He released his first solo album with British label ICC after leading YFC's itinerant band TVB, throughout the UK and Europe. He spent time working as a doctor before taking on his responsibilities with YFC. "Advertising the Invisible" was the fruit of those first few years, and was produced by Dave Lynch (Toploader, Matt Redman).
He is first and foremost a story-teller, weaving hope and pain into songs that soar with beautiful, poignant melodies that betray his Irish roots. His battered Lowden guitar tells the story of fifteen years of acoustic minstrelling – at times mellow, but at times raging against all the things that break a broken world.
The combination of Flannagan’s rhythmic guitar style and the beautifully languid cello of Lucy Payne draws inevitable comparisons with Damien Rice. A “housewives’ favourite” and a “thinking man’s Ronan Keating” are labels that he can’t fully dodge. Flannagan’s edge certainly isn’t in his image, but in his poetic lyrics, which unashamedly peel back layers to leave the listener’s emotions very near the surface. He has been compared to Roddy Frame, Jackson Browne and “The Script” (if they were just one person with an acoustic guitar). He is less ginger than Ed Sheeran but certainly more Irish.
There is a passion for global justice in Andy’s songs that is reflected in their earthy lyrical content. Many of them have been used by NGOs such as Tearfund, Christian Aid, Stop the Traffik, Stop Climate Chaos, and Make Poverty History. Through his work with these agencies Andy has had the privilege of travelling to some of the toughest parts of the world. Having visited Sweatshops in Bangladesh He and his songs were part of the ‘Lift the Label’ campaign that forced retailers, Three songs on his new album were inspired by trips to India, Egypt and Uganda respectively. He fervently believes that the lobbying of the twenty-first century will be lobbying of the heart as much as lobbying of the mind, and that music can do a thousand things that worlds alone can not.
Open arms
Andy Flannagan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lying beside you
Here in the dark
Feeling your heartbeat with mine
Softly you whisper
You're so sincere
How could our love be so blind
We drifted apart
And here you are
By my side
So now I come to you
With open arms
Nothing to hide
Believe what I say
So here I am
With open arms
Hoping you'll see
What your love means to me
Open arms
Living without you
Living alone
This empty house seems so cold
Wanting to hold you
Wanting you near
How much I wanted you home
But now that you've come back
Turned night into day
I need you to stay
So now I come to you
With open arms
Nothing to hide
Believe what I say
So here I am
With open arms
Hoping you'll see
What your love means to me
Open arms
The song "Open Arms" by Andy Flannagan is a romantic ballad that describes the journey of two individuals in a relationship. The opening lines of the song depict the intimacy between the lovers as they lie together in the dark, feeling each other's heartbeats. The singer talks about how sincere his partner is and how blind he has been to the love they share. The lyrics reveal that the couple had once sailed on together, but due to unavoidable circumstances drifted apart.
The chorus of the song talks about the singer's return to his partner with open arms, and nothing to hide. He hopes that his partner will believe him and see what their love means to him. The song also explores the loneliness the singer feels when he is living without his partner, and how he longs to hold her close. The last verse of the song reveals that his partner has come back, and he wants her to stay. The song is a reminder of the power of love to overcome obstacles and is an ode to the complexity of human relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Lying beside you
Being close to you physically
Here in the dark
Being in a situation where it's hard to see
Feeling your heartbeat with mine
Feeling emotionally connected
Softly you whisper
Speaking gently and quietly
You're so sincere
Being honest and genuine
How could our love be so blind
Not realizing the true nature of our relationship
We sailed on together
Going on a journey together
We drifted apart
Growing apart over time
And here you are
Being present in the current moment
By my side
Being close and supportive
So now I come to you
Approaching with an intention
With open arms
Being welcoming and accepting
Nothing to hide
Being honest and transparent
Believe what I say
Trusting in the truth of my words
So here I am
Present and available
Hoping you'll see
Desiring understanding and validation
What your love means to me
Expressing the significance of your love in my life
Living without you
Existing in a way that does not involve you
Living alone
Being without companionship
This empty house seems so cold
Feeling lonely and isolated
Wanting to hold you
Desiring physical connection
Wanting you near
Desiring emotional closeness
How much I wanted you home
Longing for your presence and love
But now that you've come back
Acknowledging the return of the other person
Turned night into day
Creating a sense of light and positivity
I need you to stay
Expressing dependence and desire for continuance
Hoping you'll see
Desiring understanding and validation
What your love means to me
Expressing the significance of your love in my life
Open arms
Welcoming and accepting attitude
Contributed by Caroline O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.