Formed by Leo Moran and Davy Carton, members have included singer, guitarist, and mandolin player John "Turps" Burke; bass player Pearse Doherty; keyboard and accordion player Tony Lambert; keyboard player and guitarist Derek Murray; and drummers Padraig Stevens, John Donnelly, Jimi Higgins, and Fran Breen. The current line-up is Leo Moran (vocals, guitar), Davy Carton (vocals, guitar), Kevin Duffy (keyboards), Anthony Thistlethwaite (bass guitar, saxphone), and Eímhín Craddock (drums).
There is a special place in rock 'n' roll mythology reserved for that rare phenomenon, the people's band. The Grateful Dead, The Faces, Status Quo and Bruce Springsteen during his years as leader of the E Street Band are examples which define the breed: performers who have established a special relationship with their audience irrespective of marketing budgets and media approval, and for whom the dictates of fashion are broadly meaningless. The Saw Doctors are the latest in this strangely noble line" - The Times
"One of the Great Live Bands"
Chris Evans, BBC Radio 2
"The Saw Doctors are the very definition of the people's band." - Q Magazine
"The band's formula can best be described as one part Creedence, one part Hootie, and one part Irish Historical Society" - Rolling Stone Magazine
"One of the world's most appealing roots rock outfits." - Washington Post
During 2010 the band played a number of music festival appearances, including playing at the 40th anniversary of the Glastonbury Festival. September 2010 saw the release of their seventh album, The Further Adventures of... The Saw Doctors.
In 2013 the band decided to quit touring .Three members (Moran, Thistlethwaite and O'Neill) have formed a band with fellow Galway musicians called The Cabin Collective. It is currently unknown whether the Saw Doctors will be returning from their break.
Best Of Friends
The Saw Doctors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Early age
Smoked our first fags behind the
School hedge
You captained the minors, I played in goals
You could have played for Ireland
Or so we were told
The best of friends
But I won't see
The likes of you again
Drainpipes and combats, sixteen
Hole docs
Played table –soccer beside the
Juke-box
Kathleen was smiling, you the
Call
But I shifted marie at the colgan
Hall
We will always be....
Leeds united lost the FA cup final in 1973 and Alan Clarke was pulled down in the box, de deserved a penalty, we hitched to the letterkenny folk festival in the rain , got a lift back home in the link-box of a massey 188
Now I see you at weddings with
Shiny new shoes
Small talk of houses, the d.i.y. blues
Hasn't been mentioned, I'd like to
Say I wish I had seen you on you
Wedding day
We will always be...
Copyright: P.Doherty
The Saw Doctors' song Best of Friends is a testament to a strong and enduring friendship that has lasted over the years. The lyrics are vivid and nostalgic, reflecting on the various experiences that the two friends shared in their younger years. The song begins with reminiscing about how the two of them did everything together from a young age, including smoking their first cigarettes behind the school hedge. The first verse also touches on how the friend was a natural at football and was even considered good enough to play for Ireland.
As the song progresses, the lyrics delve deeper into some of the specific memories that the two friends shared. From wearing drainpipes and sixteen-hole docs to playing table-soccer beside the jukebox to hitching to a folk festival in the rain, each memory paints a picture of their experiences together. The chorus repeats the phrase "we will always be the best of friends," emphasizing the strength and importance of their connection despite time and distance. The final verse touches on how the two friends have gone their separate ways in adulthood, with one getting married and discussing small talk of houses and the "D.I.Y. blues." Nonetheless, the singer reveals that he wishes he had seen his friend on his wedding day.
Overall, Best of Friends is a touching song about the enduring power of friendship. Through its vivid and nostalgic lyrics, it reminds us that even when life takes us in different directions, true friendships will always live on.
Line by Line Meaning
We did everything together from an Early age
You and I have known each other since we were young, and we always did things together.
Smoked our first fags behind the School hedge
We smoked our first cigarettes behind the school bushes.
You captained the minors, I played in goals
You were the captain of the junior team, and I played as a goalkeeper.
You could have played for Ireland Or so we were told
People thought that you had the talent to play for Ireland's national team.
We will always be The best of friends
Despite the passing of time, we will always be close friends.
But I won't see The likes of you again
Sadly, we won't be able to spend time together like we used to.
Drainpipes and combats, sixteen Hole docs
We used to wear skinny jeans, army pants, and boots with sixteen eyelets.
Played table –soccer beside the Juke-box
We used to play table soccer next to the jukebox.
Kathleen was smiling, you the Call
Our friend Kathleen was happy, and you were talking to somebody on the phone.
But I shifted marie at the colgan Hall
I danced with Marie at Colgan Hall.
Leeds united lost the FA cup final in 1973 and Alan Clarke was pulled down in the box, de deserved a penalty, we hitched to the letterkenny folk festival in the rain , got a lift back home in the link-box of a massey 188
We hitchhiked to the Letterkenny folk festival in the rain and got a ride back on a Massey 188 trailer. We also remember the controversial 1973 FA Cup final in which Leeds United was defeated and Alan Clarke was fouled in the penalty box.
Now I see you at weddings with Shiny new shoes
I noticed that you've been wearing new, fancy shoes to weddings.
Small talk of houses, the d.i.y. blues Hasn't been mentioned
At these weddings, we talk about mundane topics like houses, and nobody talks about DIY projects.
I'd like to Say I wish I had seen you on you Wedding day
I regret not being able to attend your wedding.
We will always be...
Regardless of where life takes us, our friendship will remain strong.
Contributed by Alaina E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jim
on Howya Julia
This song is about a famous interview done by venerable talk show host Gay (Gay-bo) Byrne on he weekly talk show "The Late Late Show". The Late Late was broadcast live on one of Ireland's two TV channels and was a major cultural touchstone for Irish people. When the narrator in the song asks "Did you hear about yer one" it demonstrates how reasonable it would be to assume any random "Julia" in Ireland would have seen the interview.
The interview is of the lover of a famous Irish bishop named Eamon Casey. Widely regarded as an incredible man. Casey was known for a series of well thought out initiatives that helped the most vulnerable Irish people in the world.
When he "slipped and broke his fast" they're referring to how he fell in love with a woman and fathered a child with her whom he provided for. The chorus is a ribald distillation of all the jokes going around Ireland about the bishop having sex.
"Oh the blind and faithful followers are worried and distraught
And the only thing that's botherin' them is that the poor man he got caught"
refers to the fact that the people of Ireland could care less about him having sex with a woman. They're just sad that because he got caught that he was exiled to Brazil and he wouldn't be around to do his good works in Ireland any more.
The song finishes by bringing you back to the start and reminding you this is a conversation about the interview on The Late Late Show. The repetition of How ya Julia is to show that this conversation was repeated around Ireland by everyone and how it was the main topic of conversation for some time.