#7: Come And Join Us by the Dublin Corporation

City: Kingston, ON
Radio Station: CKLC
Peak Month: December 1972
Peak Position in Kingston ~ #1
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “Come And Join Us”

The Dublin Corporation was a group originally named the Pacific Showband and they formed in 1962. This was after several members of the Earl Gill Orchestra left to form their own show band. The Earl Gill Orchestra was a classic orchestra with lots of brass band sound. The members included Sonny Knowles, who had started his career in 1952 as a member of the Johnny Butler Dance band, playing sax and clarinet, and ended up with Earl’s band. Sean Fagan was the lead vocalist of the Pacific Showband. But as with all the Irish showbands, most of the members sang as well with different singers handling different genres with the band. Although Sonny Knowles was mainly the sax player, he also sang and was soon shared equal billing and recording chores with Sean Fagan.

Other members of the original Pacific Showband lineup were Shay Curran, Jimmy Dumpleton, Marty Flanning, Freddie Martin, and Harry Parker. In 1964, the Pacific Showband covered the 1961 Jimmy Bell tune “She Wears My Ring“, which peaked at #3 in Ireland.

Peter Law, was given the birth name Peter Lawlor. Born in Ireland, his debut single, “Lingering On”, was released in the UK, Belgium, France, Lebanon, and the Netherlands.

Peter Law’s debut single “Lingering On” from 1967.

In 1968, Peter Law released a single of the folk song “The Long Black Veil”. That year while still in Dublin, Ireland, Law joined the Pacific Showband. Law’s inclusion in the Pacific Showband was prompted by Sonny Knowles departure. Later in 1968, Sean Fagan was lead vocalist on “My Lovely Rose and You”. The single climbed to #7 on the Irish pop chart.

Sean Fagan

In 1969, the Pacific Showband undertook their first tour of Canada, touring that country several more times before moving there permanently in 1971 and changing their name to Dublin Corporation.

Overlapping with this development, in 1969, billed as The Sound of the Pacific featuring Peter Law, a single was released titled “I Don’t Want to Live”. Billed as The Sound of the Pacific, they released a self-titled album in 1969 while still in Ireland. The album included a cover of the Skyliners’ 1959 Top Ten hit “Since I Don’t Have You”.

In addition to Peter Law, other members of the Dublin Corporation were Shay Curran on trombone, flute and vocals, Sean Fagan on vocals and trumpet, Marty Fanning on drums and vocals, Austin Halpin on trumpet and vocals, Dave Murphy on guitar and vocals, Mick Roche on vocals, Harry Parker on bass guitar and vocals, and Paddy Reynolds on saxophones, clarinet and vocals.

With shifting musical styles, the Pacific Showband changed their name to the Dublin Corporation. They toured Canada for six months, and returned to tour on four more occasions. In early February 1971, the Dublin Corporation released a single titled “Melton Pot”. In an interview, Dave Murphy said they actually made the decision to emigrate in the midst of their Canadian success of the single.

In 1972, the Dublin Corporation released an over of a song by Marmalade titled “Come And Join Us”.

“Come And Join Us” is a cover of the Scottish group Marmalade’s 1971 song “Cousin Norman”. Marmalade’s original recording peaked at #5 in South Africa, #6 in the UK, #9 in Ireland, and #17 in New Zealand. The song’s verses end with the line “come and join us, join our company.” In the song, the lyrics describe a cabin past the tall trees and the long grass where the singer’s “sweethearts’ catchin’ small fish, with a cane and a bent pin on a line.” And that’s not all. The singer’s “daddy” is on the front porch. There is a hound lying at his feet. The singer’s mom is in the kitchen, having already set the table for a hot meal. So, if you’re just passing by, “come and join us.”

Marmalade gave the song its title from the third verse:
Cousin Norman comes a courting
With the same girl every single day
Got a stammer, like a hammer
You can’t understand a word that he s-says…

We learn from the singer that “even when it rains it’s paradise.”

“Come And Join Us” by the Dublin Corporation peaked at #1 in Kingston (ON), #3 in Winnipeg, and charted in Hamilton (ON) and London (ON).

Although they never released any further albums or singles, the Dublin Corporation remained active for a number of years thereafter as a touring band. By 1972, the Dublin Corporation had joined the Big 8 as one of several Irish showbands now playing in Las Vegas. They did a stint at the famous Sahara Hotel. Permanently based in Toronto, the Dublin Corporation continued to do well, especially among the Irish Halls. But soon they were a major attraction across Canada, appearing on Canadian TV and drawing large crowds to their shows. The Dublin Corporation moved to Kitchener, Ontario, and continued to perform until they split up in the early 1980s.

Peter Law and his wife, Barbara Dixon (of the Irish all-girl pop trio Maxi, Dick and Twink), also performed separately as co-vocalists for the band Sweet Chariot. Kildare Live recounted of Law after his death in October 2017, “He was talented musician during the showband era of the 1960s when large ballroom venues like Lawlor’s of Millbrook, Naas and the CYMS hall in Kildare town attracted tens of thousands of people every weekend to hear “the big band sound”.

January 1, 2025
Ray McGinnis

References:
“All About the Pacific Showband (1962-1971) and Dublin Corporation (1971-1980?),” Irishshowbands.com.
“Retro Irish Top Ten: Ireland’s original boy band ruled the charts 60 years ago,” Irish Independent, October 8, 2024. (With Ireland’s Top Ten Singles from October 9, 1964).
Veronica Lee, “Showbands, BBC Four review – an Irish cultural phenomenon explained,” March 16, 2019.
Paul O’Meara, “Death of well known Naas musician Peter Lawlor,” Kildare Live, October 4, 2017.

CKLC 1380-AM, Top 30, Kingston (ON) | December 9, 1972