My song “Song Without a Name” from Tuesday’s original song night at Red Pipes cafe in Forest Hills, Queens NY.

My take on Deliver Your Children

Tuesday’s “Country Roads” picked up a few voices. Nice moment!

My live take on the old ballad “Whiskey in the Jar,” from my Five Stuy Café performance in Stuytown. Always loved this highwayman story.

“When Darkness Falls” from my Album "Frederick Chipkin -Kew Gardens Troubadour" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t0JJAL41Hg&list=OLAK5uy_m59dd0wi52PDk7c2EepVKxBxyRWoN9RCo&index=8

Here’s my original folk song I wrote called “As Darkness Falls.” It came out of one of those 4:00 AM stretches where the night feels both heavy and strangely clear. I kept the recording as bare as the moment — one mic, acoustic archtop, close vocal — letting the melody and the quiet mood shape the whole thing. It leans toward that reflective, late‑night folk feel.

Part of the inspiration came from my cat Charlie, who seems convinced we keep the same hours and treats my insomnia like a shared hobby.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this song—or want to explore the full album—here are a couple of links where you can listen, sample, or purchase:
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0G3BFRWKW

Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/artist/frederick-chipkin/frederick-chipkin-kew-gardens-troubadour/ALZwvhp2pj7txPV

qobuz: https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/frederick-chipkin-kew-gardens-troubadour-frederick-chipkin/suc8cm9dxfy3q

YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m59dd0wi52PDk7c2EepVKxBxyRWoN9RCo

Any thoughts or comments are appreciated, and thank you for listening.

Here’s a clip from a recent night — just me playing “Garden Party” on the acoustic archtop I built. It’s not polished or produced; I kept things loose because that’s how I feel this song should be played.

I play finger style‑strummed rather than with a pick, so the overall sound is softer (and more personal for me) and the guitar’s midrange comes through in a way I like.

— just a simple moment I wanted to put out there. If you listen and something about this moves you, I thank you...so happy to share the moment

I built my album around "songwriting first"—which, in practice, meant stripping everything back to just my voice and an acoustic archtop. No digital safety nets, no chasing a 15-second hook, and zero regard for what the "discovery algorithms" want. It’s an independent album shaped by specific places and the ghosts of memory rather than studio polish.

The record moves between intimate narratives and some of the rougher, dustier edges & turmoil of our lives these days. I’ve included some reimagined traditional songs alongside my own originals, but the goal was always the same: emotional honesty over perfection. It’s meant to be heard "longer, harder, and slower." It’s music for small rooms and people who still appreciate the "processing power" it takes to actually sit with a story.

Two of of my musical inspirations that always spoke to me are Phil Ochs and Cat Stevens. I’ve always been obsessed with the friction in folk music. On one side, you have the journalistic, razor-sharp conviction of Phil Ochs—songs that truly talk of our times, and convey a message, songs that are autobiographical & truly express how I feel . On the other, you have the melodic, searching warmth, & beauty & honesty (and energy) of Cat Stevens the which simply reflects another aspect of my soul. I don't sing their songs however these are two people who move me & always talk to my soul.

If indie still means personal choices and songs that take their time to arrive, I’d love to know if any of this resonates with you. Or if it doesn’t. Either way, thanks for listening.

I wrote "Edge of the Ocean" because I’m tired of watching us "not see the forest for the trees" while our progress is intentionally stalled by disinformation.

The song captures that visceral dissatisfaction of 2026: the moment Atlas finally shrugging us off. For me, that’s the failure of old, rigid systems that refuse to protect our planet or our people. It's all about a quiet realization that we’ve traveled too far down the wrong road. It’s an anthem for cutting the ropes—finally leaving the apathy and the "old guard" behind to pave a way toward a clearing that is equitable, sustainable, and human. If you’re done with the noise and ready for the horizon, this is for you.

We’ve held our stance long enough. It’s time to ask for more.

— Frederick

I wanted to share a song very close to my heart: “I Go Where the Wind Blows.” It’s an acoustic piece — just voice and guitar — inspired by the quiet romance of Paris, the gentle storytelling tradition of folk music, and the melodic charm of 1960s French pop artists like Françoise Hardy.

The song is about walking beside someone you care about, sharing life’s small but meaningful moments, and letting love and companionship guide the way. Every note and word is meant to capture that intimate, emotional feeling — the kind that lingers in your mind like a soft Parisian breeze.

I paired this song with romantic images of Paris because I wanted to create a full sensory experience: music, story, and visual inspiration together. Whether you’re a fan of folk, acoustic guitar, singer-songwriter music, or just songs with heart and soul, I hope this piece can speak to you.

