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.
Here's a Health to the Company
The Chieftains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Come lift up your voices, all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again
So here's a health to the company and one to my lass
Let's drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let's drink and be merry, all grief to refrain
Here's a health to the wee lass that I love so well
For style and for beauty there's none can excel
There's a smile on her countenance as she sits upon my knee
There is no man in this wide world as happy as me
So here's a health to the company and one to my lass
Let's drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let's drink and be merry, all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again
Our ship lies at anchor, she is ready to dock
I wish her safe landing without any shock
And if ever I should meet you by land or by sea
I will always remember your kindness to me
So here's a health to the company and one to my lass
Let's drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let's drink and be merry, all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again
The Chieftains' song "Here's a Health to the Company" is a traditional Irish drinking song. The song is an invitation to friends and companions to join the singer in merry-making and toasting. The lyrics begin with an invitation to join in song and to lift up the voice in chorus, as the group may never have the opportunity to be together again. The song then goes on to raise a glass and toast to the company, and to the love of the singer's life, wishing them all good health and happiness. The final verse speaks of a ship that is ready to dock, and the singer's pledge to always remember the kindness of those who joined him in song and toasting.
Line by Line Meaning
Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme
Let's all come together and sing in harmony
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Everyone, join in and sing with me
Come lift up your voices, all grief to refrain
Sing with joy and forget about any sorrows or troubles
For we may or might never all meet here again
We should appreciate this moment as it may be the last time we see each other
So here's a health to the company and one to my lass
Let's raise a glass and celebrate our friendship and my beloved
Let's drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let's share the same cup and enjoy ourselves
Here's a health to the wee lass that I love so well
Let me toast to the small woman I adore greatly
For style and for beauty there's none can excel
She is unmatched in her elegance and grace
There's a smile on her countenance as she sits upon my knee
As she sits on my lap, she beams with happiness
There is no man in this wide world as happy as me
I am the happiest man in the world because of her
Our ship lies at anchor, she is ready to dock
Our vessel is prepared to dock at port
I wish her safe landing without any shock
I hope for a smooth and safe arrival
And if ever I should meet you by land or by sea
If we meet again, no matter how far apart we are
I will always remember your kindness to me
I will never forget how you have been good to me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KEVIN CONNEFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tom canterbury
on North Amerikay
the great accapella version by kevin on tribute to their harpist