In 1972 Christy Moore released his second album Prosperous, which he recorded with his old schoolmates, Lunny, Irvine, and O'Flynn. After recording Prosperous, they formed Planxty. The group's first major performance, opening for Donovan in Galway, was a great success. Neither the audience nor the band knowing what to expect, both were pleasantly surprised. Irvine, unable to see the audience through the lighting, was worried that the crowd was on the verge of rioting. It took him several minutes to realize what he was hearing was enthusiasm. (On the 2004 retrospective, The Christy Moore Box Set, a rough quality recording of the song "Raggle Taggle Gypsy" was included, complete with audience's reaction.)
A formative influence on Planxty and in particular on Christy Moore was the singing of Irish Traveller John "Jacko" Reilly who hailed from Boyle, Co. Roscommon. It was from Reilly that Moore learned "The Raggle Taggle Gypsy", which was recorded on the first Planxty album, in addition to "The Well Below the Valley" and "As I Roved Out", which appeared on The Well Below the Valley. Christy later dipped into Reilly's songbook again for an updated version of the lengthy ballad "Lord Baker", which was featured on Planxty's 1983 album Words & Music.
Planxty released the highly acclaimed single, "The Cliffs of Dooneen, after which they were promptly signed to an exclusive contract in conjunction with Polydor Records. The band members, inexperienced in the world of business, signed a contract for £30,000, but for six albums, and with a low royalty percentage. (They were never to make much money from album sales, and were substantially in debt by the time the group dissolved.)
The group became very popular in the next few years in Ireland, Britain and Europe, and they recorded two more albums in the following two years. After that they split up, and a compilation called The Planxty Collection was released. As time passed, the personnel changed - Johnny Moynihan replaced Dónal Lunny in July of 1973, and Paul Brady stepped in for Christy Moore in 1974.
Christy, Andy, Dónal, and Liam, the original lineup, reformed Planxty in 1979. They recorded three albums, and made several changes and additions to their lineup, most notably the joining of Matt Molloy, flautist from the Bothy Band, later with The Chieftains.
In 1983, Dónal Lunny and Christy Moore left to concentrate on Moving Hearts, and Andy and Liam started pursuing solo careers (the former in the band Patrick Street). The band broke up for the final time.... or so it seemed. A low-key gig in Lisdoonvarna led to gigs in Dublin and County Clare in 2004, and the release of Live 2004 on DVD and CD. It remains to be seen if this is a new lease of life. Broadcaster and journalist Leagues O'Toole documented the band in the biography The Humours of Planxty, which was published by Hodder Headline in 2006.
Leagues O'Toole documented the history and development of the group in the biography The Humours of Planxty, which was published by Hodder Headline in 2006.
LAPD (2012–2013)
Friday, 20 January 2012[4] ushered in the inaugural gig, at Dublin's Vicar Street, of a quartet including three members of the original Planxty, calling themselves 'LAPD', after the initials of their first names: Liam O'Flynn, Andy Irvine, Paddy Glackin, and Dónal Lunny.
They played a set combining tunes and songs from the repertoires of:
Planxty: "Jenny's Wedding/The Virginia/Garrett Barry's", "Paddy Canny's" ("The Starting Gate"), "The Jolly Beggar/The Wise Maid", "Arthur MacBride", "As I Roved Out (Andy)", "The Blacksmith/Blacksmithereens" and "West Coast of Clare"
Irvine & Lunny: "My Heart's tonight in Ireland/West Clare Reel", "Braes of Moneymore", "Suleiman's Kopanitsa", "The Dream/Indiana", "O'Donoghue's" and "Siún Ni Dhuibhir"
O'Flynn & Glackin: "Kitty's Rambles/Humours of Ennistymon", "The Green Island/Bantry Hornpipe", "Young Tom Ennis/Nora Crean", "A Rainy Day/The Shaskeen", "Two Flings", "Speed the Plough/Colonel Fraser" and "The Gold Ring".
LAPD performed only occasionally, to rave reviews, but never recorded before their final performance, which took place at Sligo Live, on Saturday 26 October 2013.
When O'Flynn resigned from LAPD, Irvine, Lunny and Glackin were joined by Michael McGoldrick and John Doyle to form a new group named Usher's Island (a reference to the Dublin quay).
Liam O'Flynn died 14 March 2018.
"Planxty" was a word used by people who named works by harper Turlough O'Carolan after his death, and is believed to denote a tribute to a particular person: "Planxty Irwin," for example, would be in honor of Colonel John Irwin of Sligo. "Planxty" is thought to be a corruption of the Irish word and popular toast "sláinte", meaning "good health." Another possible explanation is that it is derived from the Latin planctus, a medieval lament.
