Hi you Mudcatters out there!

Christy Moore wrote a song called "North and South (of the river)" and I want to know a bit more about what's behind the song. We play it with our folk band on the next concert and I will have to tell the audience something about the song, but I don't know what!

While searching on the net I already found a part of an interview with Moore, but perhaps someone has a better idea what to tell and what is behind the lyrics

"For 50 years I've lived on an island with a neighbours, but I don't know them and never get to meet them and we know so little about each other and each other's culture. This song is an attempt to reach out to them. It could be north and south of Dublin. It could be the two sides of the Mersey. It could be north and south of the Thames. It could be whatever you want it to be. I showed Bono the original lyric, he took it and tore it asunder and The Edge wrote a melody to it."
Here are the lyrics



North and South
I wanna reach out over the Loch
And hold your hand across the water
Walk with you along an unimproved road
That lookin' over my shoulder
I wanna see I wanna hear
to understand you fear
For it's North & South of the River


I'd been doing it wrong all of my life
This holy town has turned me over
A man on the run from what he didn't understand
As a wing from the Loch grew colder and colder
There was a badness that had its weight
Loch wasn't lost I just got mislaid
For it's North & South of the River
North & South of the River


Can't we stop playin' these old tattoos
Darling I don't have the answer
I wanna see you where you are
I don't need you to remember
There is no feeling so alone
as when the one you're hurtin' is your own
For it's North & South of the River


There's some high ground that's not worth taken
Some connection that's not worth makin'
There's an old church bell no longer ringing
And some old songs are not more singing
For it's North & South of the River
North& South of the River
North& South of the River
North & South of the River

thanks for your help!

Marian