Dublin [*]

One of Phil's more underrated lyrics IMO. It describes his mixed feelings about the band's move to London in January 1971.

The image of Phil laughing and joking with his bandmates while saying goodbye to their nearest and dearest and then later crying in private hints at the reservedness of the Irish character - generally we are not a people comfortable at displaying our true emotions publicly.

At the time the song was written, Derby Square was one of the last 18th century tenement yards left in Dublin. It would have been associated with unsanitary living conditions and poverty and my take is that here it represents the age-old grind of daily life for the disadvantaged in the city, in contrast to the affluence and youthful promise of Grafton Street, then as now, considered among the wealthiest and trendiest of the city's thoroughfares.

I chose this song for a homework assignment for which I had to translate a poem or song about Dublin into Spanish. So on the very off chance that somebody someday needs a Spanish translation of this, I'll post mine here:

Después nuestra relación Juré que saldría Dublín Y en ésa linea He dejado atrás Los años, las lágrimas, los recuerdos Y tú En Dublín

A los muelles, amigos vienen y nos dicen adiós Nos reímos, bromeamos y fumamos Y luego, en el barco Lloré por ti En Dublín

Comó puedo salir la ciudad Que me deprime Que no tiene empleos Está bendecida por Dios Y me hace llorar Dublín

Y en el mar Con el cabello suelto Pensé en Dublín En Grafton Street y Derby Square Y en la gente de quíen me preocupo En ti En Dublín.