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.
Hey Paddy
Christy Moore Lyrics
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Paddy worked the buildings with the pick and shovel
Squad
Friday nights he'd always end up drinking with the lads
The craic was mighty with the navvies from the sod
There's a hooley on for Jimmy he's the gofor on the
Site
They lifted him for sleeping rough they gave him forty
Days and nights
He's out again and crouching beside 'got ye's' fire for
Heat
Drinking billy after billy can of charcoal tea
Hey! Paddy, Hey! Paddy where have you been Paddy
Hey! Paddy where have you been (hi ho)
Hey! Paddy guess what we're taking you in Paddy
Hey! Paddy where have you been (hi ho)
Fol de doll de dairy do
Jimmy sang the rebel songs Paddy sang them too
Till the Rasta man from Trinidad whispered them the
News
Listen to me my good friend this warning take from me
The cops are lifting Paddy bastards from across the
Irish Sea
Sitting in a cafй down the Kings cross road
Drinking cappuccinos on a bellyful of beer
His head was only lifting he had twenty minutes left
For another cup of coffee and another cigarette
Lousy Monday morning on the tube Paddy read the rag
They were looking for a photo fit he was the one they
Lagged
The coppers lifted him and took his photo for the files
And they kicked him in the bollix just to make him
Smile
The song Hey Paddy by Christy Moore tells a story of an Irish man named Paddy who worked in construction in London. Paddy was a tough worker who worked with a pick and shovel squad on building sites in London. Paddy would often end up drinking with the lads on Friday nights, and the craic (fun) was mighty with the navvies (manual laborers) from Ireland. One night, there was a hooley (party) for Jimmy, who was the gofor (errand boy) on the site. However, he was lifted for sleeping rough, and they gave him forty days and nights. He was out again and crouching beside "got ye's" fire for heat, drinking billy after billy can of charcoal tea. When Paddy and Jimmy sang the rebel songs together, a Rasta man from Trinidad warned them that the cops were lifting Paddy from across the Irish Sea.
The song continues by telling that Paddy's life took a turn for the worse. Paddy was sitting in a café down the Kings Cross road, drinking cappuccinos on a bellyful of beer. He only had twenty minutes left for another cup of coffee and another cigarette. Later on, on a lousy Monday morning on the tube, Paddy read the rag, and the coppers lifted him and took his photo for the files, suspecting him of a crime. The cops kicked him in the bollix just to make him smile. The song depicts the struggles that Irish immigrants faced in London during the 1980s and that the Irish community was close-knit and would stick together through challenging times.
Line by Line Meaning
From Rotherhithe in London to Bethnal by the Green
Paddy worked on construction sites all over London, from Rotherhithe to Bethnal Green.
Paddy worked the buildings with the pick and shovel Squad
Paddy worked with a team of laborers who used picks and shovels to dig and construct buildings.
Friday nights he'd always end up drinking with the lads The craic was mighty with the navvies from the sod
Paddy would frequently go out drinking on Friday nights with his co-workers, and they had a great time together.
There's a hooley on for Jimmy he's the gofor on the Site They lifted him for sleeping rough they gave him forty Days and nights He's out again and crouching beside 'got ye's' fire for
Paddy's friend, Jimmy, who works as a gofer on the construction site, was arrested for sleeping outside and was given a forty-day sentence. He is now out and keeping warm by a fire with other homeless people, drinking tea.
Hey! Paddy, Hey! Paddy where have you been Paddy Hey! Paddy where have you been (hi ho) Hey! Paddy guess what we're taking you in Paddy Hey! Paddy where have you been (hi ho) Fol de doll de dairy do
Paddy's friends are jokingly asking where he has been and tell him that they are going to arrest him. This is done in jest, and they sing a nonsense tune afterward.
Jimmy sang the rebel songs Paddy sang them too Till the Rasta man from Trinidad whispered them the News Listen to me my good friend this warning take from me The cops are lifting Paddy bastards from across the Irish Sea
Paddy and Jimmy both sang songs about rebellion, until they were warned by a Rasta man from Trinidad that Paddy was being targeted by police because he was from Ireland.
Sitting in a cafй down the Kings cross road Drinking cappuccinos on a bellyful of beer His head was only lifting he had twenty minutes left For another cup of coffee and another cigarette
One morning, Paddy was sitting in a cafe, drinking cappuccinos and smoking cigarettes while waiting for his next job to start.
Lousy Monday morning on the tube Paddy read the rag They were looking for a photo fit he was the one they Lagged The coppers lifted him and took his photo for the files And they kicked him in the bollix just to make him Smile
On a Monday morning, Paddy was reading the newspaper while riding the subway when police arrested him, mistaking him for a criminal they were looking for. They took his picture and kicked him in the groin before letting him go.
Contributed by Elizabeth P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chloe Mcl
Is that the words Brendan O'Carroll sing