The tune was adapted from Lead Belly’s ‘If It Wasn't for Dicky’ (1937), which in turn was adapted from the traditional Irish folk tune ‘An droimfhionn donn dilís’. The Weavers first released the song in 1951 as a Decca single, which reached Number 19 on the ‘Billboard Chart’ and Number 20 on the ‘Cashbox Chart’ in 1951. The song was also a hit for Jimmie Rodgers in 1957 and Frankie Vaughan I n 1958.
In his 1993 book ‘Where Have all the Flowers Gone’, Pete Seeger described the long genesis of this song. Apparently, the folk musician Lead Belly heard Irish performer Sam Kennedy in Greenwich Village singing the traditional Irish song ‘Drimmin Down’ aka ‘Drimmen Dow’, about a farmer and his dead cow. It is of the type categorized as ‘aisling’ (dream) where the country of Ireland is given form. Most times the form is that of a comely young woman but here it is the faithful handsome cow. Lead Belly adapted the tune for his own farmer/cow song called ’If It Wasn't for Dicky’, which he first recorded in 1937. Lead Belly did not like the lack of rhythm, which had been a part of many free-flowing Irish songs, so he made the piece more rhythmic, playing the chorus with a twelve-string guitar.
Seeger liked Lead Belly's version of the tune, and his chords as well. In 1950, the quartet ‘The Weavers’, which Seeger belonged to, had made a hit version of Lead Belly's ‘Goodnight Irene and they were looking for new material. Seeger and Lee Hays wrote new lyrics (Hays wrote all new verses, Seeger re-wrote Lead Belly's chorus), turning ‘If It Wasn't for Dicky’ into a love song. ‘Kisses Sweeter Than Wine’ was published in 1951 and recorded by ‘The Weavers’ on June 12, 1951, in New York City, reaching Number 19 on the ‘US Hit Parade’.
In his 1993 book, Seeger wrote: "Now, who should one credit on this song? The Irish, certainly. Sam Kennedy, who taught it to us. Lead Belly, for adding rhythm and blues chords. Me, for two new words for the refrain. Lee, who wrote seven verses. Fred and Ronnie, for paring them down to five. I know the song publisher, ‘The Richmond Organization’, cares.”
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I dedicate my song today to Richard, whose 82nd birthday it is. Richard is the partner to my oldest sister, Mary, and is the only family member who is older than I am. Richard has had a difficult year so far, having experienced several mini heart attacks along with the compulsory hospital admissions that accompany them. Having had a triple bypass over twenty years ago, any subsequent heart attack assumes an added degree of seriousness. I always refer to Richard as ‘The Godfather’ of the family.
Richard has never drunk alcohol of any description in all the years I have known him, so wine is most certainly off his menu list. He remains, however, partial to a kiss and a warm cuddle whenever he meets and greets the female members of the Forde clan. So, to Richard, ‘KISSES WILL ALWAYS BE SWEETER THAN WINE’. To anyone who knows Richard, he is the most loving of gentlemen one could hope to meet, and it is lovely to see a man of his age (brought up in the age of the stiff upper lip) being so lovingly emotionally expressive. We all love you, Richard. Thank you for making my sister, Mary happier than she would have been had she never known you and thank you for being ‘our Richard.’ Today’s song is dedicated to you, brother. Billy x
Love and peace. Bill xxx