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The City Of Chicago
Christy Moore Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

In the City of Chicago
As the evening shadows fall
There are people dreaming
Of the hills of Donegal

1847 was the year it all began
Deadly pains of hunger drove a million from the land
They journeyed not for glory
Their motive wasn't greed
A voyage of survival across the stormy sea

To the City of Chicago
As the evening shadows fall
There are people dreaming
Of the hills of Donegal

Some of them knew fortune
Some of them knew fame
More of them knew hardship
And died upon the plain
They spread throughout the nation
They rode the railroad cars
Brought their songs ant music to ease their lonely hearts

To the City of Chicago
As the evening shadows fall
There are people dreaming
Of the hills of Donegal

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Christy Moore's song The City of Chicago speak to the experience of Irish immigrants to America during the 19th century. The song describes a city that is full of people dreaming of the hills of Donegal as the evening shadows fall. This is a poignant image, as it suggests that despite the prosperity and opportunities of the big city, the immigrants still long for the simplicity and beauty of the land they left behind.


Moore then takes the listener back to 1847, the year that marked the beginning of the mass migration of Irish people to America. The famine caused by the potato blight had devastated Ireland, and many people were forced to leave the country in search of a better life. The lyrics describe the desperation of those who left, and the fact that their journey was not one of glory or greed, but rather a means of survival.


The song acknowledges that some of the immigrants did find fortune and fame in America, but it emphasizes that more of them knew hardship and died along the way. Despite these difficulties, the immigrants spread throughout the nation and carried their songs and music with them. The City of Chicago becomes a symbol of the promise and challenges that confronted Irish immigrants in America, while the longing for the hills of Donegal speaks to the enduring connection that they felt to their homeland.


Line by Line Meaning

In the City of Chicago
The song begins by describing the city of Chicago and its people.


As the evening shadows fall
The time of day is emphasized as evening when people are winding down from their day to day activities.


There are people dreaming
The song speaks of people who are dreaming of a different life, a better life.


Of the hills of Donegal
Donegal is mentioned as a place with a lot of natural beauty that the people long for.


1847 was the year it all began
This is an historic event when many people from Ireland migrated to the US.


Deadly pains of hunger drove a million from the land
The song mentions the great famine in Ireland as the driving force behind the migration.


They journeyed not for glory
The people did not migrate for fame or recognition.


Their motive wasn't greed
The song emphasizes that the people did not migrate for personal gain.


A voyage of survival across the stormy sea
The journey to the US was difficult and dangerous, and many people lost their lives in the process.


Some of them knew fortune
Some people were successful and prosperous after coming to the US.


Some of them knew fame
Some people gained notoriety and recognition in the US.


More of them knew hardship
Many people struggled and faced challenges after arriving in the US.


And died upon the plain
Some people did not survive their struggles and died.


They spread throughout the nation
The Irish immigrants spread across the entire country.


They rode the railroad cars
The Irish immigrants used the new railroad system to travel throughout the US.


Brought their songs and music to ease their lonely hearts
The immigrants brought their own cultural traditions, including music, to help them cope with the difficult transition to a new land.


To the City of Chicago
The song returns to the city of Chicago as a focal point for Irish immigrants in the US.


As the evening shadows fall
The time of day is mentioned again as evening when people are reflecting on their lives and experiences.


There are people dreaming
The desire for a better life is still present among Irish immigrants in Chicago.


Of the hills of Donegal
The natural beauty and cultural traditions of Donegal continue to be a source of longing for the Irish immigrants in Chicago.




Contributed by Liliana F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@chesterproudfoot9864

I've yet to step onto Irish soil, but will someday. I owe it to my ancestors who fled famine and conflict. This song is about far more than merely Chicago. Thanks, Christy for this.

@blackbob3358

ALL our ancestors had it tough; My Irish great g/parents ended up on Wearside, worked down pit, begat my mother, who met mi dad, who begat 11 of us in the county of Yorkshire. All alive and well today. We've all got history, but it seems some try to hide it, for "OBVIOUS" reasons in some cases. It dos'nt go away.

@wanderlust1travels

I was there last week and it truly changed me. The beauty of Ireland is like no other!

@jackiep6704

You ain't irish

@jackiep6704

@wanderlust1travelsย  why do you say someone, obviously implying me, is bitter?

@jackiep6704

Are you bitter like a lemon ๐Ÿ‹

5 More Replies...

@robertvanmuiden1629

Heard this song for the very first time at Duke of York, Belfast. It stole my heart forver

@sophiaferry333

Great song written by Christy Moores brother Barry Mooreโ€ฆ
Met him in the Downtown pub in letterkenny many years ago.
He was so humbleโ€ฆ.
Great song and very true.
Not only in Chicago are people dreaming of hills of Donegal but all over the world.

@andrewriddell2098

A great anthem to those that left the land for a better life across the ocean,their toil and sacrifice gave their descendants the American Dream

@nanot.1984

The American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it- Georgle Carlin

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