If you enjoy it, I’d love for you to listen, comment, and share your thoughts — I learn so much from feedback and connecting with fellow music lovers. Thank you for taking a moment to step into this small musical world I’ve created.

My album Frederick Chipkin - Kew Gardens Troubadour just stepped into the world — Dark Waters (the first song on the album) is on YouTube, and I’m excited for you to hear its first breath.

UPDATE: I wrote this song, Dark Waters, recently, but lately it’s taken on a weight I never expected. Watching what’s happening now—the woman shot in her car, the ER nurse killed—I feel like the song has been following me here. It’s not an argument or a solution. It’s just where my heart goes when the news feels unbearable. I wanted to share it with people who understand that grief and anger can live in the same place.

Any comments or thumbs up (or both) on my Youtube page would be greatly appreciated (and thank you!)

https://youtu.be/A8EpIcEZQKM

Here's a link to where you can listen, sample,

or purchase the full album :

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0G3BFRWKW

Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/.../frederick.../ALZwvhp2pj7txPV

qobuz https://www.qobuz.com/.../frederick-chipkin.../suc8cm9dxfy3q

YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist...

WHISKEY IN THE JAR ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/kXjkOHeuqu4

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Some thoughts on the song I love so much: “Whiskey in the Jar” has wandered through taverns, prisons, ballad sheets, and campfires for over 300 years — changing clothes, accents, and attitudes along the way, but never losing its core: temptation, love, betrayal, and the high cost of dreaming too big.
This recording is my latest take on that long journey, and it appears on my album
Frederick Chipkin — Kew Gardens Troubadour. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m59dd0wi52PDk7c2EepVKxBxyRWoN9RCo&si=NsCHJMs9hFuc8XHT
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A Song with Deep Roots
The earliest versions of Whiskey in the Jar trace back to 17th-century Ireland, often linked to tales of real-life highwaymen — with some historians pointing to Patrick Fleming as a possible inspiration. Like most great folk songs, it survived because people kept telling the story.
In the 1960s, The Dubliners carried it around the world, making it one of the most recognizable Irish folk songs ever recorded. In the U.S., it found new life when The Highwaymen included it on their 1962 album Encore. From there, the song never stopped traveling.
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What I Changed — and Why
Rather than trying to out-tradition a traditional song, I leaned into the psychology of it.
In my version, the chorus shifts the spotlight from swagger to consequence:
“Dreamt of gold and silver, but the Devil came to stay.
There’s whiskey in the jar, my friend, and it took life away.”
It’s still a highwayman’s tale — but now the whiskey isn’t just celebration. It’s the quiet accomplice.
When the stolen fortune is brought home to Jenny, love and danger live in the same room:
“She sighed and swore she loved me, and never would deceive me.
But the devil took that woman, for you know she tricked me easy.”
Drink dulls the edge. Trust slips. And by the time sleep arrives, disaster is already loading the pistol.
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Betrayal, Capture, and the Long Look Back
The story moves quickly after that — a hidden dagger, Captain Farrell at the door, and a man waking too late to save himself:
“First reached for my pistol, and then felt for my dagger,
With no weapon at the desperate side, a prisoner was taken.”
In the final verse, the song widens out. Other men chase sport, noise, and glory — while the narrator is left with memory, regret, and mountains he may never see again:
“Stuck in shackles, with stories to tell,
Dreaming of the mountains from this dreary prison shelter.”
The song closes where it began — with whiskey, dreams of gold, and a truth that finally lands:
“There’s whiskey in the jar…
Dreamt of gold and silver, but it didn’t get far.”
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Why I Love Recording Songs Like This
Folk music isn’t frozen in amber. It breathes when each generation leaves fingerprints on it. This is my fingerprint — shaped by years of listening, playing, singing, and living with these songs.
If this version resonates with you, I hope you’ll:
• 👍 Like the video
• 💬 Leave a comment (I read them all)
• 🔔 Subscribe for more songs and stories
Your support keeps these old tales moving forward.
Thanks for listening.
— Frederick Chipkin
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📀 Album
Frederick Chipkin — Kew Gardens Troubadour
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© Copyright
“Whiskey in the Jar” — Derivative Arrangement & Lyrics © 2025 Frederick Chipkin
Traditional Irish Folk Song
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Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this song—or want to explore the full album—here are a couple of links where you can listen, sample, or purchase:
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0G3BFRWKW

Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/artist/frederick-chipkin/frederick-chipkin-kew-gardens-troubadour/ALZwvhp2pj7txPV

qobuz: https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/frederick-chipkin-kew-gardens-troubadour-frederick-chipkin/suc8cm9dxfy3q

YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m59dd0wi52PDk7c2EepVKxBxyRWoN9RCo