The band has recorded many albums of instrumental Irish folk music, as well as multiple collaborations with popular musicians of many genres, including Country music, Galician traditional music, Cape Breton and Newfoundland music, and rock and roll. They have performed with Van Morrison, The Rolling Stones, Sting, Roger Daltrey, Elvis Costello, Tom Jones, Sinéad O'Connor, James Galway, Jackson Browne, Nancy Griffith and numerous Country-western artists. In 1975, the group won praise for their playing of "Women of Ireland" for Stanley Kubrick's movie Barry Lyndon.
They have won six Grammy Awards and have been nominated eighteen times. In 2002 they were given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the UK's BBC Radio 2. The front covers of the first four albums were designed by Edward Delaney.
Paddy Moloney is the band's leader, and composes or arranges most of the band's music. While the band's members changed numerous times in the band's early history, the membership solidified in 1979 when Matt Molloy replaced Michael Tubridy.
From then until 2002, members included:
Paddy Moloney (uilleann pipes, tin whistle, button accordion, bodhrán)
Matt Molloy (flute, tin whistle)
Kevin Conneff (bodhrán, vocals)
Seán Keane (fiddle, tin whistle)
Martin Fay (fiddle, bones) (born 1938; died 14 November 2012)
Derek Bell (Irish harp, keyboard instruments, oboe) (born 21 October 1935; died 17 October 2002)
In 2002, Fay retired from active membership. In the same year, Bell died due to complications following a minor operation. Fay died on 14 November 2012.
Behind Blue Eyes
The Chieftains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To be the bad man, to be the sad man behind blue eyes
No one knows what it's like
To be hated, to be fated to telling only lies
But my dreams, they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings like I do and I blame you
No one bites back as hard on their anger
None of my pain and woe can show through
But my dreams, they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance that's never free
When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool
And if I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
And if I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat
No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man, to be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
The Chieftains’ adaptation of The Who’s classic rock hit, “Behind Blue Eyes,” is a haunting interpretation. The lyrics describe the feelings of a person who is primarily misunderstood and misjudged by the world, and blames their pain and isolation on someone specific. This person has a complex and difficult inner life that no one else can truly grasp.
The opening lines, “No one knows what it's like / To be the bad man, to be the sad man behind blue eyes” bluntly convey the sense of isolation and frustration that the singer is experiencing. They are not the typical “good guy” protagonist of most songs. This person is struggling with darkness and negativity which sets them apart from others in ways that can be hard to bear.
The singer sees their dreams as a kind of escape, a place where they can find solace and a sense of purpose. They long for love, but they know that this love will come at a price. “My love is vengeance that's never free” suggests that they are willing to use their emotions as a weapon against those who have wronged them.
The second verse intensifies the singer's sense of isolation, but also portrays their anger toward this one person who they blame for their pain. “None of my pain and woe can show through” suggests that something (or someone) is keeping them from expressing themselves fully. The singer longs for understanding, even if it means that someone needs to get angry with them, to bite back just as hard.
The final verse serves as a warning to those around the singer. They struggle to control themselves and their emotions, and fear that they may lose themselves in rage. The swinging moods are hard to control and require those around them to be aware of their state of mind. The request to keep the singer warm and clothed show that despite the anger and darkness, they crave love and compassion.
Interpretting the lyrics of “Behind Blue Eyes” is always subjective, but The Chieftains' version leans towards loneliness, isolation and a battle against the darkness within oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
No one knows what it's like
The feeling that I have is unique and cannot be understood by anyone else
To be the bad man, to be the sad man behind blue eyes
To constantly feel guilt and sadness, and not be able to express these feelings to anyone else
To be hated, to be fated to telling only lies
To be despised by everyone around and to feel trapped in a cycle of dishonesty
But my dreams, they aren't as empty
Despite my difficulties, I still hold on to my aspirations and hopes for the future
As my conscience seems to be
Even though I constantly feel guilt and remorse, there is more to me than just my negative feelings
I have hours, only lonely
I spend most of my time in solitude, feeling isolated and disconnected from those around me
My love is vengeance that's never free
The love that I feel is always tainted with a desire for revenge or justice, and I can never fully let go of these feelings
To feel these feelings like I do and I blame you
I have intense emotions that are directly linked to the way that you have treated me, and I hold you responsible for my pain
None of my pain and woe can show through
Even though I am suffering, I am unable to express my emotions or receive help from others
When my fist clenches, crack it open
I am prone to explosive anger, and need someone to intervene before I hurt myself or someone else
Before I use it and lose my cool
I need someone to stop me from acting impulsively and doing something that I will regret
When I smile, tell me some bad news
I am so consumed by sadness and pain that I need to be reminded of negativity in order to feel truly alive
Before I laugh and act like a fool
I need someone to keep me grounded and prevent me from engaging in reckless behavior
And if I swallow anything evil
I am willing to harm myself in order to cope with my emotions or numb my pain
Put your finger down my throat
I need someone to stop me from self-destructive behavior, even if it means physically intervening
And if I shiver, please give me a blanket
I am so consumed by anxiety or despair that I need physical comfort in order to feel safe and secure
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat
I need someone to provide me with support and protection, even if it requires self-sacrifice on their part
To be the bad man, to be the sad man behind blue eyes
Despite my best efforts to hide my emotions and put on a brave face, I am still constantly plagued by guilt and sadness
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Pete Townshend
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@n40tom
Friday night 2023 is Saint Patty's Day and I will try to play this at every bar I make a stop at. A little bit of both Irish and classic rock together what more could you ask for.
@The_Oracle_of_time
Only Daltrey can sing this song like this.
@nadegemaillet-martin1240
That's true.
@SinuheAncelmo
He is an immortal!
@lindadixon3143
NEVER saw this before! How AMAZING that Roger is with the Chieftains! BEAUTIFUL!
@michaelbaxter3532
This is already a beautiful song but this version with a sprinkling of Irish magic is superb so powerful what a delight
@bobwobbabble5151
Nobody exposed themselves like Townshend. IMO he was the greatest songwriter ever. Better than Dylan or even Robert Hunter.
@ibnufasya6408
i knew it sounded like irish music, it makes the song more beautiful..
@rohanroll
When Daltrey was asked about his favorite song with the Who, he chose BBE. The first dog he ever had was killed the same day he recorded the vocals. His very first dog... He nailed the song, yet, he was heartbroken. Amazing. Respect for the man. 👏👏👏👏👏
@jerryoshea3116
Interesting and sad backdrop to this Brilliant song!