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.
shenandoah
The Chieftains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I long to see you
Away you rolling river
Oh Shenandoah
I long to see you
Away, I'm bound away
'cross the wide Missouri
Oh Shenandoah
Away, you rolling river
For her I'd cross
Your roaming waters
Away, I'm bound away
'Cross the wide Missouri
'Tis seven years
since last I've seen you
And hear your rolling river
'Tis seven years
since last I've seen you
Away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri
Oh Shenandoah
I long to see you
And hear your rolling river
Oh Shenandoah
I long to see you
Away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri
The Chieftains' rendition of "Shenandoah" is a slow and melancholic adaptation of a traditional American folk song. The lyrics depict a yearning for the Shenandoah River, located in the northeastern United States, and the desire to be reunited with a loved one who resides near or around the riverbanks. The singer speaks directly to the river, expressing their love and admiration for its daughter and their willingness to brave its tumultuous waters to be with her. The repetition of the line "away, I'm bound away" emphasizes the longing for the river and the loved one beyond it.
The song's lyrics have been interpreted in many different ways, but some of the most common meanings include references to the American frontier, nostalgia for a simpler way of life, and a longing for home. The Shenandoah River was an important and iconic symbol for settlers moving westward, often representing the journey into the unknown and the hope for a better life.
Overall, The Chieftains' version of "Shenandoah" is a haunting tribute to the power of nature and the nostalgia for a lost love. The slow and wistful melody, combined with the deeply personal lyrics, makes for a song that resonates with many listeners, regardless of their background or personal experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Shenandoah
Addressing the Shenandoah river with a tone of longing and affection
I long to see you
Feeling a strong desire to revisit the river and the surrounding region
Away you rolling river
Acknowledging the constant flow and movement of the Shenandoah river
Oh Shenandoah
Addressing the river once again, expressing a deep emotional connection
I long to see you
Expressing the same strong desire to revisit the river
Away, I'm bound away
Announcing the intention to depart and travel far from the Shenandoah river
'cross the wide Missouri
Explaining the intended destination of the journey - the Missouri river
Oh Shenandoah
Addressing the river once again, expressing admiration and affection
I love your daughter
Referring to the daughter of the Shenandoah river as a metaphor for the surrounding region and its people
Away, you rolling river
Reminding the river that it will continue to flow and move regardless of events on its banks
For her I'd cross
Expressing a willingness to make great sacrifices for the people and land of the region
Your roaming waters
Referring to the Shenandoah river as it flows through the region
Away, I'm bound away
Repeating the departure announcement, suggesting a sense of inevitability
'Cross the wide Missouri
Repeating the intended destination of the journey
'Tis seven years
Acknowledging the passage of time since the last visit to the region
since last I've seen you
Referring specifically to the Shenandoah river and the surrounding region
And hear your rolling river
Expressing a desire not only to see the region, but to experience it completely
Away, we're bound away
Updating the departure announcement to include others who are also leaving the region
Across the wide Missouri
Repeating the intended destination of the journey, suggesting a difficult and uncertain path ahead
Oh Shenandoah
Closing the song with a final expression of admiration and longing for the Shenandoah river and the surrounding region
I long to see you
Repeating the opening line, bringing the song full circle
Away, we're bound away
Closing the song with a reminder of the journey ahead and the finality of leaving the region behind
Across the wide Missouri
Repeating the intended destination of the journey one final time
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: CLAUDE T. SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tom canterbury
on North Amerikay
the great accapella version by kevin on tribute to their harpist