Christy Moore

[fox69]

"The Siren's Voice"

"The Siren's Voice"


Somalia, Somalia...
She picked up a handful of earth and kissing it, she cried
"The song of our village has come to an end"...
Then she heard the sirens voice
And the sirens voice was singing
Island of the welcomes. One hundred thousand welcomes
Christian holy island. One hundred thousand welcomes
Land of the Holy Fathers. One hundred thousand welcomes
Land of Saints and scholars. One hundred thousand welcomes
Ancient city of the deep lagoon. Céad míle fáilte
Heart of The Rowl. Céad míle fáilte
Dublin city of the rare auld times. Céad míle fáilte
Where the green snot river flows. Céad míle fáilte
Again she heard the sirens voice
And the sirens voice was singing
Black life, white life, pro-life
Black life, white life, pro-life
Black lies, white lies, no life
Again she heard the sirens voice
And the sirens voice was singing
No niggers or knackers or wogs, no refugees
No Día is Muire, sez she
And no divorce in Heaven, sez she, no refugees
Céad míle fáilte
A míle fáilte my arse, sez she
Míle fáilte my arse
Living off our land
Living off our land
Living of our hard earned surplus
Creating housing shortages and unemployment
Living off our land
They're coming here to save us
Saving the white babies
They're coming here to save us
Saving white babies souls
The sirens voice was heard

 

[fox69]

"The Song Of Wandering Aongus"

"The Song Of Wandering Aongus"


I went down to the Hazelwood
Because a fire was in my head
I cut and peeled a hazel wand
And hooked a berry to a thread
And when white moths were on the wing
And moth like stars were flickering out
I put the berry in a stream
And hooked a little silver trout

When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire aflame
But something rustled on the floor
And someone called me by my name
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded in the brightening air

Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands
I will find out where she has gone
And kiss her lips and hold her hands
And walk among long dappled grass
And pluck till time and times are done
The silver apples of the moon
The golden apples of the sun

 

[fox69]

"The Sun Is Burning"

"The Sun Is Burning"


The sun is burning in the sky
Strands of clouds go slowly drifting by
In the park the dreamy bees
Are droning in the flowers, among the trees
And the sun burns in the sky

Now the sun is in the west
Little babes lay down to take their rest
And the couples in the park
Are holdin' hands and waitin' for the dark
And the sun is in the west

Now the sun is sinking low
Children playin' know it's time to go
High above a spot appears
A little blossom blooms and then draws near
And the sun is sinking low

Now the sun has come to Earth
Shrouded in a mushroom cloud of death
Death comes in a blinding flash
Of hellish heat and leaves a smear of ash
And the sun has come to Earth

Now the sun has disappeared
All that's left is darkness, pain, and fear
Twisted, sightless wrecks of men
Go crying on their knees and cry in pain
And the sun has disappeared

 

[fox69]

"The Time Has Come"

"The Time Has Come"


The time has come to part, my love
I must go away
I leave you now, my darling girl
No longer can I stay

My heart like yours is breaking
Together we'll prove strong
The road I take will show the world
The suffering that goes on

The gentle clasp that holds my hand
Must loosen and let go
Please help me through the door
Though instinct tells you no

Our vow it is eternal
And will bring you dreadful pain
But if our demands aren't recognized
Don't call me back again

How their sorrow touched us all
In those final days
When it was the time she held the door
And touched his sallow face

The flame he lit by leaving
Is still burning strong
By the lights it's plain to see
The suffering still goes on

The time has come to part, my love
I must go away
I leave you now, my darling girl
No longer can I stay

 

[fox69]

"The Two Conneeleys"

"The Two Conneeleys"


Hear the Atlantic seethe and swell
And hear the lonely chapel bell
God save their souls and mind them well
The two fishermen Conneeley

Yesterday at half past four
They pushed their currach from the shore
One took the net while one took the oar
The two fishermen Conneeleys

From Connor's fort and from Synge's chair
Towards Inis Mor and Inis Iarr
They scour the sea in silent prayer
As they go searching for their neighbours

Dia Diobh a beirt iascari brea
Nach mbeidh ar ais ar barr an tra
Go mbeidh sibh sona sasta ar neamh
Tomas agus Sean O'Conghaile

Draw the seaweed up the hill
And sow potatoes in the drill
Try to understand God's will
And the loss of the two Conneeleys

 

[fox69]

"The Voyage"

"The Voyage"


I am a sailor, you're my first mate
We signed on together, we coupled our fate
Hauled up our anchor, determined not to fail
For the hearts treasure, together we set sail

With no maps to guide us we steered our own course
Rode out the storms when the winds were gale force
Sat out the doldrums in patience and hope
Working together we learned how to cope

Life is an ocean and love is a boat
In troubled water that keeps us afloat
When we started the voyage, there was just me and you
Now gathered round us, we have our own crew

Together we're in this relationship
We built it with care to last the whole trip
Our true destination's not marked on any charts
We're navigating to the shores of the heart

 

[fox69]

"The Well"

"The Well"


Everybody knew, but nobody said...

Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

A gentleman was passing by
And he asked for a drink as he was dry
At the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

My cup is full up to the brim
And if I were to stoop I might fall in
At the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

If your true love was passing by
You'd fill him a drink if he was dry
At the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

She swore by grass, she swore by corn
Her true love had never been born
At the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

He said to her you're swearing wrong
Six fine children you've had born
At the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

If you be a man of noble fame
You'll tell to me the father of them
At the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

There's one of them by your brother John
At the well below the valley-o
One of them by your Uncle Don
At the well below the valley-o
Two of them by your father dear
At the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

If you be a man of noble fame
You'll tell to me what did happen to them
At the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

There's one of them buried beneath the tree
At the well below the valley-o
Another two buried beneath the stone
At the well below the valley-o
Two of them outside the graveyard wall
At the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

If you be a man of noble fame
You'll tell to me what will happen myself
At the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

You'll be seven years a-ringing a bell
At the well below the valley-o
And seven years a-burning in hell
At the well below the valley-o

I'll be seven years a-ringing a bell
But the Lord above may save my soul
From burning in hell at the well below the valley-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o
Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o

 

[fox69]

"The Wicklow Boy"

"The Wicklow Boy"


As I walked past Portlaoise Prison
"I'm innocent", a voice was heard to say
"My frame-up is almost completed
My people all look the other way"
Seven years ago his torture started
A forced confession he was made to sign
Young Irish men specially trained and chosen
Were on the heavy gang that made him run the line
Others in the Bridewell heard him screaming
Even prison doctors could see
His injuries were not self-inflicted
Those who tipped the scales did not agree
Give the Wicklow Boy his freedom
Give him back his liberty
Ore are we going to leave him in chains
While those who framed him up hold the key?
Deprived of human rights by his own people
Sickened by injustice he jumped bail
In the Appalachian Mountains found a welcome
Till his co-accused were both released from jail
He came back expecting to get justice
Special Branch took him from the plane
For five years we've deprived him of his freedom
The guilty jeer the innocent again
Give the Wicklow Boy his freedom
Give him back his liberty
Ore are we going to leave him in chains
While those who framed him up hold the key?
The people versus Kelly was the title
Of the farce we staged at his appeal
Puppets in well rehearsed collusion
I often wonder how these men must feel
As I walked past Portlaoise Prison
Through concrete and steel a whisper came
"My frame-up is almost completed
I'm innocent, Nicky Kelly is my name"
Give the Wicklow Boy his freedom
Give him back his liberty
Ore are we going to leave him in chains
While those who framed him up hold the key?

 

[fox69]

"Tiles And Slabs"

"Tiles And Slabs"


A country artist making tiles
Whilst on a grave slab sleeps a son
Wet clay dug from the earth
Wet stones covering the ground

Earth that buried another woman died, dead and gone
Left a torn lonely boy trying to reconfirm
Trying to reconnect

Trying to know himself and to contact the country
Trying to know himself and to contact the country

Whilst the artist celebrates
Connects and confirms
Contacts the country
Knows herself
Tiles and slabs
Woman and son
Take away
Take a gun
Blow away the blow-in
The blow-in

Kill the mother, kill the child in yourself
Kill the pain
Kill the father and the son and the holy ghost

Kill the pain
Violence from an inner rage buried in the country
Violence from an inner rage buried in the country

 

[fox69]

"Tippin' It Up To Nancy"

"Tippin' It Up To Nancy"


Oh, there's been a woman in our town, a woman you ought know well
She dearly loved her husband and another man twice as well
With me right finnickineerio, me tip finnick a wall
With me right finnickineerio, we're tipping it up to Nancy
She went down to the chemist shop some remedies for to buy
Have you anything in your chemist shop to make me old man blind?
"Give him eggs and marrowbones and make him suck them all
Before he has the last one sucked, he won't see you at all"
She gave him eggs and marrowbones and made him suck them all
Before he had the last one sucked, he couldn't see her at all
If in this world I cannot see, here I cannot stay
I'd drown myself; "Come on," says she, "and I'll show you the way"
She led him to the river, she led him to the brim
But sly enough of Martin, it was him that shoved her in
She swam through the river, she swam through the brine
"Oh Martin, dear Martin. Don't leave me behind"
"Oh Martin, dear Martin. Don't leave me behind"
"Yerra shut up outa that ye silly aul fool, ye know poor Martin is blind"
There's nine in me family and none of them is my own
I wish that each and every man would come and claim his own