"Bonny Wood Green" is a ballad from World War I, still sung in Irish pubs today. The Irish were unenthusiastic about entering the war on the British side, but once the decision had been made there were surprisingly large numbers of volunteers. The divided loyalties of the Irish soldiers cannot have made their ordeal in the trenches any easier. The text is adapted to a female perspective and added a final glimpse of the girl left behind, as she continues to pay tribute to an ordeal of her own. Although the song deals with heartbreak and death, a simple, meditative delivery will be more effective than a lot of high drama. A void big vocal gestures, and keep all changes in dramatic levels gentle and understated. The audience should be left with the melancholy peace that comes long after heartbreak, not the heartbreak itself.
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