Before finding solo fame he was a member of blues-rock band Taste.
In 1972 he was voted Melody Maker's Top Musician of the Year, dethroning Eric Clapton.
Rory died of complications following a liver transplant in 1995. As the funeral cortege moved through the streets of Cork, his life and music was celebrated by the city's citizens. He is buried in St. Oliver's Cemetery just outside the city.
Generally regarded as one of the top ten guitarists ever, many of today's top musicians, including The Edge from U2, Slash of Guns N' Roses, Johnny Marr of the Smiths and Brian May of Queen cite Rory as an inspiration in their formative musical years. It is also well documented that the Rolling Stones auditioned Rory for the band as their permanent guitarist in the '70s but he refused on the basis that it was against all he believed in terms of his own name and style. Though Rory Gallagher never released a single, Rory Gallagher's albums have sold in excess of 30 million copies worldwide.
A square in Cork City was named after him in 1997 and signature edition of his Fender Stratocaster guitar was released as well.
In 2002 he appeared on a Republic of Ireland postage stamp.
There is a Rory Gallagher Corner at Meeting House Square in Temple Bar, Dublin.
On the 19th May 2006, a life-size bronze statue in the shape of his Stratocaster has been installed at this very corner. Some of those who attended the unveiling include The Edge of U2 and the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
There’s another artist with the same name:
(2) Rory Gallagher is a 21 year old Cardiff based Trance Producer/DJ hailing from London, U.K. He is also known as Rozza.
Whilst living in Ireland, Rory found himself instantly hooked to trance music after hearing Paul van Dyk's 'For an Angel' and the classic Ireland 'Euphoria' album back in 2003. After many years of absorbing to electronic music and developing a fine taste for it, he decided to try his hand at creating the music. In 2005, whilst learning the basics of production, Rozza decided that trance music was what he wanted to do and was constantly in his home studio, experimenting with fresh sounds and ideas.
Looking at the bigger picture, he decided to focus on production & sound engineering and as a result is now studying for a Music Technology degree.
In early 2007, after catching the attention of Adam White, Rozza was signed up to Emalodic (Adam White's label) and saw his debut single released. His first record, titled 'Discover', gained excellent reviews in the dance press and support from the biggest DJs the world-over.
Since then Rozza has had a number of successful releases on Alter Ego, Deepblue, Infrasonic & Emalodic amongst others, which have all had big support from key players in the scene.
Rozza has also been working with the likes of Adam White, which led to the massive ‘Love Angles’ and was heavily supported on Radio 1 and by Armin Van Burren. Recently he has worked with Danish producer Daniel Kandi on a remix of ‘The Path’.
On the DJ circuit Rozza has held a residency in Newport Wales, and has played at various nights in Thailand, Europe and around the UK.
Country Mile
Rory Gallagher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A gap in the hedge,
Did you hear what I said?
Born in a house with no slates,
But I wouldn't switch,
I didn't have a stitch,
Always been out on a limb,
I've been hard to mend,
You'll only see me smile,
When I eat up a country mile.
Born on the green light,
A mission to move,
Something to prove,
An itch in my shoes,
I heard then wail of a train,
From a burnin' stack,
And I jumped on the back,
Well the engineer threw the switch,
And it got to my brain,
I've never been the same.
You'll only see me smile,
When I eat up a country mile.
Gotta make tracks,
Gotta raise the dust,
Grease my heels,
Out race the bus,
Don't blink your eyes,
You won't see me again.
Born a spoke of the wheel,
Not a part of the set,
And I'm running yet,
I ran before I could walk,
The price of the fare,
Was hardly ever there,
I saw an eight wheeler move,
And I couldn't choose,
I just had to cruise.
You'll only see me smile,
When I eat up a country mile.
Well I was born on the side of the road,
A gap in the hedge,
Did you hear what I said,
Born in a house with no slates,
But I wouldn't switch,
I didn't have a stitch,
I've always been out on a limb,
I've been hard to mend,
Like a kick in the shin.
You'll only see me smile,
When I eat up a country mile.
Gotta make tracks,
Gotta raise the dust,
Grease my heels,
Out race the bus,
Don't blink your eyes,
Or you won't see me again.
Yea
Rory Gallagher's "Country Mile" is a song about a man who was born on the side of the road, in a house with no slates. The lyrics convey a sense of restlessness and wanderlust, as the singer describes himself as always being "out on a limb" and "hard to mend." He seeks adventure on the open road, jumping on the back of a train when he hears its wail, and racing buses to raise dust with his heels. He is driven to live life to the fullest, with something to prove and an itch in his shoes.
The song's lyrics are filled with imagery that captures the thrill and excitement of being on the move. The singer describes himself as a "spoke of the wheel" and not a part of the set, conveying a sense of independence and individuality. He cruises through life, refusing to be brought down by the hardships he encounters. Instead, he finds joy in the journey and the freedom to roam wherever the road takes him. The song's message is one of resilience, determination, and the never-ending pursuit of adventure.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I was born on the side of the road,
I was born in a humble place with little opportunity.
A gap in the hedge,
My birthplace was not a proper home, but rather an opening in a hedge.
Did you hear what I said?
I want to make sure my message is clear.
Born in a house with no slates,
I was born in a house with an imperfect roof.
But I wouldn't switch,
However, I wouldn't want to trade my upbringing for anything else.
I didn't have a stitch,
I had nothing to my name when I was born.
Always been out on a limb,
I never quite fit in with the rest.
I've been hard to mend,
I'm not an easy person to fix or change.
Like a kick in the shin.
Dealing with me can be painful, like getting kicked in the shin.
You'll only see me smile,
When I eat up a country mile.
I only feel true happiness when I'm traveling great distances through the countryside.
Born on the green light,
I was born ready to go and take action.
A mission to move,
I am always seeking to move forward and achieve new goals.
Something to prove,
I am driven to prove myself and my worth to others.
An itch in my shoes,
I am restless and always moving, unable to stay in one place.
I heard then wail of a train,
I was inspired by the sound of trains passing by.
From a burnin' stack,
The train was moving fast and was powered by a burning stack.
And I jumped on the back,
I seized the opportunity and hopped onto the back of the train.
Well the engineer threw the switch,
The train's engineer adjusted the controls and I was caught up in the momentum.
And it got to my brain,
The experience affected me deeply and changed the way I think.
I've never been the same.
My life took a dramatic turn after that moment, and I was never the same again.
Gotta make tracks,
Gotta raise the dust,
Grease my heels,
Out race the bus,
Don't blink your eyes,
You won't see me again.
I need to leave quickly and without hesitation, racing to my next destination with determination and grit.
Born a spoke of the wheel,
I was just one small part of a larger system or group.
Not a part of the set,
But I never quite fit in with the larger group.
And I'm running yet,
I'm still on the move and haven't stopped running.
I ran before I could walk,
I was eager to start moving and didn't wait to learn the basics.
The price of the fare,
The cost of the journey was often too high for me to afford.
Was hardly ever there,
I often didn't have enough money to pay for transportation.
I saw an eight wheeler move,
I was inspired by the sight of large trucks and their ability to move great distances.
And I couldn't choose,
I felt compelled to keep moving and couldn't stay in one place.
I just had to cruise.
I had to keep moving forward, even if it meant leaving things or people behind.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: RORY GALLAGHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind