Prosperous

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For the village in Ireland, see Prosperous, County Kildare.

Prosperous is the first album by Irish folk musician Christy Moore, released in 1972. The album featured musicians Andy Irvine (mandolin, mouth organ), Liam O'Flynn (uilleann pipes, tin whistle), and Donal Lunny (guitar, bouzouki), who, after the recording of the album, formed Planxty, making the album something of a Planxty album in all but name. Other musicians included Kevin Conneff (later of The Chieftains) on bodhrán, Clive Collins on fiddle, and Dave Bland on concertina. The album takes its name from the town of Prosperous, County Kildare, where it was recorded by producer Bill Leader.

The majority of the songs on the album are traditional, with the exception of "James Connolly" by established folk singer Patrick Galvin, "Tribute to Woody" (about Woody Guthrie) by Bob Dylan, "The Ludlow Massacre", by Guthrie, "A Letter to Syracuse" by Cartwright/Caddick, and "I Wish I Was In England", an early composition by Moore, who would go on to establish himself as a significant songwriter of Irish music. The album opens with a medley of the traditional song "The Raggle Taggle Gypsy" and the piping tune Tabhair Dom Do Lámh, which would be the opening track of Planxty's self-titled album the following year.

[edit] Track listing

1. The Raggle Taggle Gypsy/Tabhair Dom Do Lámh (Traditional)
2. The Dark Eyed Sailor (Traditional)
3. I Wish I Was in England (Moore)
4. Lock Hospital (Traditional)
5. James Connolly (Patrick Glavin)
6. The Hackler From Grouse Hall (Traditional)
7. Tribute to Woody (Dylan)
8. The Ludlow Massacre (Guthrie)
9. A Letter to Syracuse (Cartwright/Caddick)
10. Spancil Hill (Traditional)
11. The Cliffs of Doneen (Traditional)
12. Ramblin' Robin (Traditional)