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.
Sacco And Vanzetti
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh say there, did you here the news? Sacco worked at trimming shoes.
Vanzetti was a travelling man, pushed his cart round with his hand
CHORUS
Two good men's a long time gone. Sacco and Vanzetti are gone.
Two good men's long time gone. They left me here to sing this song
Sacco was born across the sea, somewhere over in Italy.
Vanzetti born of parents fine, drank the best Italian wine.
Sacco sailed the sea one day, landed over in the Boston bay.
Vanzetti sailed the ocean blue, ended up in Boston too.
CHORUS
Sacco was a family man, Sacco's wife three children had
Vanzetti was a dreaming man, his books were always in his hand.
Sacco made his bread and butter being the factory's best shoe cutter.
Vanzetti worked both day and night, showed the people how to fight.
CHORUS
I'll tell you if you ask me about the pay-roll robbery.
Two clerks were shot in the shoe factory on the streets of old Braintree
I'll tell you the prosecutors' names: Katman, Admans, Williams, Kane.
Them and the judge were the best of friends. Did more tricks than circus clowns
The judge he told his friends around. He'd put them rebels down.
Communist bastards was the name the judge he gave these two fine men.
CHORUS
Vanzetti docked in '98. Slept along a dirty street.
Showed the people how to organise. Now in the electric chair he dies.
All us people ought to be like Sacco & Vanzetti.
Every day find ways to fight on the union side for the workers' right
CHORUS
I ain't got time to tell the tales because the branch and the bulls are on my fail
I won't forget these men who died to show us people how to live.
All you people in window lane sing this song and sing it plain.
Everybody here tonight singing this song we'll get it right
CHORUS
The song "Sacco and Vanzetti" by Christy Moore is a tribute to two Italian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti who were falsely accused and convicted of a 1920 armed robbery and murder of two men in Massachusetts. The lyrics are a narrative of their lives and the injustice they faced. The song begins by describing Sacco's occupation as a shoe trimmer and Vanzetti as a traveling man who pushed his cart around. It emphasizes their innocence and the fact that they were good men who were wrongfully convicted and executed.
The chorus "Two good men's a long time gone, Sacco and Vanzetti are gone" highlights the loss of two innocent lives and their impact on the world. The song then delves into the backgrounds of Sacco and Vanzetti, their origin from Italy and their journeys to Boston. Sacco is described as a family man, who had three children and Vanzetti was portrayed as a "dreaming man" who always had a book in his hand. The lyrics also mention the pay-roll robbery, where two clerks were shot in the factory, and the corrupt prosecutors, judges, and politicians who conspired against them. The final verse describes Vanzetti's execution in the electric chair and how he fought for workers' rights.
Overall, the song is a powerful call for justice, and an ode to two men who were wronged by the system. Moore's lyrics present a moving account of Sacco and Vanzetti's lives, their innocence and the injustices they faced, and their ultimate sacrifice for a greater cause.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh say there, did you here the news? Sacco worked at trimming shoes.
Have you heard the news? Sacco was a shoemaker.
Vanzetti was a travelling man, pushed his cart round with his hand
Vanzetti was a nomad who moved around with his handcart.
Two good men's a long time gone. Sacco and Vanzetti are gone.
Two great men are gone and have been gone for a long time.
They left me here to sing this song
Their legacy compels me to sing this song.
Sacco was born across the sea, somewhere over in Italy.
Sacco was born in Italy, across the ocean.
Vanzetti born of parents fine, drank the best Italian wine.
Vanzetti was born to affluent parents and enjoyed the best Italian wine.
Sacco sailed the sea one day, landed over in the Boston bay.
One day, Sacco sailed the sea and landed at Boston Bay.
Vanzetti sailed the ocean blue, ended up in Boston too.
Vanzetti sailed across the blue ocean and also ended up in Boston.
Two good men's long time gone. They left me here to sing this song
These two great men have been gone for a while, but their inspiration still compels me to sing this song.
Sacco was a family man, Sacco's wife three children had
Sacco was a family man, married with three children.
Vanzetti was a dreaming man, his books were always in his hand.
Vanzetti was an idealistic person who always carried books in his hand.
Sacco made his bread and butter being the factory's best shoe cutter.
Sacco earned his living by being the factory's most skilled shoe cutter.
Vanzetti worked both day and night, showed the people how to fight.
Vanzetti worked tirelessly and taught people how to defend themselves.
Two good men's long time gone. They left me here to sing this song
These two valuable men have been gone for a long while now, and their legacy inspires me to sing this song.
I'll tell you if you ask me about the pay-roll robbery.
If you ask me, I'll explain the pay-roll robbery.
Two clerks were shot in the shoe factory on the streets of old Braintree
Two shoe factory clerks were shot on the streets of Braintree.
I'll tell you the prosecutors' names: Katman, Admans, Williams, Kane.
I'll name the prosecutors: Katman, Admans, Williams, and Kane.
Them and the judge were the best of friends. Did more tricks than circus clowns
They and the judge were close acquaintances and were sly like circus clowns.
The judge he told his friends around. He'd put them rebels down.
The judge bragged to his friends that he'd bring down the rebels.
Communist bastards was the name the judge he gave these two fine men.
The judge labeled these two innocent men as 'Communist bastards'.
Two good men's long time gone. They left me here to sing this song
These two honorable men are no more, and their memory makes me sing this song.
Vanzetti docked in '98. Slept along a dirty street.
In 1898, Vanzetti arrived and slept on a filthy street.
Showed the people how to organise. Now in the electric chair he dies.
Vanzetti showed people how to come together, but he was executed in the electric chair.
All us people ought to be like Sacco & Vanzetti.
All of us should follow Sacco and Vanzetti's example.
Every day find ways to fight on the union side for the workers' right
Every day, we should find ways to battle for the employment rights of workers.
Two good men's long time gone. They left me here to sing this song
These two great men are no longer here, but their memory pushes me to sing this song.
I ain't got time to tell the tales because the branch and the bulls are on my fail
I'm unable to tell the entire story because I'm constantly on the move and being chased.
I won't forget these men who died to show us people how to live.
I will always remember these men who sacrificed their lives to teach us how to live.
All you people in window lane sing this song and sing it plain.
Everyone in window lane should sing this song clearly and with purpose.
Everybody here tonight singing this song we'll get it right
If everyone who's here tonight sings this song, we'll sing it perfectly.
Two good men's long time gone. They left me here to sing this song
These two honorable men have been gone for a long while now, and their memory makes me sing this song.
Contributed by Ellie K. 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