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.
Missing You
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's not much for a chippie but swinging a pick
And you can't live on love, on love alone
So you sail cross the ocean, away cross the foam
To where you're a Paddy, a Biddy or a Mick
Good for nothing but stacking a brick
Your best mate's a spade and he carries a hod
Oh I'm missing you
I'd give all for the price of a flight
Oh I'm missing you
Under Piccadilly's neon
Who did you murder, are you a spy?
I'm just fond of a drink helps me laugh, helps me cry
So I just drink red biddy for a permanent high
I laugh a lot less and I'll cry till I die
All ye young people now take my advice
Before crossing the ocean you'd better think twice
Cause you can't live without love, without love alone
The proof is round London in the nobody zone
Where the summer is fine, but the winter's a fridge
Wrapped up in old cardboard under Charing Cross Bridge
And I'll never go home now because of the shame
Of misfit's reflection in a shop window pane
The song "Missing You" by Christy Moore is a poignant tune that tells the story of an Irish immigrant struggling to survive in London during the 1980s. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the harsh realities faced by many young Irish workers who left their country in search of employment opportunities, only to find themselves in poverty and isolation in a foreign land.
The song begins with the singer acknowledging the limited prospects for a "chippie" (a carpenter's assistant) in Ireland in 1986. With few options for work and no way to make ends meet, he decides to leave his homeland and sail across the ocean to England. The lyrics describe the challenges of adapting to life in London, where he is now known as a "Paddy," a "Biddy," or a "Mick" and where he is forced to work long hours doing hard physical labor, "stacking a brick." His only friends are his tools - his "best mate's a spade" - and the workhorses that pull the carts he loads with bricks.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses his deep sense of loneliness and longing for home. He dreams of being able to afford a flight back to Ireland to be reunited with his loved ones, but in the meantime, he copes by drinking to forget his troubles. The song reminds us that the pursuit of money and success can come at a steep emotional cost, and that the bonds of love and community are essential for a fulfilling life.
Line by Line Meaning
In nineteen hundred and eighty six
The year 1986 was a time when there were limited options for carpenters except to engage in hard manual labor.
There's not much for a chippie but swinging a pick
A carpenter had few job prospects other than to do heavy physical work such as manual labor.
And you can't live on love, on love alone
It is impossible to live solely on love, it takes more to survive.
So you sail cross the ocean, away cross the foam
As a result, many carpenters had to emigrate to different countries to find work.
To where you're a Paddy, a Biddy or a Mick
When you leave your country for work, you become just another person from that country, regardless of your background.
Good for nothing but stacking a brick
Many immigrants had limited work opportunities and were only qualified for manual labor tasks.
Your best mate's a spade and he carries a hod
On the job site, the spade becomes their best friend and the hod carrier is someone they rely on.
Two work horses heavily shod
Working as a manual laborer means that you are like a horse which pulls loads every day, hence he is heavily shod.
Oh I'm missing you
The artist misses the person he is addressing.
I'd give all for the price of a flight
The artist is ready to give anything and everything to take a flight and see the person he misses dearly.
Under Piccadilly's neon
The singer is possibly in London and feeling lost surrounded by the bright neon lights of Piccadilly Circus.
Who did you murder, are you a spy?
The artist is asked sarcastically whether he is a spy who has committed a crime, due to his excessive drinking.
I'm just fond of a drink helps me laugh, helps me cry
The singer admits he drinks to escape his misery, and laughter and tears are the aftermath of alcohol.
So I just drink red biddy for a permanent high
Red biddy a type of cheap intoxicating liquor which the singer has taken to drinking more regularly since his arrival in a foreign land.
I laugh a lot less and I'll cry till I die
The singer is heartbroken and feeling down since his emigration experience, and he is not sure when he will stop feeling that way.
All ye young people now take my advice
The artist is advising young people to think twice before leaving their country for work elsewhere.
Before crossing the ocean you'd better think twice
Emigration should not be taken lightly and people must consider their options before boarding the boat.
Cause you can't live without love, without love alone
It is important to have more than just professional success when one is far from their loved ones.
The proof is round London in the nobody zone
There are many people who live alone and work hard as laborers in the big cities around the world, and this may lead to a sense of hopelessness.
Where the summer is fine, but the winter's a fridge
Living in a foreign land might be enjoyable in the summer, but the winter may be too harsh and difficult to tolerate.
Wrapped up in old cardboard under Charing Cross Bridge
The image painted here is of homeless people sleeping rough under London's Charing Cross Bridge in makeshift cardboard beds.
And I'll never go home now because of the shame
The artist has no plans of returning home due to the humiliation of having been unsuccessful in his new life abroad.
Of misfit's reflection in a shop window pane
The singer is haunted by his own reflection, which symbolizes his sense of inadequacy and not fitting in to the new environment where he finds himself.
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEXANDER PAUL KAPRANOS HUNTLEY, NICHOLAS JOHN MCCARTHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dieselman7453
I play all these songs in bar sets!! This song hits home for me after been a heroin addict in New York for 15 years !! But Iโm home In Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช now I got lucky a lot of my mates did not !! ๐ฎ๐ช๐ฎ๐ช๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ
@johns204
Keep it up man.
@stuartleonard2884
Good on a ya pal stay safe.
@denisgordon3478
Good For You My Friend
@sconer81
Well done my friend ๐
@pabloestafez6830
I hear you my friend, I also find comfort, strength, distraction etc in music that you feel deep in your belly....also been on the Bakerloo line from age 14 now in my 40s and still on and off the train....keep up the hard work mate....much respect to you ๐๐๐ซก
@senanshortt5521
As an Irishman living in England this song proper tugs at me heartstrings๐๐ฝ๐
@JohnMcMeekin-st5yh
Get back to your homeland
@sheiladelahunt1989
Both are fabulous Musicians I love being Irish I'm proud of my people! Sending Love from a trad Irish singer in Australia ! Slainte!
@goaway2803
I truly love this song and as woman who travelled in my youth, I understand this feeling. You're a bloody Legend, Mate and thank you again <3