Christy Moore

[fox69]

"Continental Céilí"

"Continental Céilí"


Over in McCann's there's a grand type of danceband
A-playing and they're spinnin' out the Continental Céilí
They're comin' in their cars from the bars over in Leitir and Killane
Just to hear the famous Gunther Reynolds playing
Out the Star of Munster with Hans O'Donoghue
Neatly tappin' out a tango on the spoons
Such commotion will act like a lotion on the struttin'
At the Continental Céilí tonight

Wolfgang's playing on the comb, someone shouts at him go home
Klaus is playin' a slow air on the bodhrán
Quinn from Corofin his fiddle tucked beneath his chin
Ssh! He's going to play the Bucks of Oranmore now
And an old-fashioned lady begins to sing a song
Ah! Lads a bit of order over there
Clarinbridge for the chowder, keep your powder dry
For the Continental Céilí tonight

Ciarán closing his eyes pretends he's in disguise
When he sees and old flame comin' over
He's singing for the Swedes in their tweeds doin' all he can to please
The night's at such a delicate stage
Later on he'll give an audience to one of them or two
He'll sing the the Dyin' Swan to touch their feelings
Tonight's his night and tomorrow night will be just the same

Ada let me out to the bar where the boys are goin' far
And they're spinnin' out the Continental Céilí
Never mind the liquor, the music's in my soul
So long as I can hear the band a-playin'
The pipes and the flutes and the fiddles are in tune
Whoo! I'd love to meet a European girl
Ada now me head is goin' light and the band is playin' tight
At the Continental Céilí tonight

All the publicans are there, 'tis like a hirin' fair
Tryin' to figure out how much McCann is makin'
To keep their pubs outta Stubbs they're lashin' out big subs
In a burst of fierce anticipation
Moguls from Muckhill are starin' at the till
Tryin' to get the lowdown on the line-up
They'll be buyin' free porter for the members of the band
At the Continental Céilí tonight

Over in McCann's there's a grand type of danceband
A-playing and they're spinnin' out the Continental Céilí
They're comin' in their cars from the bars over in Leitir and Killane
Just to hear the famous Gunther Reynolds playing
Out the Star of Munster with Hans O'Donoghue
Neatly tappin' out a tango on the spoons
Such commotion will act like a lotion on the struttin'
At the Continental Céilí tonight

Over in McCann's there's a grand type of danceband
A-playing and they're spinnin' out the Continental Céilí
They're comin' in their cars from the bars over in Leitir and Killane
Just to hear the famous Gunther Reynolds playing
Out the Star of Munster with Hans O'Donoghue
Neatly tappin' out a tango on the spoons
Such commotion will act like a lotion on the struttin'
At the Continental Céilí tonight
At the Continental Céilí tonight

 

[fox69]

"Cricklewood"

"Cricklewood"


Come all you true born Irishmen and listen to my song
I am a bold buck navvy and I don't know right from wrong
Of late I've been transported from Ireland's holy shore
My case is sad my crime is bad I was born poor

Cricklewood Cricklewood
You stole my youth away
I was young and innocent
You were old and grey

If you are born poor me lads it is a shocking state
The judge will sit upon your crime and this he will relate
I find the prisoner guilty and the law I must lay down
Let him be transported straight away to Camden Town

Take him down to Cricklewood and leave him in the pub
Call the barman landlord then propose to him a sub
Leave him down in Cricklewood mid mortar bricks and lime
Let him rot in Cricklewood until the end of time

 

[fox69]

"Cry Like A Man"

"Cry Like A Man"


Take a look around you, how much longer can you live this way
Trash on the floor from weeks before, just gets deeper by the day
Cant let go of that foolish pride, you keep it locked up inside
Time to face the pain, stand up and cry like a man

There's no one left to blame now, she had her reason why she had to go
The feelings you hid the love you couldn't give kept her from touchin' your soul
You got to break down that fortress inside and surrender to the tears in your eyes
You'll never be free again til you cry like a man

So stand up and cry like a man
Stand up and cry
...

You know she's gone for good now, your love is torn beyond repair
There's not a trace of a tear on your face, there ought to be some there
Those deep emotions you keep in the dark, if you don't let them out there goin' to freeze up your heart
You'll never be in love again til you cry like a man

So stand up and cry like a man
Stand up and cry
...

