Paddy Dennehy is a folk singer-songwriter, originally from Limerick, now based in Cork. He recently announced a new album ‘Love and Be Brave’, to be released 25th May 2023, and today shares a new track from it, ‘If I Can’t’.
Speaking of the song, Paddy says:
‘If I Can’t’ is almost like a checklist of how you feel at the end of a relationship that means something to you but I didn’t want the song to be another woe is me, paint by numbers, break up song so I tried to be a little more playful with some of the lyrics – “I’m just a freak, without the show. I’m just a mirror, without the smoke” and so on. The chorus is the sad realisation that, at the end of a relationship, you can’t be comforted by the person that has hurt you, no matter how much they would like to be there for you at that moment. “Don’t hold me like that, if you won’t hold me tomorrow. Don’t kiss my back if you’re gonna turn yours”
As a child Paddy would rush to get a guitar or play the piano very loudly in the hopes that you might hear it and request a song before you left. He was not imbued with a keen sense of subtlety or restraint but he has been working on this over the years.
His first real sense of feeling a connection to music was listening to Mick Flannery perform ‘Evening Train’ on the ‘Late Late Show’. From here there is a clear trajectory of influences – Mick Flannery led him to Tom Waits. Tom Waits led Paddy to Randy Newman, who would lead on to Nick Cave. Other influences would surface in later years but Flannery, Waits, Newman and Cave have formed the bedrock of Paddy’s music.
When he started writing his second album, Paddy lived alone on his father’s small farm in County Limerick. It was a long way from anywhere and afforded him plenty of time to think, write and play with everything on full volume. It was both cathartic and challenging. His forthcoming album is called ‘Love and Be Brave’, and that’s it. That’s the point of the album. Love bravely, never passively and don’t take love as a given thing in this world. It must be earned and protected fiercely.
If you make it to one of his shows be sure to come and say hi afterwards and tell him who you’re listening to at the moment.
His second album will be released on the 25th of May 2023. The latest single ‘If I Can’t’ is out now:
‘Love and Be Brave’ is the title of his second album to be released in the spring of 2023.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Sunday 28th of May: Coughlan’s, Cork
Saturday 3rd June: Upstairs Whelan’s, Dublin
Sunday June 4th: Upstairs Dolan’s, Limerick
Friday July 1st: LiveStock Festival, Galway
+ more to be announced
“Little Light is a captivating, heart-wrenching showcase of how powerful folk music can be.” – Hotpress Magazine
“This man is a rare talent.” – Rolling Stone France
“You really couldn’t wish for a more impressive debut album” – FortitudeMagazine.co.uk
Connect with Paddy Dennehy
