Faithful Departed
Christy Moore Lyrics

This graveyard hides a million secrets,
The graveyard keeps concealed stories of countless lives that once existed.

And the trees know more than they can tell.
The trees bear witness to what happened around them, but are unable to express what they saw.

The ghosts of the saints and the scholars will haunt you,
The spirits of wise and knowledgeable people from the past will linger and disturb you.

In heaven and in hell.
Their presence will affect and follow you everywhere, be it good or bad.

Rattled by the glimmer man, the boogie man, the holy man,
Feeling uneasy and disturbed by different kinds of people, including those who are rich, wicked, or religious.

And livin' in the shadows, in the shadows of a gunman.
Being forced to hide and live in fear because of the violence and danger caused by gunmen.

Rattled like the coppers in your greasy till,
Shaking and unsettled like the coins in a cash register that is being robbed.

Rattled until time stood still.
Feeling so tense and frightened that it seems like time stops or freezes.

Look over your shoulder, hear the school bell ring,
Being constantly reminded of the past and of education, such as the sound of a school bell.

Another day of made-to-measure history.
Experiencing a new day that will become part of the collective story of a group or society.

I don't care if your heroes have wings,
Not being impressed by people who are seen as heroic or special.

Your terrible beauty has been torn.
The beauty that was once admired has been destroyed or lost its value.

Faithful departed, we fickle hearted,
Remembering the dead who were once loyal, while realizing that humans are often unfaithful and unreliable.

As you are now so once were we.
Recognizing that death is a universal fate and that everyone will one day end up in the same place.

Faithful departed, we the meek hearted,
Acknowledging that the living are sometimes weak and submissive when compared to the departed.

With graces imparting bring flowers to thee.
Offering respect and kind gestures, such as flowers, to those who have passed away.

The girls in the kips proclaim their love for you
Prostitutes claim affection for clients who they know have money to spend.

When you stumbled in they knew you had a shilling or two.
The girls were aware that the men who visited them had some money.

They cursed you on Sundays and holy days of abstinence,
The girls disapproved of men who spent their money on vices instead of being more moral on religious days.

When you all stayed away.
When people chose to stay away and not contribute to the prostitutes' income.

When you slept there a naked bulb hid your shame,
The harsh lighting in the brothel hid the shame and vulnerability of those engaging in prostitution.

Your shadows on the wall, they took all the blame.
The distorted silhouettes of the people engaged in prostitution were blamed and associated with wrongdoing.

The Sacred Heart's picture, compassion in his eyes,
A religious symbol meant to represent compassion and love.

Drowned out the river of sighs.
The despair and sadness of the people engaging in prostitution was replaced and covered up by religious imagery.

Let the grass grow green over the brewery tonight,
Allowing nature to grow and cover up the things that were once sources of pleasure or consumption but are now gone.

It'll never come between the darkness and the light.
No matter how much time passes, there will always be good and evil present.

There is no pain that can't be eased,
All pain can be relieved or lessened in some way.

By the devil's holy water and the rosary beads.
Even the sinful and the holy have the potential to bring comfort and relief.

You're a history book I never could write,
The life of the deceased contains unwritten stories or secrets that will never be completely clear or easily understood.

Poetry in paralysis, too deep to recite.
The deep emotions and thoughts of the departed cannot be put into words or spoken out loud.

Dress yourself, bless yourself, you've won the fight,
Accepting and acknowledging the deceased as victorious in some way, while also recognizing the importance of proper dress and ritual.

We're gonna celebrate the night.
Despite death being a somber and serious time, there are still opportunities for joy and remembrance.

We'll even climb the pillar like you always meant to,
Paying tribute and respect to the desire and motivation the deceased once had.

Watch the sun rise over the strand.
Taking a moment to savor nature and the beauty of life that still exists.

Close your eyes and we'll pretend,
Engaging in a fantasy or imagination that allows for some sense of escape or peace amidst the sadness.

It could somehow be the same again.
Hold onto the hope or illusion that time can repeat itself or bring back what was once lost.

I'll bury you upright so the sun doesn't blind you.
Finding creative ways to honor the deceased, even if they are non-traditional or unusual.

You won't have to gaze at the rain and the stars.
Creating comfort and protection for the dead, even if it means shielding them from the elements.

Sleep and dream of chapels and bars,
Allowing the dead to rest and experience different parts of life in their dreams.

And whiskey in the jar.
Acknowledging the pleasures and indulgences of life that are still important and remembered even in death.

Faithful departed, look what you've started;
Reflecting on how the departed's life and death have brought changes or new perspectives.

An underdog's wounds aren't so easy to mend.
Recognizing that those with less status or privilege sometimes suffer more or for longer periods of time without easy solutions.

Faithful departed, there's no broken hearted,
Acknowledging that death brings an end to pain or suffering, for both the living and the dead.

And no more tristesse in your world without end.
In the afterlife, there is no more sadness or sorrow, but rather a world without end that may be free from the struggles of the living.