Ride On
Encyclopedia
Ride On is an album
by Irish folk
singer Christy Moore
, released in 1984, and is widely regarded as one of his best. It contains one of his most popular songs, the title track. A number of songs - powerful and evocative - celebrate and remember the actions of those involved in political struggles, or the effects of those struggles; such as "Vive la Quinte Brigada" which is concerned with the Irish
contingent amongst the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War
; or "El Salvador" dealing with the civil war
in El Salvador
in the 1980s and 1990s. Other songs deal with Irish history
- "The City of Chicago", about emigration to America during the Irish famines of the late 1870s; "Back Home in Derry" written by Bobby Sands
about the transportation
to Australia
of convicts; and "Lisdoonvarna" celebrating a music festival that took place annually in that town until the early 1980s.
album it has been re-issued ever since its release in 1984. It has been regarded as not only one of the best possible introductions to Christy but also to a vein of writing. The title track was written by one of Ireland's most famous songwriters Cork man Jimmy MacCarthy and many people have often given their own interpretation of the song, which is thought to be the sign of its power.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Irish folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer Christy Moore
Christy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...
, released in 1984, and is widely regarded as one of his best. It contains one of his most popular songs, the title track. A number of songs - powerful and evocative - celebrate and remember the actions of those involved in political struggles, or the effects of those struggles; such as "Vive la Quinte Brigada" which is concerned with the Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
contingent amongst the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
; or "El Salvador" dealing with the civil war
History of El Salvador
The history of El Salvador has been a history of struggle against conquistadors, empires, dictatorships and world powers to be free. El Salvador was one of the regions that resisted the Spanish invasion led by Pedro de Alvarado who had to fight Atlantica and retreat several times back to Guatemala...
in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
in the 1980s and 1990s. Other songs deal with Irish history
History of Ireland
The first known settlement in Ireland began around 8000 BC, when hunter-gatherers arrived from continental Europe, probably via a land bridge. Few archaeological traces remain of this group, but their descendants and later Neolithic arrivals, particularly from the Iberian Peninsula, were...
- "The City of Chicago", about emigration to America during the Irish famines of the late 1870s; "Back Home in Derry" written by Bobby Sands
Bobby Sands
Robert Gerard "Bobby" Sands was an Irish volunteer of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and member of the United Kingdom Parliament who died on hunger strike while imprisoned in HM Prison Maze....
about the transportation
Penal transportation
Transportation or penal transportation is the deporting of convicted criminals to a penal colony. Examples include transportation by France to Devil's Island and by the UK to its colonies in the Americas, from the 1610s through the American Revolution in the 1770s, and then to Australia between...
to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
of convicts; and "Lisdoonvarna" celebrating a music festival that took place annually in that town until the early 1980s.
Reception
Since "Ride On" is a widely accepted Christy MooreChristy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...
album it has been re-issued ever since its release in 1984. It has been regarded as not only one of the best possible introductions to Christy but also to a vein of writing. The title track was written by one of Ireland's most famous songwriters Cork man Jimmy MacCarthy and many people have often given their own interpretation of the song, which is thought to be the sign of its power.
Track listing
- "The City of Chicago" (Barry Moore)
- "Ride OnRide OnRide On is an album by Irish folk singer Christy Moore, released in 1984, and is widely regarded as one of his best. It contains one of his most popular songs, the title track...
" (Jimmy McCarthyJimmy McCarthyJames "Jimmy" MacCarthy is a singer/songwriter born in Macroom, County Cork, Ireland.- Early life and career :Jimmy MacCarthy was born in 1953 to Ted and Betty MacCarthy . He has 11 siblings. The family had a business distributing newspapers and magazines all over Munster. However the family soon...
) - "Viva la Quinta Brigada" (Christy Moore)
- "Songs of Wandering Aongus" (William Butler YeatsWilliam Butler YeatsWilliam Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
) - "McIlhatton" (Bobby SandsBobby SandsRobert Gerard "Bobby" Sands was an Irish volunteer of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and member of the United Kingdom Parliament who died on hunger strike while imprisoned in HM Prison Maze....
