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.
Haïti
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The waters of the world flowed down the mountain
From the sacred caves came the Mestizo
Island people of the Arawak Taino
In Port-Au-Prince the city has fallen
From rubble and dust a voice is calling
Hear the fearful cry of a frightened nation
O Haiti when I heard your cry I knew that you were broken
O Haiti you will rise again, one day you′ll smile again
My Creole sister
Way back in the time when Skibbereen lay mourning
There came a message of love from the Choctaw nation
Christy Moore's song "Haiti" is a powerful commentary on the devastation and destruction that occurred in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. The song starts with the lines "Haiti was born, The Calabash was broken / The waters of the world flowed down the mountain / From the sacred caves came the Mestizo / Island people of the Arawak Taino." These lines are referring to the creation myth of Haiti, which tells the story of a great flood that destroyed the world, and how the survivors of that flood came together on the island of Haiti to create a new civilization. The calabash is a traditional instrument used in Haitian music, and its breaking symbolizes the breaking of the nation itself. The Mestizo are the people who are of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry, while the Arawak Taino were the Indigenous people who originally populated Haiti.
The second verse speaks to the aftermath of the earthquake, with the lines "In Port-Au-Prince the city has fallen / From rubble and dust a voice is calling / Hear the fearful cry of a frightened nation / Carried on the wind from the Caribbean Ocean." These lines highlight the immense destruction that was wrought by the earthquake, and how the people of Haiti were left devastated and without hope.
The final lines of the song, "Way back in the time when Skibbereen lay mourning / There came a message of love from the Choctaw nation," speaks to the historical connection between Haiti and Ireland. In 1847, during the Great Famine in Ireland, the Choctaw Nation sent a donation of $170 to help alleviate the suffering that the Irish were going through. This gesture has been remembered and celebrated in Ireland ever since, and Moore draws a connection between this act of kindness and the need for the world to come together and help Haiti.
Line by Line Meaning
Haiti was born, The Calabash was broken
Haiti was created, but it was born through pain and destruction
The waters of the world flowed down the mountain
The natural forces surrounding Haiti are beautiful, yet still allow for destruction
From the sacred caves came the Mestizo
The mixture of races from different places came from Haiti, melting together in a unique way
Island people of the Arawak Taino
Haitians trace their roots back to the indigenous peoples who lived on their land and are proud of them
In Port-Au-Prince the city has fallen
The earthquake in Haiti in 2010 destroyed the city of Port-au-Prince
From rubble and dust a voice is calling
The people of Haiti are trying to rebuild their nation, even in the face of destruction
Hear the fearful cry of a frightened nation
Haiti and its people are scared and need help
Carried on the wind from the Carribean Ocean
News of Haiti's destruction reached many people through the nearby ocean
O Haiti when I heard your cry I knew that you were broken
When I heard about the destruction in Haiti, I knew the country and its people were hurting
O Haiti you will rise again, one day you′ll smile again
Haiti and its people will recover, and eventually be happy again
My Creole sister
The singer feels a deep connection to Haiti and its people, like family
Way back in the time when Skibbereen lay mourning
A long time ago when a town in Ireland was grieving
There came a message of love from the Choctaw nation
The Choctaw Nation of Native Americans sent a message to the Irish during the Great Famine, which inspired the singer to love and support Haiti during its struggles
Writer(s): Christy Moore, John Spillane
Contributed by Claire T. 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