Stephen Colbert has an Irish tenor sing a happier, much stranger version of 'Danny Boy'

Stephen Colbert has tenor Karl Scully sing a new version of &quot;Danny Boy&quot;

(Image credit: Late Show)

published 18 March 2016

Stephen Colbert's St. Patrick's Day edition of Late Show started out joyfully enough, with him doing his own version of Riverdance to the drums and pipes of the NYPD's Emerald Society. But then he switched from jig to ballad, specifically "Danny Boy," which, as he noted, is a sad song about a dying father talking to his son. "I don't understand," Colbert said. "Why does the song have to be so sad? Haven't the Irish been through enough? I mean, famine, wars, Liam Neeson's daughter repeatedly taken." So Colbert had Irish tenor Karl Scully come out and sing a new version of "Danny Boy" that, he said, features a happy ending. Well, it does, kind of, but it takes some very strange back roads to get there. Sláinte, may the road rise up to meet you, and may all your new bodies be capable of bearing a son. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.