) - "Lisdoonvarna" (Christy Moore)
- "Among The Wicklow Hills" (Pearse Turner)
- "Sonny's Dream" (Ron Hynes)
- "The Dying Soldier" (Ger Costello)
- "El Salvador" (Johnny Duhan)
- "Back Home In Derry" (Bobby Sands)
- "The Least We Can Do" (Gerry Murray)
Personnel
- Christy Moore - guitar, bodhran, vocals
- Declan SinnottDeclan SinnottDeclan Sinnott is an Irish musician and producer.Originally from Wexford, where his family ran a record shop in John Street, he came to Dublin in the late sixties. Around 1970 he was a member of the poetry-and-music group Tara Telephone, in which he composed, sang, and played guitar...
- acoustic & Spanish guitar, violin, vocals - Dónal LunnyDónal LunnyDónal Lunny is an Irish folk musician. Lunny has been at the forefront of the evolution of traditional Irish music for more than thirty-five years and has participated within the renaissance of traditional Irish music in that time period...
- bouzouki, bodhran, vocals
Cover versions
Due to the success of the version Christy recorded on this album Ride On has been covered by many other artists in the following years.- This song also became a hit for Irish Jazz singer Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (singer)Mary Coughlan is an Irish jazz and folk singer and actress. She has received great acclamation in her native country, for her emotional and heartfelt jazzy musical renditions.-Background:...
in 1987 on her album Under the InfluenceUnder the Influence (Mary Coughlan album)Under the Influence is the second album by Irish jazz singer Mary Coughlan. It was first released in 1987 on Warner Music .-Track listing:# "Laziest Girl"# "Ice Cream Van"# "Parade Of Clowns"# "My Land Is Too Green"...
. - In 1991 Ride On was released by its writer Jimmy MacCarthy on his debut solo album The Song of the Singing HorsemanThe Song of the Singing HorsemanThe Song Of The Singing Horseman is the first album of Irish singer songwriter Jimmy MacCarthy. The album was released in 1991 by Mulligan Records and it includes many of the popular songs MacCarthy wrote during the first ten years of his career including "Ride On", "Mystic Lipstick", "Bright Blue...
. - More recently newer Irish band Celtic ThunderCeltic ThunderCeltic Thunder is a singing group composed of male soloists who perform both solo and ensemble numbers. Celtic Thunder debuted in August 2007 at The Helix in Dublin, Ireland...
have recorded Ride On. - Australian band Molly Rusher has also covered this song.
- Irish Celtic Metal band CruachanCruachanCruachan may refer to:*Cruachan, Ireland, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Connacht in Ireland*Cruachan , an Irish Celtic metal band*Ben Cruachan, a Scottish mountain...
released their version as a single in 2001 and on their 2002 album Folk-LoreFolk-LoreFolk-Lore was released in 2002 by Celtic metal band Cruachan.-Track listing:#"Bloody Sunday" – 4:15#"The Victory Reel" – 1:21#"Death of a Gael" – 5:38#"The Rocky Road to Dublin" – 3:07#"Ossian's Return" – 4:44...
. - British anarcho punk/hardcore band Sedition made their own version of the song, too.
- Dutch folk band RapaljeRapaljeRapalje is a Dutch Celtic folk band which performs Irish, Scottish and Dutch folk music and sings in Dutch as well as in English.- Recordings :The band recorded 8 CD's, of which 3 were later compiled into 1 album, and 1 DVD.* 1998: Into Folk...
has covered the song in their Rakish Paddies (2000) album, while also executing a live version of the song. - Christy himself joined English supergroup Colplay for a rousing rendition of Ride On to close the 2011 Oxegen FestivalOxegen 2011Oxegen 2011 was the eighth Oxegen festival to take place since 2004. It took place on the weekend of Friday 8 July, Saturday, 9 July and Sunday, 10 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland...
in Ireland on Sunday, July 10 2011