady in Studio Symphorien Dublin and mixed by David Odlum.
Regular viewers of Peaky Blinders have already heard Lisa’s song ‘Blackbird’, in episode 4 of season 6.
Over the years Lisa O’Neill has quietly built a reputation for herself on the Irish and international scenes and now has a growing following with her unique folk sound, strong song-writing and distinctive voice. She has released 4 albums to date and Lisa’s last release on the Rough Trade imprint River Lea, ‘Heard A Long Gone Song’ has garnered huge acclaim both at home and abroad (reviewed here). It received a 5/5 star review from The Guardian on release and a coveted ‘Best Folk Album of 2019’ from the same publication. She was also nominated in 4 categories at the 2019 UK Folk awards and 5 categories at the 2019 Irish Folk Awards, winning one for best original folk song.
Recently Lisa signed a new album deal with Rough Trade and is currently working on new material for that album which is due later in the year.