The people of Cork have voted for their favourite song and its is impossible to argue with their choice.
A survey was carried out by Cork City Libraries to find the rebel county’s ‘favourite song’.
Thousands of votes were cast across the 84 songs that were nominated, and the winner has now been named as After All by The Frank and Walters.
The 1992 hit has remained a popular anthem for Cork ever since its release, partly because it is undoubtedly a great song, but it also lends itself very well group sing-songs.
“After all I really love you
After all that we’ve been through
I know that we fight,
And our gets pushed to the side
Still it ends alright.”
It is pretty much impossible to stay mad at someone you love if this song comes on. We are guessing The Frank and Walters can be thanked for ending countless rows between couples and who knows? Probably saved their fair share of marriages along the way. How many ‘After All babies’ are there out there?
“After all I really need you
Don’t know how I’d live without you
Days they go by,
And you’re always there at my side
Girl I’m glad you’re mine.”
After All reached number 5 in the Irish charts in 1992 when it was first released, but the song was given a shot in the arm and exposed to younger viewers when it featured in the hit Cork-set comedy The Young Offenders.
Local psycho Billy Murphy inadvertently took a bus full of people hostage in one episode, and to pass the time they decided to have a sing-song of The Frank and Walters’ big hit.
Sure, nothing defuses the tension of a hostage situation like a good old singalong.
“There are times, I get distracted girl
By the ways and working of this world
But I think of you as my life’s shrine
And I’m glad, that I’m yours, and you’re mine.”
“Bah dap bah bah bah, dah bah dah dah!”
After All is certainly a worthy winner of the title of Cork’s Favourite Song.
Here is the list of the top 10 songs in the voting:
After All – The Frank and Walters
The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee – Billa O’Connell
Beautiful City – Billa O’Connell
The Boys of Fairhill – Jimmy Crowley and Stokers Lodge
Going to My Hometown – Rory Gallagher
The Langer Song – Natural Gas
Princes Street – John Spillane
An Puc ar Buile – Seán Ó Sé
Safety Rope – Mick Flannery
Where’s me Jumper – The Sultans of Ping
Take a look at the video below of The Frank and Walter performing After All on the Ray D’Arcy Show, introduced by Shane Casey who plays Billy Murphy in The Young Offenders. Feel free to sing along, all the lyrics have been scattered throughout this article.
And here is the famous scene of the bus hostages having a sing-song to pass the time from the show.
