An Irish pub singer living in Australia has begun including Mass hymns in his gigs, alongside cover versions and original material. Source: EWTN News.
Paul Luby, 27, said the Irish twentysomethings he plays to in bars in Sydney and Perth connect instantly with the songs, singing along and demonstrating that their Catholic upbringing is still present.
Luby went viral recently after a recording of him singing Here I Am, Lord was posted on Instagram.
Luby’s idea to play the hymn in Sydney pub Frank Macs, which was packed with members of Generation Z, was rooted in memories of childhood.
“When I was growing up, my mother and father were very religious, and went to Mass every Sunday,” he says. “I went too. I joined a choir when I was in school; we used to sing Mass hymns. They would be ingrained into you, and you just know the words.”
Luby said that when he went to college, he “tried best to keep up Mass” but it wasn’t as much as he would have liked. “I think definitely since the song kicked off and went viral, I definitely have connected more with my faith.”
He added: “I [grew] up with these hymns. At my last Sydney gig, I played with a great banjo player called Jackie, who was like, ‘Do you want to try anything different, because it’s your last gig?’ I said, “Actually, I do, I have a Mass tune, do you know, Here I Am Lord? He’s like, ‘Of course I don’t’.”
Luby said everyone loved it. “I couldn’t believe singing the chorus, everyone was singing it right back to me. It was definitely the song of the night. It surprised me and went from there.”
When the musician woke up the next morning, a video of the gig had had 500,000 views.
Luby then posted other cover versions of popular hymns such as Our Lady of Knock and Amazing Grace, under the theme of “Bangers and Mass”.
“People do remember Mass tunes and connect with them … they don’t really have to be properly into their faith to connect to these tunes. I’m a devout Catholic anyway, I’d never disrespect the hymns, I’ve just sped them up a bit.”
Luby has recorded Here I Am, Lord and plans to release it on Spotify before St Patrick’s Day.
FULL STORY
Irish pub singer brings popular Mass hymns to Gen Z (By Patrick Passmore, EWTN News)