 

[fox69]

"Cúnla"

"Cúnla"


Who is that there knocking the window pane
Who is that there knocking the window pane
Who is that there knocking the window pane
Only me says Cúnla
Cúnla dear, don't come any near to me
Cúnla dear, don't come any near to me
Cúnla dear, don't come any near to me
Maybe's I shouldn't says Cúnla
Who is that there tickling the toes of me
Only me says Cúnla
Who is that there tickling the thighs of me
Only me says Cúnla
Who is that there taking the clothes off me
Only me says Cúnla

 

[fox69]

"Curragh Of Kildare"

"Curragh Of Kildare"


The winter it has passed
And the summer's come at last
The small birds are singing in the trees
And their little hearts are glad
Ah, but mine is very sad
Since my true love is far away from me

And straight I will repair
To the Curragh of Kildare
For it's there I'll finds tidings of my dear

The rose upon the briar
By the water's running clear
Brings joy to the linnet and the bee
And their little hearts are blessed
But mine can know no rest
Since my true love is far away from me

A livery I'll wear
And I'll comb back my hair
And in velvet so green I will appear
And straight I will repair
To the Curragh of Kildare
For its there I'll find tidings of my dear

All you who are in love
Aye and cannot it remove
I pity the pain that you endure
For experience lets me know
That your hearts are filled with woe
It's a woe that no mortal can cure

 

[fox69]

"Delirium Tremens"

"Delirium Tremens"


I dreamt a dream the other night I couldn't sleep a wink
The rats were tryin' to count the sheep and I was off the drink
There were footsteps in the parlour and voices on the stairs
I was climbin' up the walls and movin' round the chairs
I looked out from under the blanket up at the fireplace
The Pope and John F. Kennedy were starin' in me face
Suddenly it dawned at me I was getting the old D.T.s
When the Child o' Prague began to dance around the mantlepiece

Goodbye to the Port and Brandy, to the Vodka and the Stag
To the Schmiddick and the Harpic, the bottled draught and keg
As I sat lookin' up the Guinness ad I could never figure out
How your man stayed up on the surfboard after 14 pints of stout

Well I swore upon the bible I'd never touch a drop
My heart was palpitatin' I was sure 'twas going to stop
Thinkin' I was dyin' I gave my soul to God to keep
A tenner to St. Anthony to help me get some sleep
I fell into an awful nightmare, got a dreadful shock
When I dreamt there was no Duty-free at the airport down in Knock
George Seawright was sayin' the rosary and SPUC were on the pill
Frank Patterson was gargled and he singin' Spancil Hill

Goodbye to the Port and Brandy, to the Vodka and the Stag
To the Schmiddick and the Harpic, the bottled draught and keg
As I sat lookin' up the Guinness ad I could never figure out
How your man stayed up on the surfboard after 14 pints of stout

I dreamt that Mr. Haughey had recaptured Crossmaglen
Then Garret got re-elected and gave it back again
Dick Spring and Roger Casement were on board the Marita-Ann
As she sailed into Fenit they were singin' Banna Strand
I dreamt Archbishop McNamara was on Spike Island for 3 nights
Havin' been arrested for supportin' Traveller's rights
I dreamt that Ruairi Quinn was smokin' marijuana in the Dail
Barry Desmond handin' Frenchies out to scuts in Fianna Fail

Goodbye to the Port and Brandy, to the Vodka and the Stag
To the Schmiddick and the Harpic, the bottled draught and keg
As I sat lookin' up the Guinness ad I could never figure out
How your man stayed up on the surfboard after 14 pints of stout

I dreamt of Nell McCafferty and Mary Kenny too
The things that we got up to, but I'm not tellin' you
I dreamt I was in a jacuzzi along with Alice Glenn
Then I knew I'd never ever, ever drink again

Goodbye to the Port and Brandy, to the Vodka and the Stag
To the Schmiddick and the Harpic, the bottled draught and keg
As I sat lookin' up the Guinness ad I could never figure out
How your man stayed up on the surfboard after 14 pints of stout
...

