Zombies Busking – Reaction
The magic of busking …
There is something wonderful about walking through town, minding your own business, possibly in search of the next food stall to get in a quick bite to eat, and suddenly being stopped in your tracks by the sound of some really good street musicians.
We’ve heard some incredible talent on the streets over the years, especially in Dublin which is where today’s video submission by Tim A. was filmed, too.
This is the YouTube video link: CRAZY WOMAN SHOCKS PEOPLE WITH PERFORMANCE!! Zombie The Cranberries – Allie Sherlock cover
Mind you, the title and video idea are a bit clickbaity but it was a fun video to watch! 🙂
You’ll see us again next Friday with a new video!
Until then, stay groovy,
Mona & Lisa
I realize I am several weeks late but I recognized Grafton Street, Dublin immediately. Many years ago, I worked upstairs above one of the shops just a few doors down from where they were playing (above where Thomas Cook used to be, if anyone remembers that). For a dare, one Saturday afternoon, I stood out there and busked for an hour or so. Out of practice and with a borrowed guitar, I was pretty bad but still got a few quid (in 1979 money!) in my case. Dubliners love their buskers – even dodgy ones 🙂
I totally agree. There are many brilliant musicians out there who are so much better than some who are in the charts or who get signed by companies. A few, like you, manage to make it by going the independent way but it’s not easy. Keep up the good work. Love your music.
I missed this one. Was having a bad week and never watched it. I’ve loved Allie for years and it seems from the comments that many people don’t get that the whole point of the “crazy” and changing the lyric to “what’s in your hair” was that she was supposed to be a ZOMBIE. It was a halloween thing. But anything that gets Allie more fans is a plus.
Lisa nailed it – “what’s popular and what’s good, there’s never any relation.”
Ladies, Tim Arnold,
thanks for sharing.
I think that if a girl wants to cover Dolores O’Riordan she better focus on singing.
It IS heartwarming that this was in Dublin instead of Belfast.
Hopefully Ireland is healing itself.
I very much enjoyed the livestreams.
Cheers
When the red head girl in the video took the mic at the very beginning of the video, I didn’t know that she was part of the act. It reminded me of when I was playing dive bars in Baltimore’s Fells Point and drunk customers would get the urge to pick up a mic and join me … in or out of key. LOL… I personally didn’t enjoy that very much…
We didn’t see a lot of buskers when we were in Dublin, shame too, was one of the things I was really hoping for.
I really liked the Cranberries, Delores had a very unique gift. Gone far too soon, like so many others.
Was Eric Carmen the lead singer of the Cranberries? He had a great voice and a good solos career as well… “All By Myself”…
Wrong tree/bush Brian. Eric was the lead singer for the “Raspberries”. The Raspberries were an American “pop rock” group; the Cranberries were an Irish “alternative rock” genre.
Thanks Tim, Mona, and Lisa,
So the woman with the wild red hair who’s screaming like a banshee is not actually the Irish one? Okay. lol.
I always liked that song a lot, and I always associate it with the Cranberries. I never knew what it was called.
Never heard of Allie, but she’s from Cork, so she must be good folk. That’s where my great grandparents were from, the only two who weren’t from in or around Germany.
I remember you mentioning your brother’s band before Tim, but now you’re talking about a family band. Very cool. Or is that the same band?
Chris, I belong to a huge family, I had 7 brothers and 7 sisters, all but my younger brother Kevin were older than me. I have a few nephews and nieces that are older than me, Lol. The original “family” band started in 1968 with two brothers and a brother in law. There have been many versions of the band since then with two long time members being my nephews Bob and John. The band kind of died in 2010 when my brother Tom died and my brother Denny died in 2011. After Denny died Bob and John decided to start a new band and employed my niece Amber as vocalist and my nephew Shannon on guitar. The latest version of their band includes John on drums, Amber on vocals, Tom’s son J.D. on bass, J.D’s best friend Pat on guitar and John’s daughter Michelle on keyboards. It’s funny that when they started in 68 they were playing Beatles, CCR and Hank Williams. Now they are playing Nirvana, Adele, Cranberries and still Beatles, CCR and Hank Williams and everything in between. It’s cool they still play the old stuff that they were taught by their elders but also play the newer stuff that they grew up with.
