Album Notes

Small Town Trouble
Written after hearing a radio interview with a young woman who lived in a small town in rural Ireland. She was talking about her brother who was gay and had left Ireland as soon as he finished school. He had lived abroad for about 10 years and then came home to settle in his hometown but suffered such isolation and abuse that he took his own life. The song is about the narrow-mindedness and pressure to conform that is found in many communities.

Six O'Clock Sun
Liberation of a sort can be found in the booze and other distractions but, ultimately, you have to stand up and be counted.

The Man That I Used To Be
This is based on several people that I have known. I'm sure that we all know people who adopt a persona and never let their guard down. People like this end up being stifled by their own creation.

Take It Where You Want To Take It
This is about breaking out of the straitjacket of other people's expectations. In my own case, I left a good job for the precarious world of songwriting. Very few of my friends and acquaintances understand why I did that. (If I was making lots of money from songwriting everyone would think that I was a genius)

You Gotta Know When To Run
This is about a woman in a very destructive relationship. There comes a point when a decision has to be made.

Men In Black
This is about my experience of school back in the 60s. The school that I attended was run by a religious order and was steeped in Catholicism and Nationalism. Pop music and weekend dances saved a lot of us.

I Remember The Rare 'Aul Times
The characters in this song are real people of my parents' generation that I knew growing up in inner city Dublin. At that time the city was full of so-called 'characters' who are usually romanticised in songs and stories. My view is that most of these 'characters' were very poor people with mental health problems that were never treated. The people in the song were the first generation to grow up in the new, free, Ireland but they were as poor and neglected as the generations before them. The original title for this song was “Dublin In The Rare 'Aul Times – My Arse”

Me And You
Dedicated to Bridin.

Dreamers And Believers
Isn't it better to try to be creative, even if you fail, than to always go for the safe option?