Christy Moore started in the music business in the mid-sixties, when his life as a bank clerk was interrupted by a bank strike, and he moved to England. There he became involved in the folk music scene at the time, and spent a few years playing pubs and clubs around the country.
His return to Ireland was marked by the album 'Prosperous', which proved to be a milestone in the rapprochement of Irish music to the popular mainstream. This album benefited from a collaboration of the leading talents of contemporary folk music, musicians such as Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny and Liam O'Flynn, and this one-off was to lead to the formation of Planxty, a band who were soon to be at the leading edge of the revival of Irish traditional music.
Over the following years the musical status of Planxty became legendary both in Ireland, Britain and throughout Europe. However in 1974 the band split up to pursue solo projects. It was during this period that Christy continued to explore new ground as a solo artist recording a number of solo albums including 'The Iron Behind the Velvet' (TARACD2002) which featured Andy Irvine and 'Live in Dublin' (TARACD2005) with Donal Lunny.
The original Planxty lineup of Christy, Andy, Liam and Donal then reformed in 1979. They recorded two further albums with Tara Records 'After the Break' (TARACD3001) and 'The Woman I Loved So Well' (TARACD3005). There were several additions and changes to their lineup most notably the addition of Matt Molloy, flautist from The Bothy Band, who later joined The Chieftains, and Bill Whelan.
In 1981 Planxty performed a Bill Whelan arrangement called 'Timedance' as the intermission piece for the Eurovision song contest, held that year in Ireland. Later it was released as a single and is now included on Bill's CD of 'The Seville Suite' (TARACD3030) released by Tara in 1992.
In the eighties Christy again teamed up with Donal Lunny to form Moving Hearts, another ambitious and innovative Irish band which sought to mix jazz into the folk-rock fusion. Ever the wanderer, Christy was soon breaking out on his own again, and it was in the eighties that he began to establish himself as one of Ireland's leading solo artists with a string of acclaimed albums and high profile tours.
In the mid-nineties Christy decided to take a break from the music for a few years. In the year 2000 Christy return to live performances with a series of Dublin concerts. Over the last few years he has released a number of solo projects including a television series, a live album and a 6 CD boxset.
Allende
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listening to the music on the all night radio show,
The announcer comes on says if you've got ideas I'll file the patent for you,
What's an idea if it's not in the store makin' a buck or two.
We drive to the town but the shutters are down and the all-night restaurant's closed
Its the land of the freedom, we've got booze and T.V. and there's tramps in the telephone booths.
The stars and the trees and the early Spring breeze say forget what assassins have done,
Take our good soil in the palm of your hands and wait for tomorrows sun.
CHORUS.
Its a long way from the heartlands
To Santiago bay
Where the good doctor lies with blood in his eyes
And the bullets read U.S.of A.
A truck driver's wife she has a rough life he spends his life on the road.
Carrying the goods all the copper and wood thats what makes America great,
But the dollars like swallows they fly to the South where they know they've got something to gain,
Allende is killed, and the trucks are soon rolling again.
The nighthawk flies and the owl it cries as we're driving down the road,
The full moon reveals all the houses and fields where good people do what they're told,
Victor Jara he lies with coins in his eyes there's no one around him to mourn,
Who needs a poet who won't take commands who'd rather make love then war.
The song "Allende" by Christy Moore tells a story of a journey across America, filled with observations of its flaws and injustices. The first verse speaks of driving down the road, listening to the all-night radio where an announcement is made about filing patents for ideas. However, the song laments that ideas are useless unless they make money; a reality of capitalism. The town they reach is closed with tramps in the telephone booths, showing the decay of society in some areas of America despite the idea of freedom it promotes. The chorus speaks of the distance between the heartlands of America and Santiago Bay, where Dr. Allende was killed, and the bullets read "U.S. of A." It is a reference to the American involvement in the coup that overthrew the democratically elected president of Chile, Salvador Allende.
The second verse speaks of a truck driver's wife who has a rough life while he spends his life on the road. The trucks carry goods like copper and wood, which contributes to America's greatness, but the song questions the disparity of wealth and how the dollars fly south to enrich the already wealthy. The song then ties Victor Jara's death to Dr. Allende, highlighting their shared destiny of fighting for a better world. The poet's death highlights how anyone who is not obedient to the powers that be becomes a target for elimination. The song's message is clear, despite the apparent affluence and freedom the United States represents, the country is fraught with social inequities and political corruption.
Line by Line Meaning
The nighthawk flies and the owl cries as we're driving down the road.
As we drive down the road, we hear the sounds of the nighthawk and owl, a metaphor for the natural world that has been disrupted by human activity.
Listening to the music on the all night radio show,
The singer is listening to music on the radio, a form of escapism in a world full of problems.
The announcer comes on says if you've got ideas I'll file the patent for you,
The radio announcer offers to patent ideas, but these ideas are only valued if they can be turned into money.
What's an idea if it's not in the store makin' a buck or two.
An idea is worthless if it doesn't make money, a reflection of the materialistic values of society.
We drive to the town but the shutters are down and the all-night restaurant's closed
The town is empty, reflecting a society that has become closed and insular.
Its the land of the freedom, we've got booze and T.V. and there's tramps in the telephone booths.
America is marketed as the land of freedom, but in reality, it is full of people who have been left behind.
The stars and the trees and the early Spring breeze say forget what assassins have done,
Nature remains beautiful despite the violence and destruction caused by human beings, and we should not forget this beauty.
Take our good soil in the palm of your hands and wait for tomorrows sun.
We should value the earth as a precious resource and wait for a better future.
Its a long way from the heartlands To Santiago bay Where the good doctor lies with blood in his eyes And the bullets read U.S.of A.
This line refers to the assassination of Salvador Allende in Chile by the U.S. government, showing the far-reaching impact of American politics on other countries.
A truck driver's wife she has a rough life he spends his life on the road.
The truck driver's life is tough, and he is always on the road, reflecting the reality of a hard-working but underappreciated group of people.
Carrying the goods all the copper and wood thats what makes America great,
The goods being transported by the truck driver are what keep America's economy running, but this work is often overlooked.
But the dollars like swallows they fly to the South where they know they've got something to gain,
Money flows from North to South, as the powerful exploit those who are weaker to benefit themselves.
Allende is killed, and the trucks are soon rolling again.
The death of Allende is a tragedy, but life goes on and the economic machine keeps moving forward regardless of human suffering.
Victor Jara he lies with coins in his eyes there's no one around him to mourn,
Victor Jara was a Chilean poet and songwriter who was tortured and killed after the military coup in 1973. This line shows the lack of respect for artists and intellectuals who challenge the status quo.
Who needs a poet who won't take commands who'd rather make love then war.
The poet is seen as a threat because they won't blindly follow orders and would rather promote peace and love.
Writer(s): DON LANGE, N. MACCOLL
Contributed by Bailey J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Oisin feehilly
on By Barna
Hellow Lady, Can I borrow your teddy
Samuel Joseph Donnelly
on Whacker Humphries
Ask "whacker" about the Provo they marched on and set up for votes in council elections- set up by a brasser from the Barn named Lilly Healy- 18 fucking years in blocks/cages/ torture centres and back stabbed by wannabes from Dublin! Between Active service ( killing etc whacker in case you didn't know!!
Chloe Mcl
on Hey Paddy
Is that the words Brendan O'Carroll sing