Sorry to hear about you losing two of your brothers, but the band sounds great. 7 sisters? I have 4 sisters and I thought that was a lot.
My 5 older sisters were already on their own before I was born so I only had to put up with 2, Lol. They were the best though. Of the 15 kids there are only 5 left, the 3 youngest boys and 2 older sisters. My younger brother Kevin is the only one that is a decent musician. I keep trying but I got no rhythm. I know a few chords but can’t put them together for a song. I sure do admire those that can play.
My niece sings and her husband plays trumpet and leads a local band, so I’ve played with them before. That’s as close to a family band as I’ve gotten.
Thank you for showing the video I submitted. I thought I left a better description with it but I probably messed it up. I like Allie’s solo singing but just thought this was funny. I liked the insert video of you playing with the opera singer, I bet you do encounter all kinds of people when you’re playing on the street in a big city. The only busker I remember seeing was in Green Bay Wisconsin when I went to a Packers football game. There was a guy playing drums on the sidewalk facing the oncoming spectators (close to 80,000 that night). He was making good money and when the game was over some 4 hours later he was still there facing the crowd as they were leaving the stadium. Here is a short (3:45) biography on Allie Sherlock if anyone wants to know a little about her, quite interesting I think. https://youtu.be/RJu6hJSgfeo?feature=shared
Hi Tim, an interesting video of Allie Sherlock. It’s too bad she had to go through the experience of participating in that talent show. The whole concept of those talent shows put me off, a bunch of talentless judges, judging naturally gifted artists.
Hi Jung, you are right about those talent shows, I never watch them. It seems they are just looking for the next cookie cutter artist that can copy every other pop singer that can sell a million records. I like Lisa’s statement at the end of the reaction video about there being no relation in what is popular and what is good. I totally agree. I know there are many good young artists out there that don’t get a chance to show there true talent because of money hungry execs just trying to make more money. I’m so glad the MLT’s are independent of that. Their talent and artistry shows because of it.
I am a huge fan of John Wines, or as he’s most commonly known the “Old Grey Guitarist”. He fell prey to Simon Cowell’s idiocy in the third round of AGT not very long ago. He’s a very accomplished player and music teacher in the UK and I’ve followed him for a couple years now. But yes, those shows are riddled with bias (Simon is a complete idiot IMO) and some seriously contrived push on winners that really are outclassed by many that they surpass in the voting. But the show owners/producers have it within their power to do as they wish I suppose. I have only watched two runs in the last couple years since I wanted to see how far John went before Simon threw him under the bus; and me being a big Richie Sambora fan I had to watch the “Unknown Singer” to find out it was really him. The rest are nothing but fodder for me.
Daryl, I think Simon Cowell and others like him might know what music will sell millions of records but as far as judging true musical and vocal talent, I really don’t think they have a clue. I can think of a dozen or so artists on YouTube that I would rather listen to than anyone who has won these so called talent shows.
You may have heard of Lindsey Stirling, the sometimes-called ‘dancing violinist’. She is a fellow YouTuber, dating back some ten years or so, but with a few more subscribers and views than the Twins. She tours a lot and that fans the flames. One thing she says she likes to do on tour in the free time before an evening show is to walk around town with some crew or her dancers, cell in hand and record various sights and sounds. She was doing this once in Seattle near the famous Pike Place Fish Market when she walked up behind a busker playing the violin. Filming the whole time she got up closer and <he was playing one of her songs>. Swung around in front of him and recorded the look of astonishment on his face when he saw who it was (as he continued playing her song)!! A wonderful event, that chance busking encounter.
The busking video was great, quite a performance by the red haired lady.
I recognized the song right off, and unfortunately it brought back thoughts of the story surrounding Dolores O’Riordan’s sad death, which I had followed closely. For some reason her death struck me, more than many other sad rocker deaths.
