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.
Carolina Rua
The Chieftains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Carolina Rua has a hand in my confusion.
Waits for me to choose which quarter to bend in.
To Susie-make-me-blue, or the redhead I'm attending.
Now Carolina Rua has my heart and all I want to do's
Go down the windy road where my Carolina goes
Down the crooked road where Carolina goes to school
Mo Carolina Rua, do you love me?
Tell me true, tell me...
Standing on three queens, thought the game was over.
Then, from the blue, Carolina's at my shoulder
Laughter in her eyes and a smile that touches all the guys
I'm down the windy road where my Carolina goes
Down the crooked road where Carolina goes to school
Mo Carolina Rua, do you love me?
Tell me true, tell me...
Oh Carolina rua has my heart and all I want to do's
Go down the windy road where my Carolina goes
Down the crooked road where Carolina goes to school
Mo Carolina Rua, do you love me?
Tell me true, tell me...
Oh Carolina, Carolina
Do you love me?
Oh, tell me true
Carolina
The lyrics to "Carolina Rua" by The Chieftains and Imelda May tell the story of a man who is confused about his feelings for two women - Susie and Carolina Rua. He describes his struggle to choose which woman to pursue, with Carolina Rua having "a hand in my confusion". Despite this, he realizes that he loves Carolina Rua and wants to follow her down the "windy road" and "crooked road" where she goes to school. The lyrics are filled with imagery of winding roads and choosing a path, mirroring the singer's emotional struggle.
The song is also an ode to Carolina Rua, whose name is repeated throughout the song. She represents a kind of freedom and adventure for the singer, and he wants to follow her wherever she goes. This is emphasized in the repetition of the lines "Down the crooked road where Carolina goes to school" and "Mo Carolina Rua", which capture the singer's yearning to be with her.
One interpretation of the song is that it is about the choices we make in life and how those choices affect our relationships. The singer is faced with a decision about which woman to choose, and he realizes that his heart belongs to Carolina Rua. The image of the "windy road" could represent the unpredictability of life and the importance of following your heart, even if it takes you down a crooked path.
Line by Line Meaning
Stories never end 'til you come to conclusions
The situations in life continue until one decides how things will end.
Carolina Rua has a hand in my confusion.
The person named Carolina Rua is partially responsible for the confusion and uncertainty in the singer's heart and mind.
Waits for me to choose which quarter to bend in.
Carolina Rua is waiting for the singer to make a decision on which path to take.
To Susie-make-me-blue, or the redhead I'm attending.
The artist is confused about choosing between two women - Susie and the redhead he is currently pursuing a relationship with.
Now Carolina Rua has my heart and all I want to do's
The artist now has feelings for Carolina Rua and wants to follow her path in life.
Go down the windy road where my Carolina goes
The singer wants to follow Carolina Rua's path in life, no matter how difficult it may be.
Down the crooked road where Carolina goes to school
Carolina Rua's path in life is not straightforward and may involve some hardships, but the singer wants to follow her regardless.
Mo Carolina Rua, do you love me? Tell me true, tell me...
The artist wants to know if Carolina Rua loves him and is hoping for an honest answer from her.
Standing on three queens, thought the game was over.
The artist thought the situation was resolved, but then Carolina Rua appeared and changed everything.
Then, from the blue, Carolina's at my shoulder
Carolina Rua appeared unexpectedly and surprised the artist.
Laughter in her eyes and a smile that touches all the guys
Carolina Rua has a charming and warm personality that makes everyone feel happy.
I'm down the windy road where my Carolina goes
The artist is following Carolina Rua's path in life, no matter how difficult it may be.
Oh Carolina rua has my heart and all I want to do's
The singer's heart belongs to Carolina Rua and he wants to be with her.
Oh Carolina, Carolina. Do you love me? Oh, tell me true
The singer is pleading with Carolina Rua to be honest about her feelings for him.
Contributed by James T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
tom canterbury
on North Amerikay
the great accapella version by kevin on tribute to their harpist