Christy Moore

[fox69]

"Rory Is Gone"

"Rory Is Gone"


And Rory's gone
To play the blues in heaven
Above the clouds
With all the angels singing there
His records scratched
Like his beaten-up old Fender
But the songs are strong
And the notes hang in the air
Gone with Steve Ray
And Jessie Ed Davis
They died too young
And much too premature
Another rock'n'roller
Gone but not forgotten
As his old guitar still mourns and plays
And wails and screams the blues
It sings for Mississippi Fred
And Muddy Waters
Son House, Sleepy John
And the Nighthawk too
Blacks, whites, blues and greens
All the colours mixed together
Now Rory's gone to Heaven
Since Rory's gone to Heaven
To play the blues
And Rory's gone to play
The blues in Heaven
And Rory's gone to Heaven
To play the blues

 

[fox69]

"Rose Of Tralee / Me And The Rose"

"Rose Of Tralee / Me And The Rose"


Listen for a while and I'll tell you the story
Of how I fell in love with the Rose of Tralee

It was about five o'clock in the morning, ladies and gentlemen
I was only after gettin' off the mail boat
I was walking down the North Wall
Minding me own business
With me suitcase under me arm
Sitting down every minute
Till a voice behind me went
Hello, hello, hello
Where do you think you're going
At this hour of the morning?

I turned around, ladies and gentlemen
And who do you think was standin' behind me
Only the Rose of Tralee
And she wearin' a grand new blue Ban Gardaí's uniform
I thought she was a super
How's it going there Rose
Jaysus girleen the last time I saw you
Was down below there in The Dome
Upstairs in the tent with Gaybo in the Pretty Polly tights
And all them beauty queens from
Tashkent, Istanbul, Bangkok and Liverpool and...
How's she cuttin' there Rose...
Can you account for your movements...
Ah Rose, there's no need to be like that
But I can give you all the movements you want
You'd better sharpen your pencil
You're goin' to be busy little woman
Christy's got a memory like a super-grass
I can remember things that never happened at all

The first thing I can remember
Is the 7th of May 1945
At the back of Donnelly's Hollow
The night before
Pa Connolly drove the Roadstone lorry
Into the Seven Springs
And St. Brigid started rollin' out the Tintawn
Across the Curragh of Kildare
Then I woke up one morning
It was after gettin' conscripted into the altar boys
I was ringin' the bells and swingin' the thurible
Sure the smell of the incense
Would remind you of the inside of an Arab's tent
And no sign of Ghaddafi nowhere
In those days Down in Newbridge Co. Kildare
An altar boy would get a pound for a funeral
Two pound for a wedding
And a good kick up in the arse
If he didn't put enough wine in the chalice
At he early mass
Ah! "Ita Missa Est" says Rose
"Gloria Tibi Domine" says I
I didn't know you had to have the Latin
To get into Templemore
I love to hear the old bit of Latin
The old Tridentine
"Kyrie Eleison"
I can't stand them Folk Masses
All them trendy priests
Trippin' over each other
To sing ballads at half time in the Bingo
Sure the Nine First Fridays never killed anyone

Well! The next thing I knew, Rose
I was servin' me time to be
A corner boy up in the Curragh Camp
I was trying to teach the sheep how to talk Irish
Then I got a job selling lambs balls to mushroom farmers
That couldn't afford horseshite
One day I was walkin' across the Curragh of Kildare
And I fell into an officer's mess
I ended up in the F.C.A.
Squarebashin' around the wet canteen
Until the commanding officer heard
That me Granny once confessed
To a fellow whose
Sister's brother in law was
Married to a man whose
First cousin used to fill
Hot water bottles for Patrick Sarsfield
Before the battle of Clongorey
I had to go on the run

Gubu gubu...

I ran so fast that I ended up in Paddington
A million miles away from The Land Of saints and scholars
I was

Diggin' Footins Scrapin' Pots
Pullin' cable Startin' Drotts
Boilin' Kettles Makin' Tea
Diggin' Deep Rose and Thrown Away

