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.
Sonny
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take off your shoes, stay out of the race
Lay down your head, on a soft river bed
Sonny always remembers the words Mamma says.
Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home,
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong.
Sonny works on the land, though he's barely a man
There's not much to do but he does what he can
Sits by his window in his room by the stairs
Watching the waves drifting soft on the pier.
Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home,
Nights are so long, silence goes on,
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong.
Many years have rolled on, Sonny's old and alone
His Daddy the sailor, never came home
Sometimes he wonders what his life might have been
But from the grave Mamma still haunts his dreams.
Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home,
Nights are so long, silence goes on,
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong.
Christy Moore's song "Sonny" tells a melancholic tale of a son who lives on a farm with his mother, with his father constantly away at sea. Sonny's mother is sad and alone, and the nights are long and silent. Sonny, despite being barely a man, works hard on the land and spends his free time watching the waves drift in from his room upstairs. He takes comfort in his mother's words of wisdom and remembers them always.
As the years pass, Sonny grows old and his father never comes home. He wonders what his life might have been like if his father had been there, but his mother's words continue to haunt him even after her death.
The song touches on themes of loneliness, hard work, and the scars left behind by absent fathers. It's a poignant reflection on the impact that a parent's absence can have on a child's life, and how even years later, the pain of that absence can still be felt.
Line by Line Meaning
Sonny lives on a farm, in a wide open space
Sonny resides on a farm situated in a vast and expansive area.
Take off your shoes, stay out of the race
You should unwind and avoid getting caught up in the rat race.
Lay down your head, on a soft river bed
Rest your head on the gentle riverbed.
Sonny always remembers the words Mamma says.
Sonny never forgets the words of advice from his mother.
Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
Stay with me, Sonny. I am all by myself.
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home,
Your father is a seafarer and is never around.
Nights are so long, silence goes on,
The nights are interminably long, and the silence is incessant.
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong.
I am exhausted and not particularly resilient.
Sonny works on the land, though he's barely a man
Despite being young, Sonny labours on the farm.
There's not much to do but he does what he can
There isn't an abundance of work to be done, but Sonny endeavours to complete whatever task he can.
Sits by his window in his room by the stairs
Sonny sits by the window in his attic room.
Watching the waves drifting soft on the pier.
He observes the gentle undulation of the waves on the pier.
Many years have rolled on, Sonny's old and alone
Numerous years have passed, and Sonny is now elderly and alone.
His Daddy the sailor, never came home
His father, the sailor, never returned.
Sometimes he wonders what his life might have been
At times, Sonny speculates about what his existence could have been.
But from the grave Mamma still haunts his dreams.
However, his deceased mother still perplexes his dreams.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PAUL FRANKLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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