Have you wondered what would happen if Weezer wrote songs about the women of the IRA? "Oh Dolours" is an ode to Dolours Price, a radical feminist and volunteer in the Irish Republican Army. It's an exploration of the sacrifices people make in the name of liberation, and what kinds of compromises are actually worth the cost — particularly for women, who face sexist double standards even in militant resistance. We recruited the singers from Indoor Friends to join us in the third verse, to emphasize the role of women's voices in the radical narrative.
Ní saoirse go saoirse na mBan.
lyrics
Oh, Dolours
You were born at the mouth of a war
For your nation, your sex, and your soul
You fought them all the way
When you were younger
You would flirt with the RUCs at the bar
Sneaking snitches and guns in your car
With a wink and a smile
You took arms in the fight
With your sister in spite
All the scars on your family line
All that it cost was
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Oh, Dolours
Oh, Dolours
When you flew to the heart of the crown
Lady Justice came tumbling down
And they found you at Heathrow
That Iron Lady
Wanted someone to shoulder the blame
For playing those patriot games
On legitimate threats
So they fed you to death
Locked you up in your head
But you still wouldn't swallow your pride
All that it cost was
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Oh, Dolours
Oh, Dolours
Ní saoirse go saoirse na mBan
St. Stephen thought you were the one
But you were a bomb
All the vodka and pills
Couldn't help you to kill
All the loneliness left in your eyes
By a cause that had taken
Your body, your blood, and your mind
Was it worth it
Mis-adventuring down to your grave
Will the children remember your name
Or drown it in shame
Oh, Dolours
credits
from Oh Dolours (ft. Indoor Friends),
released March 1, 2024
Thom Dunn — Vocals / Guitar
Jake WM — Bass / Backing Vocals
Nick Krefting — Guitar / Backing Vocals
Walker Dieckmann — Keys / Backing Vocals
Chris Correia — Drums / Backing Vocals
Amanda Bysheim & Krista Marie Setera of Indoor Friends — Backing Vocals
Recorded at the Record Co, Boston MA
Produced, engineered, and mixed by Thom Dunn at B-Side Brewery
Thom also has an Irish-Americana Folk Rock / Punk project that performs under the name Forfocséic. Recommended if you like the Pogues and liberation, or if you don't like the British Empire. The Roland High Life
Rising Philadelphia band balance oversized pop punk hooks with vivid, intimate lyrics, presenting a raw, honest vision of guitar music. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 30, 2022