Rainy Sundays... Windy Dreams

The album opens with a trilogy of songs ("The Emigrants"), comprising: "The Green Fields Of Amerikay" (which Irvine learnt from Len Graham), "Farewell To Old Ireland"[3]^:56–58 (Irvine's adaptation of "The Emigrant's Farewell", H743[4]^:200 from Sam Henry's collection) and "Edward Connors"[3]^:60–62 (which Irvine learnt from Eddie Butcher of Magilligan, County Londonderry).[5]

Then comes "The Longford Weaver"[3]^:62–64 (H745[4]^:47 in Sam Henry's, where it is also known as "Long Cookstown" or "Nancy Whiskey"); it segues into "Christmas Eve" (reel).[5]

The Irish set concludes with "Farewell To Balleymoney"[3]^:66–67 (H615[4]^:343 in Sam Henry's collection).[5]

The Balkan set begins with "Romanian Song (Blood and Gold)",[3]^:68–69 based on a Romanian song collected by Béla Bartók, re-written by Irvine and Jane Cassidy and set to the music of a Bulgarian dance tune in the 'paidushka' rhythm of ⁵
₁₆; the song then segues into "Paidushko Horo", an extensive collection of musical phrases borrowed from Bulgarian dance tunes in the same rhythm and performed at breakneck speed.[5]

"King Bore And The Sandman",[5] in mixed rhythms of ⁶
₈, ⁹
₈ and ⁴
₄,[3]^:70–72 is Irvine's energetic lament about his times in Bucharest and "dedicated to the man, in the public house, we are always trying to avoid".

The original album (LP) closes with the self-penned "Rainy Sundays",[3]^:72–76 reminiscing about a young lady called Vida with whom Irvine pursued "a one-sided romance in Ljubljana years ago."[3]^:72[5]

The CD version of Rainy Sundays... Windy Dreams, released in 1989, includes a bonus track of "Bonny Woodhall"[3]^:24–25 featuring Irvine with Mick Hanly during their live performance as a duo at 'The 4th Irish Folk Festival' in Germany on April 30, 1977.[6] "Bonny Woodhall" is Irvine's interpretation of "Bonny Woodha' " (H476 in Sam Henry's Songs of the People[4]^:84), which he also set to new music. On this track, Irvine accompanied himself on Fylde 'Octavius' bouzouki (with the bottom two courses strung in octave).[7]

1. The Emigrants – 13.51

(a) "Come to the land of sweet liberty" (Traditional; arranged by Irvine, Lunny, Gavin and O'Flynn)

(b) "Farewell to old Ireland" (Traditional; arranged by Irvine, Lunny, Brady and Gavin)

(c) "Edward Connors" (Traditional; arranged by Irvine and Lunny)

2. "Longford Weaver"/"Christmas Eve" (Traditional; arranged by Irvine, Gavin and Epping) / (Traditional; arranged by Irvine, Gavin, Epping and Lunny) – 5:31
3. "Farewell to Ballymoney" (Traditional; arranged by Irvine, Lunny and Brady) – 4:31
4. "Romanian Song (Blood and Gold)" (Andy Irvine, Jane Cassidy) – 4:09
5. "Paidushko Horo" (Traditional; arranged by Irvine and Lunny) – 3:34
6. "King Bore and the Sandman" (Andy Irvine) – 3:05
7. "Rainy Sundays" (Andy Irvine) – 6:13
8. "Bonny Woodhall" (Bonus Track) (Traditional; arranged by Andy Irvine) – 5:44 (*)

• Andy Irvine - Vocals, bouzouki, mandolin, mandola, hurdy-gurdy, harmonica.
• Dónal Lunny - Guitar, bouzouki, 10-string bouzouki, harmonium, Pan flute, percussion, backing vocals.
• Liam O'Flynn - Uilleann pipes.
• Paul Brady - Guitar, piano.
• Frankie Gavin - Fiddle, viola, flute.
• Rick Epping - Accordion, harmonica, jaw harp.
• John Wadham - Bongo and congas.
• Paul Barrett - Fender Rhodes and Polymoog.
• Garvan Gallagher - Bass guitar.
• Keith Donald - Soprano saxophone.
• Lucienne Purcell - Vocals.
• Mick Hanly - Guitar (Bonus track). (*)

Recorded and mixed at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin.
Produced by Dónal Lunny.
Engineered by Brian Masterson.
(*) Bonus track recorded live at 'The 4th Irish Folk Festival' in Germany on April 30, 1977.

• Rainy Sundays... Windy Dreams, by Andy Irvine.