Regardless of its origin, the moniker, which replaced the provisional "CLAD" (Christy – Liam – Andy – Dónal), turned out to be a good fit, as O'Carolan's music would play an important part in the band's repertoire. (see "Influences", below).
A formative influence on Planxty, and in particular on Moore, was the singing of Irish Traveller John "Jacko" Reilly who hailed from Boyle, Co. Roscommon. It was from Reilly that Moore learned "Raggle Taggle Gypsy", which was recorded for the first Planxty album, in addition to "The Well Below the Valley," which appeared on The Well Below the Valley. Moore later dipped into Reilly's songbook again for an updated version of the lengthy ballad "Lord Baker," which was featured on Planxty's 1983 album Words & Music. ("Baker" appears to be a mondegreen for the "Beichan" of earlier versions.) Reilly died in 1969 at the age of 44, shortly after being found beneath his coats in the top room of his dwelling in Boyle by Tom Munnelly, who had originally collected his songs for archiving.
The music of Turlough O'Carolan appeared on a number of Planxty albums (including the B-side of their very first single), played by O'Flynn on the pipes. Much of this music first came to the attention of the band through the work of seminal Irish composer Seán Ó Riada and his group Ceoltóirí Chualann.
The Blacksmith
Planxty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nine months and better
He fairly won my heart
Wrote me a letter.
With his hammer in his hand
He looked so clever
And if I was with my love
I would live forever.
But where is my love gone
With his cheeks like roses
And his good black Billycock on
Decked around with primroses.
I fear the shining sun
May burn and scorch his beauty
And if I was with my love
I would do my duty.
Strange news is come to town
Strange news is carried
Strange news flies up and down
That my love is married.
I wish them both much joy
Though they can't hear me
And may God reward him well
For the slighting of me.
Don't you remember when
You lay beside me
And you said you'd marry me
And not deny me.
If I said I'd marry you
It was only for to try you
So bring your witness love
And I'll not deny you.
No, witness have I none
Save God Almighty
And may he reward you well
For the slighting of me.
Her lips grew pale and wan
It made a poor heart tremble
To think she loved a one
And he proved deceitful.
A blacksmith courted me
Nine months and better
He fairly won my heart
Wrote me a letter.
With his hammer in his hand
He looked so clever
And if I was with my love I would live forever.
The Blacksmith by Planxty is a beautiful and melancholic ballad that tells the story of a young woman who has been courted by a blacksmith for nine months. At the beginning of the song, the woman speaks highly of her love, impressed by his intelligence and his physical strength. According to her, being with him would mean living forever, which suggests that she is truly in love with him.
However, the second verse of the song reveals that the woman's love has disappeared, and she fears that he might have gotten into trouble. She describes him with his cheeks like roses and his good black billycock on, decked out with primroses. She confesses that she loves him so much that she would be willing to do her duty and protect him from harm, even if it meant risking her own life.
In the third and fourth verses, the woman learns that her love has married someone else. She wishes them both much joy, but she cannot hide her pain and sorrow. She reminds her love of the promises he made to her when they were lying beside each other, and she challenges him to bring a witness to prove her wrong. In the end, the woman realizes that her love was deceitful, and she is left to mourn her lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
A blacksmith courted me
I was courted by a blacksmith.
Nine months and better
The courtship time lasted nine months or more.
He fairly won my heart
He won my heart genuinely.
Wrote me a letter.
He expressed his love in the form of a letter.
With his hammer in his hand
He was holding his hammer at the time.
He looked so clever
He looked intelligent and skilled.
And if I was with my love
If I were with him,
I would live forever.
It would feel like a lifetime of happiness.
But where is my love gone
I wonder where he has gone.
With his cheeks like roses
He had beautiful rosy cheeks.
And his good black Billycock on
He was wearing his good black hat.
Decked around with primroses.
The hat was decorated with primroses.
I fear the shining sun
I am afraid the sun will harm him.
May burn and scorch his beauty
It may damage his good looks.
And if I was with my love
If I were by his side,
I would do my duty.
I would take care of him.
Strange news is come to town
There is some strange news in town.
Strange news is carried
People are sharing the news.
Strange news flies up and down
Rumors are spreading.
That my love is married.
My beloved is married, according to the rumors.
I wish them both much joy
I hope they both find happiness.
Though they can't hear me
Even though they are not here to hear me.
And may God reward him well
I hope God blesses him greatly.
For the slighting of me.
For hurting my feelings.
Don't you remember when
Do you recall the time when
You lay beside me
We were lying next to each other.
And you said you'd marry me
You promised to marry me.
And not deny me.
You said this without hesitation or reservation.
If I said I'd marry you
If I made the same promise to marry you
It was only for to try you
It was only to test your sincerity.