Here’s the almost 1.5 billion view version of Zombie that Diana mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ejga4kJUts
Dennis, yeah it’s a very popular song. A lot of bands cover it but I don’t think anyone has ever topped the Cranberries. My family band plays it at just about all of their gigs. I would guess thousands of garage bands starting out play it.
That was fun! Loved the crazy rendition! I have come across Allie Sherlock videos before and she has a fantastic voice. She’s really young too, she’s 18 now, so she was 17 in the video. I looked up the ‘crazy’ girl and she’s Ella Mieri a Brazilian girl living in Cork, that’s possibly why she had a weird accent. I think you have to have a special character or strong drive to busk. I did not enjoy it, even if I never was the front man. I have to say that I don’t really understand YouTube with views and subscriptions, nothing makes sense to me.
Cranberries have always had a prominent place in our music library.
Another lovely TGIF video, always so well put together and always leaves me with a big smile, Thank you!
I remember watching videos of Zombie in the 90’s.
Very good voices.
I like the “Crazy ” Girls red hair !
Such a cool video today Mona and Lisa. Thanks for sharing and will check out her video’s, have a great weekend and looking forward to next Friday. Sending love and hugs from me and Maddie
LOL. If I saw someone looking and acting like that, I would stop to watch also. Her antics sure drew in the crowd and held their interest.
Would love to see more vids of you busking as you sure looked to be enjoying it!
Thanks for the Friday smiles as it makes a great start to the weekend! 🙂
I’ve been following Allie Sherlock for a few years now since she was a talented young kid. She became very popular and was invited to appear on a popular USA tv show, and a major performance on UK tv. She pulls the crowds in Dublin every time she busks, and invites many of her talented friends to join her, hence the crazy hair lady!! One of her friends Zoe Clarke, is also really good, and in fact I now prefer Zoe to Allie, because Allie sings every song in her strong unique style, but doesn’t seem to use light and shade in her voice!! I have a few LPs of the Cranberries, and saw them live when Dilores was alive. Zombie was a great song and still is. Dilores was amazing with a unique voice and a real talent with lyrics- I used to call her a female Morrissey.
One of my favourite buskers in Manchester was the Hoochie Coochie man, a fantastic blues busker who used to sit under a large green fishing umbrella play his guitar/ blues harp and singing- I don’t know what’s happened to him, I’ve not seem him for ages.
I always love how your clothes co-ordinate 🙂 You both have an eye for style as well as an ear for music 😊 Actually, you both have two of each 😀
Come Spring but especially in the Summer months, Downtown Ottawa, in particular in the Byward Market, it becomes ” Buskers Hub Central ” , all varieties of buskers , mostly musicians, but there are sometimes other interesting buskers, there’s even a Busker’s Festival that occurs on Sparks Street in the downtown Ottawa core( well, in pre-Covid times the Busker Festival occured ) … it’s alive and entertaining to walk around Byward Market area to witness these buskers in action… but I’m not sure if permits are are a must or not to buskers, and I’m certain, some just go ahead and buskers at random, freely ….
As for this submission, that was entertaining, that woman was reminding me of Janis Joplin….. she was channeling Janis….lol…. but certainly accomplished stopping folks in tgeir tracks to watch, etc, I enjoyed this, Thankyou to Tim A. for the submission, and loving Mona and Lisa ‘s reactions & commentary … and their own busking experience video clips…
This also reminds me how I became friends/fan of a local band, it was during the Jazz Fextival, at the huge downtown shopping center in one of the court /common areas of the mall, and this gal/guy duo were singing abd selling their independent CD, I approached them after, bought a CD , became friends, saw them perform a few more times and though the couple now since have gone separate ways ( yes, they were an actual couple), I still am friends with the gal and follow her solo stuff …. her name is Gin Bourgeois ( formerly of Le Meow Music Band ) … Yes, indeed, the power of Busking , you never know what you’ll encounter and what transpires thereafter …. 🤩😎🤘✌
Howdy,
I have never heard that term “basking” in that context here in the US. When someone was laying out in the sun, we might say they are “basking in the sun”. I have never, but I know people who performed out in the street or in the subway (not the fast food store lo). We might say – they are playing in the subway.
