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 EÃmhÃn 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.
Pied Piper
The Saw Doctors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things were fairly looking up
Played full-forward for Mountbellow
When they won the county cup
Young Barret's gone to Boston
So he has to play in goal
The pied piper's come to Ireland
And he's living on the dole
You can stroll through Cong or Ballinrobe
You can walk the streets of Tuam
Thumb out as far as Headford
On returning pass through Shrule
You won't see many young ones
No matter where you roam
The pied piper's come to Ireland
And he's living on the dole
The pied piper's come to Ireland
And he's living on the dole
Played in Spiddal with the Waterboys
now he loves rock and roll
Now there's just a pile of rubble
Where the workers used to be
Just a stone's throw from the banks
Through which the ould Clare river flows
When the people hear his haunting tune
They pack and leave their homes
The fear of revolution
The pied piper gets the dole
I hear they're raising money
Abroad in New York town
It's not for guns or bombs this time
But to turn the tables round
One last job for the piper
And they'll pay one great amount
To drive them all into the sea
That gang in Leinster House
Copyright: L.Moran/D.Carton
The Saw Doctors's song Pied Piper is a political commentary on the state of Ireland in the 1980s. The song refers to the pied piper as a metaphor for the Irish government, who are leading the youth of Ireland astray with false promises and unfulfilled opportunities. The lyrics describe how the economy has forced young Irish people to emigrate, leaving behind a desolate and empty landscape. The song touches on themes of immigration and the loss of youth, painting a picture of a society that is struggling to survive.
The first verse tells the story of a football player who has fallen on hard times, forcing him to play in goal. It suggests that even successful people are not immune to the hardships of life in Ireland. The lyrics encourage people to travel throughout the country, but paint a bleak picture of the reality of life in Ireland. The second verse suggests that the pied piper has taken over, leaving the country empty and without hope. The final verse suggests that the people have had enough, and they are ready to take action against the corrupt government.
The song was written by Leo Moran and Davy Carton and was released in 1989. It quickly became a hit, and is now considered a classic of Irish rock. The Saw Doctors were known for their catchy, upbeat tunes, but Pied Piper is a rare exception. The slow, mournful melody perfectly captures the despair that many people were feeling during the 1980s in Ireland.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it seems when he came over
Upon arriving, things seemed to be improving
Things were fairly looking up
Conditions were improving, albeit only slightly
Played full-forward for Mountbellow
Was a football player for Mountbellow
When they won the county cup
The county cup was won during his time on the team
Young Barret's gone to Boston
Young Barret has left for Boston
So he has to play in goal
As a result, our protagonist had to play a different position
The pied piper's come to Ireland
A new migrant has come to Ireland
And he's living on the dole
The migrant is living off welfare
You can stroll through Cong or Ballinrobe
Several places can be visited
You can walk the streets of Tuam
Tuam is another option for exploring
Thumb out as far as Headford
One can thumb their way to Headford
On returning pass through Shrule
Shrule can be visited while returning
You won't see many young ones
There are not many young people around
No matter where you roam
Regardless of where you find yourself
Played in Spiddal with the Waterboys
He's another musician who has played in Spiddal with the Waterboys
now he loves rock and roll
The pied piper has developed a fondness for rock and roll
Now there's just a pile of rubble
Where the workers used to be, there is only rubble
Where the workers used to be
The location where the workers previously labored
Just a stone's throw from the banks
A short distance from the river banks
Through which the ould Clare river flows
The river that flows nearby is the Clare river
When the people hear his haunting tune
When the pied piper plays his eerie tune
They pack and leave their homes
The people leave their homes out of fear
The fear of revolution
The fear of a revolution taking place
The pied piper gets the dole
The pied piper is still living off of welfare
I hear they're raising money
Rumors have it that people are gathering money
Abroad in New York town
The rumored fundraising is happening in New York city
It's not for guns or bombs this time
This time around, the money raised is not for weaponry
But to turn the tables round
Instead, the goal is to bring about a change in power
One last job for the piper
The pied piper is being given one final task
And they'll pay one great amount
For this task, they will pay a large sum of money
To drive them all into the sea
The final job is to drive the gang in Leinster House into the sea
That gang in Leinster House
This refers to politicians in Leinster House
Contributed by Alex Y. 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.