I was a disposable Paddy
Servin' me time to be a
Co-Pilot on a kango hammer in Shepherd's Bush
Doin' 86 MPH on a JCB down the Kilburn High Road
When the SPG flagged me down and held me under the PTA
Until I got away and went underground with the Green Murphy
One Thursday night I was headin' down the Hammersmith Broadway
I met a friend of mine from Ballaghadereenin the Co. Roscommon
Who was a demolition expert - Georgian houses were his speciality
Any chance for a start? What would you know about demolition?
Well, Monday mornin' came myself, Roger Sherlock, Liam Farrell, Martin Byrnes, Raymond Roland Tony Rohr
We was paintin' a door
We gave her six coats and three coats more, that was just the undercoat
The ganger was fond of a tune-Thursday never came too soon
We were gettin' five pounds a day and all we could ate
But it's an awful job Tryin' to eat all day
To make a long story short, Rose
I went lookin' for digs
I went up and knocked at the door, this big English woman comes out
Took one look at me and she went
Get away from my door sez she
There'll be absolutely no blacks nor paddies gettin' in here'
So I let on I was a white South African
And I tried to join the British Army to better myself
I volunteered as sub-contractor buildin' houses with no doors nor handles on them
The recruiting officer says to me
'What ye bin doin' lately then, Paddy?

I was helpin' O'Brien to shift it Sir says I
Before that I was spreadin' the toxic all over the Golden Vale
Helpin' Mr. Gallagher cover Stephen's Green in concrete Sir
Helpin' Sam Stevenson block all the daylight out of Dublin
Helpin' Dr. Smurfit relocate the Liffey
Helpin' Lord O'Reilly to count the golden beans
I was dolin' out the Diddly-Eye for Dr. Darragh
Puttin' in the bugs for Cathaoirleach
Vacuum packin' T-Bone steaks for Larry Maith an Fear seekin' out the heart of the Green Core
Bejasus Paddy you're overqualified for the British Army
I'm afraid I'll have to deport you out of England
Total exclusion
And he did

Here I am, Rose
Ar ais arís
This is some welcome for a returned immigrant
Céad Míle Fáilte my arse
With your pioneer pin and your fáinne
And your white star for not cursing
Jaysus, it would be more in your line to give me a lift in the squad car into town
And she did

There wew were Cruisin' down Capel Street in the White Squad
Looking for the Early Morning House
Will ye look Rose There's Paddy Slattery
'You're welcome home, Christy', says Paddy
Big Slate!
'I suppose you and your girlfriend are looking for a drink'
Well, off came the cap. She flung it into the back seat of the squad
And in with her like a bat out a hell
'I'll have a Brandy with a small drop of Port I never drink pints when I'm on duty'
Brandy and Port!
T'was like throwin' water into a barrel of sawdust
She lowered it up and of course... No wallet
Roll on the Holy Hour', says I
I'll see you tonight sez she 'twill be my twist'

Ladies and gentlemen, there I was outside the GPO waitin' for
The most beautiful Kerry woman in the whole wide world
Here she comes, Holy Mother of Sweet Divine Jesus in Heaven would you ever look at that...
Sashaying down the Boulevardin her Doc's and her 501's
Hey Rose! Over here...
'What's on your mind big fellah' says she to me
I was wearin' me platforms
I wouldn't mind a bit of a dance, Rose
She took me to a discoin the Gardai club in Harcourt Street
Le Baton Rouge... A tidy little spot up Harcourt Street
Watch out for the quadruple parking, bald tyres and no tax discs
In there... Wall to wall moustaches, gay bikers on acid
Myself and the Rose of Tralee danced the night away
Until about five O'clock in the morning when says she to me
'Fancy comin' back to my place then Lofty?'
Does a bear shite in the woods?

Away with us, me hangin' out of her on the back of the Honda50
Up through Rathmines and Rathgar into Ranelagh
Pullin' into the 24-7 open 9-11, 6 days a week
Two donor kebabs and the Leinster Leader
Up to her place then
Two up, two down
She pulled the cork out of the Blue Nun
And I got sick all over the Rottweiler
And she put some music on
Lovely new CD., Daniel
"Oh then fare thee well sweet Donegal
The Roses and Gweedore"
Oh Rose. Oh Daniel
Ah here, I suppose a rasher sandwiches out of the question?

