Damien Dempsey

**TonyD** · 13/06/2007, 9:11 PM

Originally Posted by Marked Man

It's a little unfair to compare Damien Dempsey with Bob Dylan (45 years of recording experience) and Billy Bragg (about 25 years). Dempsey is still fairly early on in his career, and at the corresponding points in their careers, both of the other two artists named above had a fairly straightforward and earnest approach to their craft. Look at Dylan's "The times They are a-Changing" most of the songs there are extremely literal protest songs. Similarly, Bragg's first few eps/albums are made up largely of literal songs that describe either his own personal experience or protest aspects of Thatcherite England ("it says here", "lovers town revisited"). When he attempted the metaphorical, the results were sometimes embarrassing ("I am the milkman of human kindness, I will leave an extra pint...").

For the record, I like all 3 artists. My point is that songwriters develop their craft as they go along, and it's not uncommon for young songwriters to favor direct, literal lyrics, before they become adept with the use of imagery.

In the end, you either like him or don't, but there is plenty of imagery to be found if you're willing to put the time in with him that you would with other artists.

Don't really agree with your thesis about songwriters. Many have written their best songs early in their careers. In fact every major songwriter I'm a fan of has disimproved with age. McCartney, Paul Simon, Paul Weller(drastically) even probably my favourite, Elvis Costello. I'm not a Bob Dylan fan by any means (can't stand the voice) but you raised the lyrics of "The Times......." If my memory is right it begins:

"Come gather round people wherever you roam and admit that the waters around you have grown, and accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone, If your time to you is worth saving, then you'd better start swimming, or sink like a stone, for the times they are a changing"

Not too shabby lyrics there I think you'll agree. OK they're pretty literal, but also literate.

On to Billy Bragg. Again some of his early songs are some of his best. (I quite like the Milkman of Human Kindness line you quoted btw

don't think it's embarrassing at all.) Take "A New England" or the majestic "Saturday Boy"

"She danced with me and I still hold that memory soft and sweet
And I stare up at her window, as I walk down her street
But I never made the first team, I just made the first team laugh
And she never came to the phone, she was always in the bath

I never understood my failings then, and I hide my humble hopes now
Thinking back, she made us want her
A girl not old enough to shave her legs"

Anyway, I'm kinda sorry I got a bit sidetracked into the whole lyrics thing, which is a mistake a lot of people make when discussing songwriting in my view. The tune is just as important, in fact more so I think. Otherwise it might as well all be poetry. One of my favourite bands is Teenage Fanclub, and their lyrics are no great shakes really. I do think Damien Dempseys lyrics are pretty rubbish, but I could forgive that. It's the absence of decent tunes
and what is (to my ears anyway) an awful voice that puts me off. I'll freely admit I haven't heard much of him, but I have heard a couple of the songs mentioned above - Spraypaint Backalley, Negative Vibes, It's All Good are the ones that come to mind.

In the end of course, it's as you said. You either like him, or you don't. But I've enjoyed the debate.

**Wolfie** · 14/06/2007, 8:13 AM

Originally Posted by Marked Man

It's a little unfair to compare Damien Dempsey with Bob Dylan (45 years of recording experience) and Billy Bragg (about 25 years). Dempsey is still fairly early on in his career, and at the corresponding points in their careers, both of the other two artists named above had a fairly straightforward and earnest approach to their craft. Look at Dylan's "The times They are a-Changing" most of the songs there are extremely literal protest songs. Similarly, Bragg's first few eps/albums are made up largely of literal songs that describe either his own personal experience or protest aspects of Thatcherite England ("it says here", "lovers town revisited"). When he attempted the metaphorical, the results were sometimes embarrassing ("I am the milkman of human kindness, I will leave an extra pint...").

For the record, I like all 3 artists. My point is that songwriters develop their craft as they go along, and it's not uncommon for young songwriters to favor direct, literal lyrics, before they become adept with the use of imagery.

And while there's nothing wrong at all with literal, direct lyrics (or else how would the Sex Pistols or The Clash be any good?), there's plenty of imagery in Dempsey's songs (look at how he plays with pre-existing imagery: the idea of the Celtic Tiger as a vicious animal, New York as the apple of his eye; or uses images of ghosts of the departed on building stairwells, or the image of a blizzard to set the scene for an acid trip gone wrong; or images from Irish history: woodcairns, seanchais, etc...).

In the end, you either like him or don't, but there is plenty of imagery to be found if you're willing to put the time in with him that you would with other artists.

Agree that songwriters do develop and hone their craft as they go along. Some would argue that they gain something in this process but sometimes can lose something as part of that process as well.

That said - Damo's new album is a leap forward Vocally, Lyrically and Musically. There is an element of "light and shade" to this album that was missing, particulary from "Seize the Day" - which certainly had its darker moments.

"To Hell or Barbados" uses a variety of musical styles. The reviews have been predominantly very positive. Its undeniably good.

**Marked Man** · 14/06/2007, 4:58 PM

Originally Posted by TonyD

Don't really agree with your thesis about songwriters. Many have written their best songs early in their careers. In fact every major songwriter I'm a fan of has disimproved with age. .

I wouldn't (didn't) say that songwriters generally write their best material after their early years. I doubt there's a strong general tendency there one way or other (Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Billy Bragg, Bob Marley have all gotten better as they went along; John Lennon, AC/DC, Jagger/Richards, David Bowie have all (IMO) gone downhill as they got older). My claim was only that it was not unusual for singers to incorporate more use of imagery as they got older.

**Wolfie** · 21/11/2007, 1:15 PM

As the threads pre-dated posts testify there's certainly mixed opinion on Damo Dempsey

He's playing Vicar Street on Monday 26th Nov and Tuesday 27th Nov.

Will any of the pro-Damo front be there?

**CollegeTillIDie** · 22/11/2007, 11:34 AM

I identify with some of Damo's songs but then that's cause he's from the Estate just over the road!

**gilberto_eire** · 02/12/2007, 1:50 AM

i was there in the ''roisin dubh'' in galway anyway

**Wolfie** · 23/04/2008, 12:38 PM

From Damo's site:

Trad Songs Covers Album - "The Rocky Road" to be released.

Damien’s new album, “The Rocky Road” is set for release in June. In Ireland it will be released on June 6 by SonyBMG and in the UK on June 16 by IRL. Release dates in other countries will be announced shortly.

SonyBMG will release a single in Ireland, “A Rainy Night in Soho” on May 30th and it will be available as a digital download as well on as CD.

The album features guest performers John Sheahan and Barney McKenna of The Dubliners and Sharon Shannon. Tracks include “The Rocky Road to Dublin”, “The Foggy Dew”, “The Hot Asphalt” and “A Rainy Night in Soho” among others.

Damien says, “Ballads are my roots, it was the first music that turned me on, and the first songs that I heard being sung in my home by friends and family. I would have over two hundred ballads in my head, and I used to sing them regularly in pubs around Dublin in the 1990’s. I reckoned I had a good feel for these songs, and as I studied Irish history, I felt I could really tell their story and do them some justice on an album.”