So bring your witness love
Bring evidence to support your claim, my dear.
And I'll not deny you.
I will believe you if you can prove it.
No, witness have I none
I have no evidence to provide.
Save God Almighty
Except the testimony of the Almighty God.
And may he reward you well
May God bless you greatly.
For the slighting of me.
For hurting my feelings and doubting my love.
Her lips grew pale and wan
Her lips turned pale and weak.
It made a poor heart tremble
It made her weak heart shake and worry.
To think she loved a one
To realize that she had loved someone
And he proved deceitful.
But he turned out to be untruthful and deceptive in his promises.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANDY IRVINE, CHRISTY MOORE, DONAL LUNNY, LIAM O'FLYNN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Slobodan Klisarić
A blacksmith courted me
Nine months and better
He fairly won my heart
Wrote me a letter.
With his hammer in his hand
He looked so clever
And if I was with my love
I would live forever.
But where is my love gone
With his cheeks like roses
And his good black Billycock on
Decked around with primroses.
I fear the shining sun
May burn and scorch his beauty
And if I was with my love
I would do my duty.
Strange news is come to town
Strange news is carried
Strange news flies up and down
That my love is married.
I wish them both much joy
Though they can't hear me
And may God reward him well
For the slighting of me.
Don't you remember when
You lay beside me
And you said you'd marry me
And not deny me.
If I said I'd marry you
It was only for to try you
So bring your witness love
And I'll not deny you.
No, witness have I none
Save God Almighty
And may he reward you well
For the slighting of me.
Her lips grew pale and wan
It made a poor heart tremble
To think she loved a one
And he proved deceitful.
A blacksmith courted me
Nine months and better
He fairly won my heart
Wrote me a letter.
With his hammer in his hand
He looked so clever
And if I was with my love I would live forever
Gabriel Rosenstock
Bhí gabha ag suirí liom
Bhí gabha ag suirí liom naoi mí is tuilleadh,
Do ghoid sé uaim mo chroí, is scríobh chugam litir,
Lena chasúr ina ghlac, sé bhí cliste cróga,
Is dá mbeinnse le mo shearc, bheinn beo go deo deo.
Chuaigh mo ghrása amach sna goirt, mar rós a ghrua,
Chuaigh mo ghrása amach sna goirt, agus pósae fuair,
Is eagal liom go mór, go ndófar é faoin ngrian
Is dá mbeinnse le mo shearc – mo ghrá go dian!
Tá scéal ait ón gcoigríoch, scéal ait i ndomhnach,
Scéal ait a deir go bhfuil mo ghrása pósta,
Ní féidir an duine a thrust, táim fágtha anseo is mé tréigthe
Mura mbeidh mo ghrá agam, ní raghad le héinne.
A blacksmith courted me nine long months and better,
He stole my heart away, wrote to me a letter,
His hammer all in his hand he looked so brave and clever,
And if I was with my love, I would live forever.
My love's gone across those fields with his cheeks like roses,
My love's gone across those fields gathering sweet posies,
I fear the scorching suns will shine and spoil his beauty,
And if I was with my love, I would do my duty.
Strange news is come from abroad, strange news is carried,
Strange news is come to tell that my love is married,
There is no truth in man, nor in father nor in brother,
And since I have lost my love, I will seek no other.
SonofaColt
Still one of the greatest if not the best version ever of this wonderful folk song , Planxty will live forever
Randy Gallagher
This song is pure magic! The intensity just keeps building--and the lyrics suggest obsession with the failed romance, and the tragedy of not being able to let go. Then after the lyrics end, there is the long instrumental section that speaks of the obsession, the repetition, dare I say the descent into madness. Just brilliant!
Alf Gilzean
This has been a favourite of mine for years, it's a beautiful version
Frederico Auad
This is not only music, is much more deep, is history, beautiful sounds, culture, nice rhythms, is a life in sounds.
Matt Lee
Frederico Auad i know what you mean mate. my dad taught me the hokey kokey my tribes traditional dance. no one will take that away from me .
Rangda Rangda
Ive only recently bought this album, and its instantly in the top 10 albums ive ever heard. I cant believe I've lived all these years without Planxty
Ciarán MacDomhnaill
There's not really any better than this..pure passion and expertise at its Irish best.
splortz
Love the crowd's roar when O'Flynn brings the pipes up. Classic,
ForcedMemeIsAMeme
3:16 is one of my favorite musical moments of all time, in any genre.
Finnguala inghen hAirt
Out of the 4,869 times this has been viewed (so far), about 500 are just me. :-) I love the voice, I love the Uillean Pipes, I love how all of the guys are 'into' the song. Excellent performance. I just can't seem to hear it enough... along with other Planxty songs.