I've known the music of Tommy Sands far longer than I knew who Tommy Sands was. Songs like "There were Roses" and "Down by the Lagan Side" were ingrained in my Irish soul and my American fears for Northern Ireland long before I learned who wrote those songs and so effectively disseminated a desire for peace that inspired and influenced his people to an unimaginable degree. Now, of course, I recognize Sands for the iconic singer and songwriter that he is.

With Fair Play to You All, Sands shows that his peaceful inclinations haven't diminished over the years. His conscience sings out clearly on each of the dozen original songs on the album.

His message is driven home as soon as you see the album cover, which recreates an old cartoon showing that "equality" and "equity" mean different things; in this case, three children of varying heights trying to see over a wall with the aid of boxes to stand on. (Instead of a ballgame, the children in this photo are trying to see a gorgeous Northern Irish landscape.)

The opening track, "The Answer is Not Blowing in the Wind," tackles the Bob Dylan classic by pointing out that the answers we seek are right in front of us, if we choose to see them. "Clanrye Side" paints a lovely picture set on (and near) the banks of the Clanrye River, and it harkens back -- just a bit -- to his classic "Lagan Side." There's a lot to unpack in this song and, without going into depth, I'll say it's probably my favorite on the album.

"Ballyholland" has a traditional "longing for home" theme at its heart, but Sands packs more into this joyful/wistful song than just that standard refrain. "Refugees" touches on the Irish diaspora as well as the growing issue of displaced people in the world; the desperate need to roam for survival's sake can be eased with the sight of a familiar face. There's another desperate story of cyclical and inescapable hardship buried in the upbeat melody in "What's Going On in Jerusalem?"

Sands puts the United States under the microscope in two songs, "American Dreams" and "Who Killed JFK?" Each of us on this side of the pond should ponder his questions carefully.

"Caoineadh Mhacha," sung in Gaelic, commemorates the story of Macha, a goddess who cursed the men of Ulster after she was forced to run a race against the king's horses while heavily pregnant. "Ode to Europe," borrowing a melody from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, offers a hopeful note. "Paddy & the Judge" is a lively ditty about an out-of-work fisherman who runs afoul of a landlord; it, more than anything on this album, feels like a pub-sing standard in the making.

Every County on the Island," inspired by long car rides with his children, pays a bouncy homage to all of Ireland. The album closes with "Gatherings of the Clans," a joyful and hopeful song that builds bridges in an age when some factions are building walls.

Sands sings in a low-key, conversational style, his voice clear and polished through many years of sharing his music with the world. (He was, I believe, 74 years old at the time of this album's release.) I love Tommy Sands' voice; it feels like he's seated close by, singing to you and you alone with tender care, compassion and undying hope in every note.

Besides vocals, he plays guitar, banjo, shruti (a traditional Indian instrument similar to the harmonium), dotara (a stringed instrument from Bengal) and low whistle.

He's aided by plenty of friends and family. Additional vocals are provided by Anne Sands, Ben Sands, Colum Sands, Eimear Keane, Fra Sands, Moya Sands, Ryanne Sands and Padraigin Ni Uallachain. Other musicians include Brendan Monaghan (uilleann pipes, bodhran, whistle), Bruce Foley (uilleann pipes, whistle), Moya Sands (whistle, bodhran), Sorcha Keane (whistle), Ian Sands (harmonica), Lisa Gutkin, Gerry O'Connor and David Ochs (fiddle), Robbie Perry (cymbals, hi hat), Caoilte O'Cuanaigh (mandolin) and producer/engineer Steve Cooney (guitars, bass, bouzouki, mandolin, percussion, keyboards, didgeridoo).

Oh, remember me saying earlier that "Clanrye Side" is my favorite song on Fair Play to You All? That's probably true, but every time I listen to the album through, several other tracks vie for the title. That's good songcraft.

Read Tom's 2003 interview with Tommy Sands, peace through his music.

[ visit Tommy Sands online ]