DESCRIPTION:
The Radiators from Space were the first and best punk band to come out of Ireland. Formed in 1976 in Dublin, the original line up consisted of Phil Chevron, Pete Holidai, Steve Rapid, Jimmy Crashe & Mark Megaray. They released the album TV Tube Heart in 1977. Their first single Television Screen on Chiswick Records was the first and only punk record to make the Irish top 20 and Rolling Stone magazine hailed it as the best of all the early punk singles.

The band (as The Radiators) released their second album Ghostown in 1979. Produced by Tony Visconti, Ghostown received critical acclaim, but failed to make much impact in the charts. After a move to London, the band disbanded in 1981, having cancelled a proposed Irish Tour and called it a day. The farewell single from the album - Song Of The Faithful Departed - was released. Song of the Faithful Departed, written by Phil Chevron, remains a classic to this day. It's a song held dear by many for the way it strikes a chord in people of a certain age who battled with the awkwardness of growing up in 1970's Ireland, caused not least by the impact and influence which the catholic church exerted on various walks of society.

This graveyard hides a million secrets
And the trees know more than they can tell
The ghosts of the saints and scholars will haunt you
In heaven and in hell
Rattled by the glimmer man, the boogieman, holy man
Livin' in the shadows and the shadows of a gunman
Rattle like the coppers in your greasy till
Rattle til the time stood still
Look over your shoulder; hear the school bell ring
Another day of made-to-measure history
I don't care if your heroes have wings
Your terrible beauty's been torn

Faithful departed
We fickle hearted
As you are now
So once were we
Faithful departed
We the meek hearted
With graces imparted
Bring flowers to thee

The girls in the kips proclaim their love for you
When you stumbled in they knew you for a shilling or two
They curse you on Sundays and holy days
When you all stayed away
You slept there naked; light bulb hid your shame
The shadows on the wall they took all the blame
The sacred hearts picture compassion in his eyes
Drowned out the river of sighs
The grass grow green on the brewery tonight
Never come between the darkness and the light
There is no pain that can't be eased
By the devil's holy water and the rosary beads

You're a history book, I never could write
Poetry in paralysis too deep to recite
Bless yourself and dress yourself; you've won the fight
We're going to celebrate tonight
We'll even climbed the pillar like we always meant to
Watch the sun rise over the strand
Close our eyes and we'll pretend
It could somehow be the same again
I'll bury you upright so the sun doesn't blind you
You won't have to gaze at the rain and the stars
Sleep and dreams of chapels and bars
And whiskey in the jar

Faithful departed
Look what you started
An underdog's wounds
Aren't so easy to mend
Faithful departed
There's no broken hearted
And no more distress
In your world without end

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