That's how I met up with The Rose of Tralee

 

[fox69]

"Sacco & Vanzetti"
(originally by Woody Guthrie)

"Sacco & Vanzetti"
(originally by Woody Guthrie)



Oh say there, did you here the news? Sacco worked at trimming shoes
Vanzetti was a travelling man, pushed his cart round with his hand
Two good men's a long time gone. Sacco and Vanzetti are gone
Two good men's a long time gone. They left me here to sing this song

Sacco was born across the sea, somewhere over in Italy
Vanzetti born of parents fine, drank the best Italian wine
Sacco sailed the sea one day, landed over in the Boston bay
Vanzetti sailed the ocean blue, landed up in Boston too
Two good men's a long time gone. Sacco and Vanzetti are gone
Two good men's a long time gone. They left me here to sing this song

Sacco was a family man, Sacco's wife three children had
Vanzetti was a dreaming man, his books were always in his hand
Sacco made his bread and butter being the factory's best shoe cutter
Vanzetti worked both day and night, showed the workers how to fight
Two good men's a long time gone. Sacco and Vanzetti are gone
Two good men's a long time gone. They left me here to sing this song

I'll tell you if you ask me about the pay-roll robbery
Two clerks were shot in the shoe factory down the streets of old Braintree
I'll tell you the prosecutors' names: Katman, Admans, Williams, Kane
Them and the judge were the best of friends. Did more tricks than circus clowns
The judge he told his friends around. He'd put them rebels down
Communist bastards was the name the judge he gave these two fine men
Two good men's a long time gone. Sacco and Vanzetti are gone
Two good men's a long time gone. They left me here to sing this song

Vanzetti docked in '98. Slept along a dirty street
Showed the people how to organize. Now in the electric chair he dies
All us people ought to be like Sacco and Vanzetti
Every day find ways to fight on the union side for the workers' right
Two good men's a long time gone. Sacco and Vanzetti are gone
Two good men's a long time gone. They left me here to sing this song

I ain't got time to tell the tales because the branch and the bulls are on my tail
I won't forget these men who died to show us people how to live
All you people in window lane sing this song and sing it plain
Everybody here tonight singing this song we'll get it right
Two good men's a long time gone. Sacco and Vanzetti are gone
Two good men's a long time gone. They left me here to sing this song

 

[fox69]

"Scallcrows"

"Scallcrows"


Sunday morning you've a page to fill
You gather grist to grind your mill
Seek a pot to dip your quill
Sacrifice all candour

Your pointed beaks as sharp as knives
As you tear strips off peoples lives
Buzzing like bluebottle flies
Among the dead and wounded

Scallcrows
You're only Scallcrows
Scallcrows
Vultures, Dirtbirds and Scallcrows

Attracted by the lure of stars
You lurk around expensive bars
Seeking rumours swapping jars
Down among the posers

Sunday morning I can hear the sound
It's the Scallcrows flocking around
Seeking prey that must be found
To satisfy the hunger

 

[fox69]

"Scapegoats"

"Scapegoats"


Hugh Callaghan, Paddy Hill, Gerry Hunter, Johnny Walker
Billy Power, Dick McIlkenny that's their names
Five men playing poker on the Heysham train
Fate was dealing them a cruel hand
Hugh Callaghan walked home through the evening rain
Not knowing what lay in store for him
You find traces of nitro on cigarettes and matches
On Formica tabletops and on decks of playing cards
When forensics found traces on the hands of these six men
The police drove up from Birmingham
Hoping the case was closed
Have you ever seen the mug shots that were taken
After 48 hours in custody
Battered and bruised, haunted looks upon their faces
The judge accepted they confessed willingly
Please take another look at what you see
If you tell me my family are being terrorised
Keep me awake for six days and nights confused and terrified
In the lonely dark of night I will swear that black is white
If you'll just let me lay down and close my eyes
Ill sign anything if you let me close my eyes
Scales of justice balance up your act
Am I talking to myself or to the wall?
Hugh Callaghan, Paddy Hill, Gerry Hunter, Johnny Walker
Billy Power, Dick McIlkenny scapegoats all
For 16 years they were taking to the wall

 

[fox69]

"Scariff Martyrs"

"Scariff Martyrs"


The dreadful news through Ireland has spread from shore to shore
Such a deed no living man has ever heard before
The deeds of Cromwell in his time I'm sure no worse could do
Than them Black and Tans that murdered those four youths in Killaloe

Three of the four were on the run and searched for all around
Until with this brave Egan in Williamstown was found
They questioned him and tortured him but to his comrades he proved true
And because he would not tell their whereabouts he was shot in Killaloe

On the twelfth day of November the day that they were found
Sold and traced through Galway to that house near Williamstown
They never got a fighting chance but were captured while asleep
And the way that they ill-treated them would cause your blood to creep

The hackled them both hands and feet with twines they could not break
And brought them down to Killaloe by steamer on the lake
Without clergy judge or jury on the bridge they shot them down
And their blood flowed with the Shannon convenient to the town

After three days of perseverance their bodies they let go
And ten pm the funeral passed through Ogonnolloe
They were kept in Scariff chapel for two nights and a day
Now in that place of rest they lie, kind people for them pray

If you were at the funeral it was an awful sight
To see four hundred clergymen and they all dressed up in white
Such a sight as these four martyrs in one grave was never seen
They died to save the flag of love the orange white and green

Now that they are dead and gone I hope in peace they'll rest
Like all young Irish martyrs, forever among the blessed
The day will come when all will know who sold their lives away
Of young McMahon and Rogers, brave Egan and Kildea

 

[fox69]

"Section 31"

"Section 31"


Who are they to decide what we should hear?
Who are they to decide what we should see?
What do they think we can't comprehend here?
What do they fear that our reaction might be, might be?

