Christy Moore, a native of Co. Kildare, Ireland, found fame as a member of … Read Full Bio ↴Christy Moore, a native of Co. Kildare, Ireland, found fame as a member of the legendary tradition folk band Planxty. Since then he has carved out his own career as a consummate solo performer. In the 1980s Christy teamed up with Donal Lunny to form the innovative Moving Hearts.

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.

Quiet Desperation
Christy Moore Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My soul is in the mountains
My heart is in the land
I'm lost here in the city
There's so much I don't understand

There's quiet desperation comin' over me
Comin' over me

I've got to leave I can't stay another day
There's an emptiness inside of me
I can't bear the loneliness out here
There's another place I've got to be

I long for you Dakota
Smell of sweet grass on the plain
I see too much meanness
And I feel too much pain

There's quiet desperation comin' over me
Comin' over me

I've got to leave I can't stay another day
There's an emptiness inside of me

I can't bear the loneliness out here
There's another place I've got to be

Overall Meaning

The first verse of Christy Moore's song Quiet Desperation is an expression of the singer's inner turmoil. He feels like his being is split between two worlds - one that his soul loves, and another one that he cannot seem to understand. The mountains and the land represent the natural world which he seems to cherish, while the city is the modern and urban world that he struggles to connect with. He feels lost and disconnected from his surroundings, and this inner conflict creates a sense of desperation within him.

The chorus is where the singer emphasizes just how intense his desperation is. He cannot bear to stay in the city any longer, so he must leave to find something else. The emptiness and loneliness he feels are too much to bear, and there is another place he must go. The second verse then reveals where the singer longs to go. He longs for Dakota, where there is the smell of sweet grass on the plain. This line is deeply evocative and sensory, it transports the listener to a different place. It is also a stark contrast to the meanness and pain he sees and feels around him in the city. Overall, the song is an expression of the modern human experience of feeling disconnected and out of place, and how sometimes it feels necessary to seek solace in another place, perhaps one closer to nature.

Line by Line Meaning

My soul is in the mountains
My deepest desires is to be close to nature and live amongst the mountains

My heart is in the land
I feel a strong connection to the land and it's where my emotions lie

I'm lost here in the city
I feel disconnected and out of place in the city

There's so much I don't understand
I find the lifestyle and culture of the city confusing and perplexing

There's quiet desperation comin' over me
I'm feeling increasingly hopeless and unfulfilled

I've got to leave I can't stay another day
I urgently need to escape from the negative emotions of the city

There's an emptiness inside of me
I feel hollow and unfulfilled inside

I can't bear the loneliness out here
I find the lack of companionship unbearable

There's another place I've got to be
I'm compelled to seek out a different environment that satisfies my soul

I long for you Dakota
I deeply desire to be in the state of Dakota

Smell of sweet grass on the plain
I yearn to experience the distinct smell of the native grass on the open plain