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.
Whacker Humphries
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
one day i was walking past the bridgeon dolphins barn, down by the old canal i saw some children in a car
in the back they were shooting up smack and i had a bird's eye view
when i dialled for help told me theres nothing we can do
On both sides of the river, clearly to be seen, down alon O'Connell street and up to Stephen's green
heroin sold openly, the was no need to hide,
drug squad were outnumbered, seems like their hands were tied
john whacker humphries, he's a family man
him and his wifre they gave the children everything they can#faced with the scourge of heroin
they'd not accept defeat
they joined other concerned parents
to put the dealers off the street
they marched on dealers houses and ordered them to quit
time and time again they warned "we've had enough of it"
dirty needles in our doorways junkies hanging all about
keep on dealing heroin, and your gonna be moved out
from st teresas gardens, to the flats in ballaels bun
concerned parents action action, and the dealers on the run
they swore they'd stick together till the heroin was stopped
can anybody tell me why they got their knuckles rapped?
(instrumental)
They were rounded up and charged with crimes against the state
brought down to the green st. court, to decide their fate
there wasnt any jury, and there was no bail
concerned parents were taken off to jail
I was sitting in the gallery, with family friends and wives
I strained to hear who told the truth and who was telling lies
junkies duries and police on the prosecutions side
i swear to god thats what i saw
The lyrics to Christy Moore's song Whacker Humphries are about the heroin epidemic that plagued Dublin in the 1980s. The first verse paints a stark image of seeing children shooting up heroin in a car, while authorities do nothing to help. The second verse talks about how heroin was being sold openly on the streets without any consequence. The chorus of the song is about John "Whacker" Humphries and his wife, who were one of the many parents in Dublin who banded together to fight against the heroin epidemic.
The parents decided to take matters into their own hands and marched on the drug dealers' houses, warning them to stop. The concerned parents' actions led to a decrease in the availability of heroin in some parts of the city, as drug dealers were scared of retaliation. However, the parents' actions did not go unnoticed by the authorities, and they were eventually charged with crimes against the state, much to the shock and dismay of the families who were present in court.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on the heroin epidemic that devastated Dublin in the 1980s and 1990s. It highlights the failure of the government and authorities to take action and protect the citizens, and the bravery of the concerned parents who stood up against the drug dealers.
Line by Line Meaning
one day i was walking past the bridgeon dolphins barn, down by the old canal i saw some children in a car
While walking past a familiar bridge, I spotted some children in a vehicle by the canal shooting heroin with ease.
in the back they were shooting up smack and i had a bird's eye view
The children were injecting themselves with heroin, and I had a clear view of this scene from above.
when i dialled for help told me theres nothing we can do
After calling for assistance, I received a response indicating that there was no solution to this problem.
On both sides of the river, clearly to be seen, down alon O'Connell street and up to Stephen's green
Heroin was sold openly on either side of the river, as well as along popular streets like O'Connell and Stephen's Green.
heroin sold openly, the was no need to hide,
The drug dealers were not trying to conceal their activity, as heroin was being openly and brazenly sold out on the streets.
drug squad were outnumbered, seems like their hands were tied
The police force dedicated to tackling this issue seemed to be outnumbered and outmatched, leaving them helpless.
john whacker humphries, he's a family man
John Whacker Humphries was a family man and dedicated himself to his family in his everyday life.
him and his wifre they gave the children everything they can#faced with the scourge of heroin
Although faced with the devastating problem of heroin, John and his wife did everything they could to protect their children.
they'd not accept defeat
John and his fellow concerned parents refused to give up, despite the overwhelming obstacle in front of them.
they joined other concerned parents to put the dealers off the street
John and his fellow concerned parents united together to drive the drug dealers out of their neighborhood.
they marched on dealers houses and ordered them to quit
The parents marched through their neighborhood and demanded that the drug dealers leave the area immediately.
time and time again they warned "we've had enough of it"
John and the concerned parents repeatedly warned the drug dealers that they would no longer tolerate their nefarious activity in the neighborhood.
dirty needles in our doorways junkies hanging all about
The drug problem had become so bad that needles were being found outside people's homes, and drug addicts were loitering around the area.
keep on dealing heroin, and your gonna be moved out
The concerned parents made it clear that if the drug dealers continued their activities, they would be forced to leave the neighborhood.
from st teresas gardens, to the flats in ballaels bun
The problem of drug dealing and addiction spanned across various areas in the neighborhood, from St. Teresa's Gardens to the flats in Ballaels Bun.
concerned parents action action, and the dealers on the run
The concerned parents took action and forced the dealers to flee the area in desperation.
they swore they'd stick together till the heroin was stopped
The parents pledged to work together until the problem of heroin and drug addiction was eradicated from their neighborhoods.
can anybody tell me why they got their knuckles rapped?
The reason behind John and the concerned parents being punished is unclear, leaving the singer to question the unfairness of the situation.
They were rounded up and charged with crimes against the state
John and the concerned parents were all arrested and charged with crimes against the state.
brought down to the green st. court, to decide their fate
The parents were brought to the Green St. court to determine their fate and the consequences of their actions.
there wasnt any jury, and there was no bail
There was no jury or bail available in the court case against the parents.
concerned parents were taken off to jail
John and the other concerned parents were sent to jail for their actions against the drug dealers.
I was sitting in the gallery, with family friends and wives
The singer was present in the gallery with family, friends, and wives of the concerned parents during their court case.
I strained to hear who told the truth and who was telling lies
The artist struggled to discern the validity of each side's claims and determine who was speaking the truth and who was lying.
junkies duries and police on the prosecutions side
The jury and the police who appeared on the prosecution's side in court were dealing with drug and addiction problems first-hand.
i swear to god thats what i saw
The singer gives emphasis to his testimony, stating that he is bearing witness to what has happened before him.
Contributed by Zachary V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Samuel Joseph Donnelly
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!!