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.
Ride On
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Standing 16 1" or 2" with eyes wild and green
And you ride the horse so well, hands light to the touch
I could never go with you no matter how I wanted to
Ride on, see you, I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to
Run your claw along my gut one last time
I turn to face an empty space where once you used to lie
And look for a smile to light the night through a teardrop in my eye
Ride on, see you, I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to
Christy Moore's song "Ride On" is a beautiful ballad about unrequited love, and the emotional turmoil that accompanies it. The singer is in awe of someone who they see as beyond their reach, symbolized by the image of a horse and its rider. The horse is "the finest" the singer has ever seen, with "eyes wild and green," and the rider navigates it with a seemingly effortless grace. The singer admires this person and is clearly infatuated with them, but acknowledges that they could never be with them. The repeated refrain of "Ride on, see you, I could never go with you / No matter how I wanted to" highlights their longing and sense of resignation.
In the second verse, we see the singer grappling with the aftermath of this one-sided love. The rider has left them behind, disappearing into the night "without a trace behind." The image of the rider running their "claw" along the singer's gut is a visceral one, evoking both pain and passion. This brief moment of contact is all that the singer has of their beloved, and it leaves them with an "empty space" where they used to lie. The last lines of the song are particularly poignant, as the singer simultaneously looks for some glimmer of hope ("a smile to light the night") while acknowledging the weight of their sadness ("through a teardrop in my eye").
Overall, "Ride On" is a powerful song that captures the essence of unrequited love. It is both a tribute to the object of affection and a lament for what cannot be. The vivid imagery and haunting melody make it a memorable piece of music that resonates with listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
True you ride the finest horse I've ever seen
It's a fact that you ride the most magnificent horse I've ever laid eyes on
Standing 16 1" or 2" with eyes wild and green
The horse stands tall at either 16 1 inch or 2 inches with its eyes fiercely green and untamed
And you ride the horse so well, hands light to the touch
You ride the horse with such skill and ease that your hands barely touch it
I could never go with you no matter how I wanted to
It's impossible for me to join you on your journey no matter how much I wish I could
Ride on, see you, I could never go with you
Continue onward, I acknowledge and bid farewell as I accept that I can't follow you
When you ride into the night without a trace behind
As you ride away into the darkness, leaving nothing behind you
Run your claw along my gut one last time
Cling to me tightly one more time before leaving me feeling as if I've been clawed inside
I turn to face an empty space where once you used to lie
I look towards the space where you used to rest and find that it's now empty
And look for a smile to light the night through a teardrop in my eye
I search for a glimmer of hope to illuminate the darkness and soothe the tears in my eyes
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIMMY MACCARTHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jack_pf0912
True you ride the finest horse I have ever seen
Standing sixteen one or two, with eyes wild and green
And you ride the horse so well, hands light to the touch
I could never go with you no matter how I wanted to
Ride on, see you,
I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to
When you ride into the night without a trace behind
Run your claw along my gut, one last time
I turn to face an empty space, where once you used to lie
And look for a spark that lights the dark
Through a teardrop in my eye
Ride on, see you,
I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to
Ride on, see you,
I could never go with you
No matter how I wanted to
No matter how I wanted to
@anthonycatton
I recently lost my baby sister she was only 38 she passed away 12th January and then 6months later my fiancee passed away 25th July 2022 my heart as been torn out and broken 💔 😢 am a lost soul at the moment, I came across this song by accident its very haunting but very beautifully sung
@agricolaregs
I’m so sorry, man. That really sucks.
@elsestelema6273
So very sorry💔💔💔
@barno85
Stay strong my friend
@chrstphrmtthw16
I hope you're doing better .
@MrMollypockets
Chin up Tony lad, you'll meet them in a while
@teeearly2093
The first words Christy says, even before he starts the song, bring tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat. “Any day that you get home in one piece is a good day”. Because 75 yrs ago when they were 5yo and 29yo my uncle and grandfather were killed in 2 separate road accidents, only 5 days apart and to this day my dad hasn’t healed. Truer words have ne’er been spoken, Christy. Any day above ground is a good day. ❤🙏🏽
@yourpreppysisssss
Heard him sing this live when i visited ireland 40 years ago. I'm 70 now and this song has stayed with me all that time. Haunting.
@seanheffernan7028
Jesus how you still going fair play
@carolineking1457
Visit again😊 he's still playing it!!