 

[fox69]

"Derby Day"

"Derby Day"


Bishop walked in circles inside the cloistered wall
Pondering in solitude on leather soles
Just outside the palace down on his wretched knees
Husband begged for whiskey beneath the lilac trees

Over in the courthouse Judge sat wrestling with a yawn
Wondering would the gardener pluck the daisies off the lawn
Annoyed and irritated by a "guilty" woman's whine
Poor wife pleading innocence to an alleged crime

Next day was a Derby Day down on the Curragh plains
Dry old men of cloth and silk watched the sport of kings
Meanwhile back down the town a husband battered down the door
Beat his wife around the face and kicked her to the floor

Husband took his own life, wife passed away
Judge donned his veil of sorrow, put the children into care
They became God's little orphans, learned to serve and to obey
To be unobtrusive when Bishop knelt to pray

 

[fox69]

"Don't Forget Your Shovel"

"Don't Forget Your Shovel"


Don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work
Oh don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work
Don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work
Or you'll end up where you came from like the rest of us
Diggin', diggin', diggin'...

And don't forget your shoes and socks and shirt and tie and all
Don't forget your shoes and socks and shirt and tie and all
Mr murphy's afraid you'll make a claim if you take a fall
("How's it goin'" "not too bad")

And we want to go to heaven but we're always diggin' holes
We want to go to heaven but we're always diggin' holes
Yeah we want to go to heaven but we're always diggin' holes
Well there's one thing you can say... we know where we are goin'
("Any chance of a start?" "no" "okay")

And if you want to do it... don't you do it against the wall
If you want to do it... don't you do it against the wall
Never seen a toilet on a building site at all
There's a shed up in the corner where they won't see you at all
("Mind your sandwiches")

Enoch Powell will give us a job, diggin' our way to annascaul
Enoch Powell will give us a job, diggin' our way to annascaul
Enoch Powell will give us a job, diggin' our way to annascaul
And when we're finished diggin' there they'll close the hole and all

Now there's six thousand five hundred and fifty-nine paddies
Over there in London all trying to dig their way back to annascaul
And very few of them boys is going to get back at all
I think that's terrible

Don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work
Don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work
Oh, don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work
Or you'll end up where you came from like the rest of us
Diggin', diggin', diggin'...

 

[fox69]

"Dunlavin Green"

"Dunlavin Green"


In the year of one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight
A sorrowful tale the truth unto you I'll relate
Of thirty-six heroes to the world they were left to be seen
By a false information they were shot on Dunlavin Green

Bad luck to you Saunders their lives you sold away
You said a parade would be held on that very day
The drums they did rattle and the fifes they did sweetly play
Surrounded we were and quietly marched away

Quite easily they led us as prisoners through the town
To be shot on the plain we then were forced to lie down
Such grief and such sorrow in one place was ne'er before seen
As when the blood ran in streams down the dykes of Dunlavin Green

There is young Andy Ryan he has plenty of cause to complain
Likewise the two Duffy's who were shot down on the plain
And young Mattie Farrell whose mother distracted will run
For the loss of her own darling boy her eldest son

Bad luck to you Saunders bad luck may you never shun
That the widow's curse might melt you like snow in the sun
The cries of those orphans whose murmurs you shall never sheen
For the loss of their own dear fathers who died on the green

Some of our boys to the hills they have run away
Some of them have been shot and more have run off to sea
Michael Dwyer of the mountain has plenty of cause for the spleen
For the loss of his own dear comrades who died on the green

 

[fox69]

"El Salvador"

"El Salvador"


A girl cries in the early morning
Woken by the sound of a gun
She knows somewhere somebody's dying
Beneath the rising sun
Outside the window of her cabaña
The shadows are full of her fears
She knows her lover is out there somewhere
He's been on the run for a year

Oh, the soul of El Salvador

The bells ring out in the chapel steeple
A priest prepares to say mass
The sad congregation come tired and hungry
To pray that troubles will pass
Meanwhile the sun rises over the dusty streets
Where the crowd gathers round
Flies and mosquitoes are drinking from pools of blood
Where his body is found

Oh, the soul of El Salvador

Out on the ranch the rich man's preparing
To go for his morning ride
They've saddled his horse out in the corral
He walks out full of pride
He looks like a cowboy in one of those pictures
A president made in the past
Peasants in rags, they stand back for they know
That El Rico gallops fast

Over the soul of El Salvador