The Interpretative Centre

"Mary Black has recorded fourteen of my songs on various albums," says Noel Brazil. 'Ellis Island' on Without The Fanfare, ''Sparks Might Fly' on By The Time It Gets Dark, 'Columbus', 'Vanities' and 'Fat Valley of Pain' on No Frontiers, 'Babes In The Wood', 'Golden Mile' and 'Might As Well Be A Slave' on Babes In The Wood, 'Roisin' and 'Tearing Up On The Town' on The Collection and 'Summer Sent You', 'The Loving Time', 'Dockland' and 'Paper Friends' on the latest Holy Ground album.

"It's been a real pleasure to have been associated with Mary, Declan Sinnott and the various musicians who have played on her records over the past decade. It's been said many times before, but I've found the atmosphere surrounding Mary at work and recording to be almost like a real family situation, a far cry from the acrimony and cut-throat dealings which seem to be part-and-parcel of the music business.

"I also fully appreciate the active encouragement given by Mary through her performing and recording songs by Irish songwriters. People like myself Jimmy McCarthy, Thom Moore, Donagh Long, Johnny Duhan and Mick Hanly have benefited enormously through Mary's recordings.

"Rather than take the easy option of covering established American or British writers, I think Mary showed courage and determination in choosing songs by unknowns like myself, and the record buying public seem to like what they hear as a result.

"Whenever I'm asked to name my favourites from all the songs she has recorded of mine, I'd have to nominate 'Columbus', 'Fat Valley of Pain', 'Golden Mile', 'Summer Sent You' and 'Paper Friends'."

"What more can I say? She's a great singer with a great band who always turns in a sympathetic treatment of the material. Long may she run!"

The above sentiments from songwriter Noel Brazil, reflect the universal appreciation of Irish songwriters for the loyalty Mary Black has shown to them throughout the ten years of her solo performing and recording career.

Noel's fellow-songwriter Mick Hanly describes her contribution to Irish songsmiths as "huge." As he put it to Hot Press: "To the non-performing songwriter having your songs recorded by artists is your bread and butter. It's probably your only source of income. Mary has recorded three of my songs, 'Crusader', 'Without The Fanfare' and 'Past The Point of Rescue' which was a massive radio hit in this country." He agrees with Noel Brazil's comment about Mary's loyalty to Irish writers when she could take the easy way out and cover international hits, adding " and what's even more important, she's taken that courageous step and made it work like nobody else in Ireland has ever done."

Not that either Noel or Mick are part of some production line assembling custom-built songs and putting them on a conveyor belt to Mary Black's office. As Mick Hanly explained "I always write the song for myself and for the sake of expressing the initial impulse that inspired the song in the first place. I would insist that the song has to work for me in the context of performing it with one voice and one guitar. I avoid thinking in terms of adding this riff or that lick to it if I can't incorporate it into my own performance of that song. I think that means that any interpretation of the song has a very solid foundation to build on, and I've always been extremely happy with the way Mary has treated my own songs."

Hanly also admits that sometimes a singer will introduce something fresh in his or her interpretation of a song that can subsequently be grafted successfully onto performances by the original writer.

"That happened to me," says Mick, "with Mary's version of my song 'Crusader'. I absolutely love her version of it, and she did something very simple with it that really worked. When she recorded it she repeated the first line at the end, which I had never done. But that simple touch rounded the song off beautifully, so when I sing the song myself now, that's the way I finish it and it really works."

When Mary recorded Mick's 'Past The Point Of Rescue' she also altered the ending, leaving out the last verse and repeating the chorus instead. Unlike many songwriters Hanly does not have an overly-precious attitude to his songs, acknowledging that if you have any respect for the performer at all, you have to allow them the space to apply their own artistic interpretation.

Although Thom Moore is an American, he has lived in Ireland for so long and feels so much at home here, that he has positively no quibbles about being constantly referred to as an Irish songwriter.

Known originally to most Irish music fans as a key member of Pumpkinhead and Midnight Well, and later for having written the oft-sung 'Cavan Girl', Thom has had six of his compositions recorded by Mary Black, from 'Carolina Rua' right through to 'Golden Thread' on the current album.

'I can't imagine how I or any other writer could be anything but happy with Mary's interpretation of their songs. She's got such a distinctive style. She can scarcely do wrong. Her performances of my songs have been spot on," he reckons.

Moore also stresses that he has to write his songs for himself first, but he admits that Mary has often added simple, but effective vocal flourishes to his versions which enhance the songs. Additionally he would argue that he has been lucky to have someone of Mary's calibre doing his songs and is somewhat disappointed that he hasn't achieved a comparable level of acceptance in his native America.

He also confesses that there can be a temptation to feel egotistical about the fact that it's your song and not hers but you have to back off, since the performer is ultimately the focal point. "Ultimately success or failure depends on the synergistic combination of singer and song, and with Mary Black you always know you're in safe hands," he adds.

As Noel Brazil says: "Long may she run."