Ordinary Man

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Ordinary Man
Studio album by Christy Moore
Released	1985
Genre	Irish folk
Label	Walker Music UK Ltd
Producer	Dónal Lunny
Christy Moore chronology
Ride On (1984) Ordinary Man (1985) The Spirit of Freedom (1986)

Ordinary Man is the tenth studio album by Irish Folk artist, Christy Moore. It features famous songs like "Ordinary Man", "St.Brendans Voyage" and "Another Song is Born". The album featured songs by Peter Hames, Johnny Mulhearn and Arty McGlynn. The singer Enya contributes backing vocals and keyboards on "Quiet Desperation", "Sweet Music Roll On" and "The Diamondtina Drover".

Summary

Ordinary Man, as the name suggests, was an album for the working man. The songs and music reflected the economic atmosphere of Ireland and of Great Britain at the time. The title song, "Ordinary Man", was written by Grimsby musician Peter Hames and depicts a factory worker losing his job as the plant closes down, and his struggle to survive. The album also has a strong link to Moore's Irish roots with songs like "St. Brendans Voyage" and "Delirium Tremens" both relating directly to Ireland. Dónal Lunny played a major part in the album, writing much of the music for the songs. A long time of friend of Moore, Lunny was also a member of Planxty and has worked closely with him for many years.

Songs and Music

The Songs and music are linked with the economic climate of Ireland at the time, the general dissatisfaction at government and still retains close links with Irish Music. Arty McGlynn, is the mastermind behind most of the songs on the album but the title song was written by Peter Hames and DTs written by Moore himself. DTs was perhaps the most memorable song from the album. It is a satirical song, directed towards the leaders in Irish politics and culture. Some of the people mentioned in the song include:

• Charles Haughey, former Fianna Fáil leader
• Ruairi Quinn, at the time a Labour TD, later the party leader
• Dick Spring, former Labour Party leader
• Roger Casement, a knight that was captured bringing German guns to Ireland for the 1916 Rising

"St. Brendans Voyage", depicts St. Brendan, The Navigator and his journey in an unconventional way.

The original release of the album featured the song "They Never Came Home", which Moore wrote for and about the victims and families of the 1981 fire in the Dublin Stardust nightclub. The fire killed 48 people and 216 were injured. The song heavily criticizes the Irish government and the owners of the nightclub. At the time of the album's release an investigation into the fire had controversially concluded that the cause was most likely arson, a finding which was heavily contested by survivors and families of the victims. However, that meant that in Ireland the song lyrics were found to be libelous and the song was quickly removed from the album. In the late 2000s, a separate investigation led to the arson finding being changed to 'cause unknown'.

Track listing

All songs composed by Christy Moore; except where indicated

Side One

1. "Sweet Music Roll On" (Graham Lyle, Tom McGuinness)
2. "Delirium Tremens"
3. "Ordinary Man" (Peter Hames)
4. "Matty"
5. "The Reel in the Flickering Light"
6. "The Diamondtina Drover" (Hugh McDonald)

Side Two

1. "Blantyre Explosion" (Traditional)
2. "Hard Cases"
3. "Continental Ceili"
4. "St. Brendans Voyage"
5. "Another Song is Born" (replaced "They Never Came Home", a song about a fire in the Stardust nightclub in Dublin which killed 48 people)
6. "Quiet Desperation" (Floyd Red Crow Westerman)

References