Section 31 on the TV
Section 31 on the radio
Section 31 is like a blindfold
Section 31 makes me feel cold, feel cold

The pounding of the footsteps in the early morning light
Another family waking to an awful deadly fright
There's a body on the pavement with a bullet to the jaw
A thirteen-year-old victim of plastic bullet law

The silence in my ears, the darkness in my eyes
Heightens the fear, deafens the cries
Of another brother taken in another act of hate
A family preparing for another dreadful wait

Section 31 on the TV
Section 31 on the radio
Section 31 is like a blindfold
Section 31 makes me feel cold, feel cold

 

[fox69]

"Smoke & Strong Whiskey"

"Smoke & Strong Whiskey"


Kids wear white garters, and smell like their mothers
Whose husbands and fathers alike
Drink black beer in the same public houses
Smelling of smoke and strong whiskey

Mammies and daddies, skipping ropes
Lectures from priests, living in hope
That they've not mistaken the brand of their coats
They've paid for by spiritual teachings

A busy year this, streets running red
How many sent to their nuptial bed
How many sent home to a winter of graves
How many wait in for the slaughter

It's Easter again, and we cannot forget
Our brothers and sisters and all that was said
So practise your pipes, stand proud in the wet
For the eyes of the world are upon you

Oh, oh, the holy ground
Céad mile failte, there's saints and there's scholars to see
Oh, oh, the holy ground
Faraway hills ain't as green as they once used to be

Seventeen years, Kelly is a man
Who stands on the street with a gun in his hand
He's protecting the pipers that play in the band
While the enemy waits with an army

God in his mercy has given us men
To lead us to peace but they can't bring an end
To the profits that pay off the lease on the land
We're still sending them over the water

Dia le hÉireann, suckle the empire
Dia le hÉireann, suffer the loss
Of the green and the blue while the media feeds
On the blood and the pain and the hatred

Father walks home on a colourless night
The organization has blinded his sight
His wife and his kids are sleeping tonight
In the arms of sweet Jesus and Mary

 

[fox69]

"So Do I"

"So Do I"


This is the day the fisherman likes
And so do I
When the rain puts a shine on the chestnut spikes
Hear the curlews cry
The nightingale sings her best
We'll drink a pint in hamilton's rest
And the girl I love wore a muslin dress
The fisherman dream of the sun in the west
And so do I
And so do I

Now I can see
Since the girl I love dearly
Has cast her loving spell on me

This is the day the cuckoo likes
And so do I
When the hills fall down in different shapes
And the swallows fly
To a hidden beach where boats can't go
Mountain rivers overflow
I hear the squealin' of the seagulls
As off home they go
And so do I
And so do I

Now I can see
Since the girl I love dearly
Has cast her loving spell on me

I'll cross the seven oceans
Forever more I'll wander
Till she has cast her loving spell on me

This is the day the fisherman likes
And so do I
When the rain puts a shine on the chestnut spikes
Hear the curlews cry
The nightingale sings her best
We'll drink a pint in hamilton's rest
And the girl I love wore a muslin dress
The fishermen dream of the sum in the west
And so do I
And so do I

And so do I
And so do I

 

[fox69]

"Sonny's Dream"

"Sonny's Dream"


Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home
Nights are so long, silence goes on
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong

Sonny lives on a farm, in a wide open space
Take off your shoes, stay out of the race
Lay down your head, on a soft river bed
Sonny always remembers the words Mamma says

Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home
Nights are so long, silence goes on
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong

Sonny works on the land, though he's barely a man
There's not much to do but he does what he can
Sits by his window in his room by the stairs
Watching the waves gently wash on the pier

Many years have rolled on, Sonny's old and alone
His Daddy the sailor, never came home
Sometimes he wonders what his life might have been
But from the grave Mamma still haunts his dreams

Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home
Nights are so long, silence goes on
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong
Sonny don't go away