h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've been driven half demented for about three weeks now by a piece I saw a piper playing. I think it might have been one of the ones O'Carolan composed, but I can't swear to that.

It has a kind of a lullaby feel to it, and I've got a feeling in the back of my memory that it is very similar to a lullaby I must have heard when I was a very young kid. It's also got echoes of something else, maybe classical or early romantic.

It's been popping up over and over in my head. I have the feeling if I could pinpoint what it is - or what the other pieces are that it is reminding me of - I could then shake it out of my head and bid it goodbye.

It's becoming a bit of a mission.

The only way I can think of sorting this out is for you to sing it for me over the phone. But I'm busy in work at the moment.

What a coincidence. I was just listening to a CD of O'Carolan pieces. None of them has stuck in my ear, though.

I have a strange feeling that your earworm is called "Sí Beag Sí Mór".

This one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kybb6uyaVbc

I've got a Planxty CD somewhere about that has this on, but I wouldn't have been able to name it.

Pretty tune.

Planxty's a good place to start, as it was Liam O'Flynn playing that earwormed me in the first place.

There's definitely a bit of "Sí Beag Sí Mór" in it, but I've got the feeling now that my brain has scrambled a lot of different things into an ungodly medley like a tangled ball of wool!

Speaking of Planxty, I think Andy Irvine is playing in town some time soon. I might go to see that, as I've never seen him play.

My favorite earworm is "Song of angry men"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2r_fwS5AU0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2r_fwS5AU0

I haven't met Andy Irvine, but I've been on stage with Donal Lunny - I was in a choir of about 70 people performing music written, directed and accompanied by him. It was at the opening ceremony of the Ryder Cup a few years back.

I'd say that would have been really enjoyable for you as a singer - he seems to have quite a deft musical mind.

If you do want to sing it to me, KB, I have Beatrice's phone number - I think you might be able to contact her.

I love that solution.

S'ok, KB and I communicate regularly!

Not sure how much good I'd be at naming a tune, though.

B, can you pass my phone number to KB?

Done!