In that video, that singer was not very good (to put it politely). Mona & Lisa were so much better. We call them “street performers “.
Really looking forward to Sunday. Keep cool.
Bobby S. 😎🎵🎵🧛♂️
Sorry, did I spell it incorrectly? It is busking?
Oh well. Is it a British term?
No, it’s busking in the US, too, but yes, basking and busking are usually two different things, but in Allie’s case, she can often be busking while basking in adoration. LOL
What’s in your hair? We have seen this before. It’s hilarious. She looks a little like Natasha Lyonne.
Lisa said what?
“She’s sings pretty good so she can’t be that crazy?”
TGIF! See you in a whirl you silly squirrels.
Marlo & JP
p.s. don’t drink too much coffee Sunday
A little too avant-garde for me. Of course it makes me think of my girl Dolores O’Riordan (RIP). She never lived to see her masterpiece hit a BILLION on YouTube. I love the busking clip of MLT!
https://youtu.be/6Ejga4kJUts?si=McvPZeaN4UW1LkwX
It was sad when I heard Dolores died – ditto the RIP!
First of all, I love how both of you look today. Just elegant loveliness!
The clip was interesting and entertaining, they had a great way of holding your interest. The zombie was a little scary looking even in broad daylight! I guess they didn’t cover “What a Wonderful World “ that day!
Finally, I would love to see a photo of you in your prom dress. Can you dig one up for me?
💛❤️
Great submission Tim! There certainly is amazing busking you can find in the wild, like this one. I only heard this song, Zombie, only recently here in the forum and like it a lot. Has a kind of early U2 sound to it. Cranberry Zombie.
We have a lot of buskers in Vancouver in the summer, in many of the popular areas. One that stand out a few years ago is when I visited Montreal. We came upon this little square of cafe’s and over the hum of the city, a busker started singing with an electric guitar and amp, and I remember how the music just transformed the mood in the square. Was really magical.
Thank you Mona and Lisa for bringing us another enchanting moment of music and your presence!
Much love
Jung
Jung, I submitted that video a long time ago, actually forgot that I did, Lol. I remember we watched it in that Halloween thread we had going in the forum. I would like to see a full video of Mona and Lisa with the opera singer if there is one.
Hi Tim
Yeah it would be nice to see a compilation of MLT busking over the years video if that’s possible.. I know they did some in Australia, California, and Ireland.
Jung, I would love to see that too but I don’t think we will. They seem very particular in the quality of music they post, even in the club. I am very glad for that but I do enjoy the live aspect like we got at the Christmas music livestream. It reminds me a little of my brothers playing in the living room and they messed up a lot, Lol
That was a nice video Tim, allthrough the video i kept wondering: is this a set up, or is this woman really so expressive? The Lady sounds good, and maybe a little strange I can see she enjoys singing this song she ia all in it!
Thanks for picking this video Michaele, and thanks for showing it to us, Mona and Lisa ( by the way the two of you look really gorgeous)
Eric, I am 100% sure this is an act put together by the red haired girl and Allie Sherlock. It reminds me of my niece Amber who is the lead singer in our family band. Amber loves singing on Halloween dressed in character and acting silly. Actually it doesn’t really have to be Halloween, she just likes acting silly.
Mona and Lisa – have you heard ‘For Free’ by Joni Michell, a song about how good buskers can be, even though they play for free?.
I remember now – you reviewed Blue and so have heard For Free 🙂
What impresses me is how Joni appreciates how fortunate she is to have made it to the big time, and still has time for a talented busker who hasn’t had such good fortune.
As Joan Biez sang ‘there but for fortune go you or I’..
In a parallel universe there is an Ed Sheeran still busking on a street corner, for free!
Buskers don’t play for free when I’m there, I always tip them.