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.
Lily of the West
The Chieftains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's there I spied a damsel fair, 'twas pleasing to my mind
Her rosy cheeks and sparklin' eyes like arrows pierced my breast
And I call her lovely Molly O', the lily of the west
One day as I was walkin' down by a shady grove
I spied a lord of high degree conversing with my love
She sang her song delightfully while I was sore oppressed
Saying I've been a dupe [I bid adieu?] to Molly O', the lily of the west
Well, I stepped up with my rapier and my dagger in my hand
And I dragged him from my false love and boldly I bid him stand
But being mad with desperation I swore I'd pierce his breast
I was then deceived by Molly O', the lily of the west
A flaw was in my indictment found and that soon had me free
That beauty bright I did adore, the judge did her address
Now go, you faithless Molly O', the lily of the west
Now that I've gained my liberty a-rowin' I will go
I ramble through old Ireland and travel Scotland o'er
Though she thought to swear my life away she still disturbs my rest,
I still must style her, Molly O', the lily of the west.
"The Lily of the West" is a traditional folk song that tells a story of a man who falls in love with a beautiful woman named Molly in Ireland. At first, the man is enchanted by Molly's rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes, and he refers to her as "lovely Molly O', the lily of the west." However, he soon discovers that she is unfaithful to him with a lord of high degree. The man confronts the lord and draws his rapier, but ultimately realizes that he has been deceived by Molly, and she has been the one to lead him astray. He is arrested for attempted murder but is eventually released when a flaw is found in his indictment. Despite gaining his freedom, he is still haunted by the memory of Molly and refers to her as "Molly O', the lily of the west."
The song is a cautionary tale about love and deceit in a land that is both alluring and treacherous. The lyrics describe the beauty of the landscape and the people of Ireland, but they also warn of the dangers of falling for someone who may not be faithful. Additionally, the song highlights the theme of justice and injustice, as the man is wrongly accused and later vindicated.
Line by Line Meaning
When first I came to Ireland some pleasure for to find
As I first arrived in Ireland, I was seeking some enjoyment
It's there I spied a damsel fair, 'twas pleasing to my mind
I saw a beautiful lady who immediately caught my eye
Her rosy cheeks and sparklin' eyes like arrows pierced my breast
Her cheeks and eyes were so attractive that I felt an instant attraction to her
And I call her lovely Molly O', the lily of the west
I gave her the nickname 'Molly O', the lily of the west' due to her beauty
One day as I was walkin' down by a shady grove
While I was walking by a peaceful grove
I spied a lord of high degree conversing with my love
I saw an important man talking to the lady I loved
She sang her song delightfully while I was sore oppressed
While I was feeling troubled, she sang a beautiful song
Saying I've been a dupe [I bid adieu?] to Molly O', the lily of the west
She revealed to the man that she had been deceiving me and saying goodbye to 'Molly O', the lily of the west'
Well, I stepped up with my rapier and my dagger in my hand
I confidently approached with my sword and dagger drawn
And I dragged him from my false love and boldly I bid him stand
I physically removed him from my disloyal lover and demanded that he face me
But being mad with desperation I swore I'd pierce his breast
I was overcome with anger and desperation and threatened to harm him
I was then deceived by Molly O', the lily of the west
I was still fooled by 'Molly O', the lily of the west' even after confronting the man
A flaw was in my indictment found and that soon had me free
An error was discovered in my legal charges which led to my release
That beauty bright I did adore, the judge did her address
The judge spoke directly to the beautiful lady I loved
Now go, you faithless Molly O', the lily of the west
The judge ordered my unfaithful lover, 'Molly O', the lily of the west' to leave
Now that I've gained my liberty a-rowin' I will go
Now that I am free, I plan to travel by boat
I ramble through old Ireland and travel Scotland o'er
I will travel through Ireland and Scotland
Though she thought to swear my life away she still disturbs my rest
Although she tried to bring harm to me, she still haunts my thoughts
I still must style her, Molly O', the lily of the west.
I am still drawn to her beauty and continue to call her 'Molly O', the lily of the west'
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, GABRIEL EARL MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: . TRADITIONAL, DAVID HOLGATE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tom canterbury
on North Amerikay
the great accapella version by kevin on tribute to their harpist