Damien Dempsey (born 1975 in Donaghmede, Dublin) is an Irish singer and son… Read Full Bio ↴Damien Dempsey (born 1975 in Donaghmede, Dublin) is an Irish singer and songwriter who mixes traditional Irish folk with contemporary lyrics to deliver social commentary on the positive and negative aspects arising from Ireland's Celtic Tiger society. He sings in English, and to a lesser extent in Irish.

Dempsey's earliest musical influences were the post-pub singsongs that his parents used to have at their home when he was a toddler. Good, bad or indifferent, everyone had to sing. Today his unique sound reflects the influence of traditional Sean-Nós as well as his musical heroes: Bob Marley and Elvis Presley.

After completing his secondary education,Dempsey went on to the Ballyfermot "Rock School" for 2 years where he studied musical performance as well as the practical side of the music industry. The school had its own small record label and star students were awarded a release on the label. Damien was chosen for that honour and the EP, "The Contender", was released in 1995.

In 1997 "Dublin Town", Dempsey's first commercial single, reached No. 18 in the Irish charts. Ireland's HOT PRESS remarked that it was "..an underground anthem for disaffected youth and closet balladeer alike". A re-recorded version of the song appeared on Dempsey's first album; "They Don't Teach This Shit In School" released in 2000.

His next release, the "Negative Vibes EP", (2002) featured Sinéad O'Connor on the title track and led to an invitation to support Sinéad on her 2002/2003 Irish, UK and European tour.

Dempsey's second album, "Seize the Day", was released May 2003 in Ireland on Clear Records via Sony and entered the charts first week of release at No. 5. It has since achieved double-platinum sales. Released in May 2004 in the UK on IRL, the album was awarded "CD of the Week" in the Sunday Times and received enthusiastic reviews in the National and music press.

Nominated in 4 categories in the 2004 Irish Meteor Awards, Dempsey walked away with two, the only 2004 double winner.

A documentary, "It's All Good: The Damien Dempsey Story" by independent filmmaker Dara McCluskey, that followed Dempsey's career progression up to the release of "Seize the Day", was broadcast on Ireland's national TV station RTE and shown at film festivals in Ireland and New York.

During 2004, Dempsey toured extensively headlining his own shows as well as supporting Bob Dylan during the Irish leg of his European tour and making his debut appearances at The Fleadh and Womad.

Dempsey has earned the passionate support of his peers, one of whom is Morrissey who invited him to support him on various UK and Irish dates as well as his autumn 2004 US tour. Morrissey went on to sign Dempsey to his Attack label, and "Seize the Day" had its U.S. release in October 2004.

His third album, "Shots", simultaneously released in Ireland and the UK in March 2005, entered the Irish album charts at Number 1 and achieved platinum status in December 2005.

In February 2006, Dempsey increased his Meteor Awards by winning in The Best Irish Male category.

Recorded in December 2005 at Dublin's Olympia Theatre and released in June 2006 in both Ireland and the UK, Dempsey's first live album, "Live at The Olympia", entered the Irish album chart at Number 10.

Marching Season Siege
Damien Dempsey Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Marching down my street
Right past my own church
You beat your drums of hate
Until your hands burst
And the route you take through my neighbourhood
Is a well planned route
Baying for some blood,
Woh some blood.

You could march down your own streets,
But that's now what you want
There's no point in that
You need someone to taunt
And the hate they feel
Is beaten into them
From their infancy,
Drummed and drummed again
Woh again

I have many friends, who come from your background
But they see through hate and their own voice they've
found
Every summertime, we are under siege
Every summertime, it's the marching season siege

Woh the siege, it's the marching season siege
Woh the siege, the siege, the siege, the siege

Overall Meaning

Damien Dempsey's "Marching Season Siege" is a commentary on the annual marching season in Northern Ireland, which takes place during the summer months. The song reflects the frustration and anger felt by many Catholics who feel under siege during this time. The lyrics describe the experience of having a sectarian parade - featuring loyalist bands and Orangemen - march through a Catholic neighbourhood, past a Catholic church, and the sense of triumphalism that can be felt as they "beat their drums of hate" and "bay for some blood". The singer laments the fact that the people taking part in the march seem to be motivated not by a desire to celebrate their own culture, but by a desire to intimidate and taunt their Catholic neighbours. The lines "You could march down your own streets / But that's not what you want / There's no point in that / You need someone to taunt" suggest that the marchers are not content to simply celebrate their identity in their own communities, but that they seek to assert their dominance over areas where they are not welcome.

The second verse of the song shifts focus slightly, offering a possible explanation for the deep-seated hatred that can be felt during the marching season. The singer suggests that the hatred is something that is "beaten into" people from birth - a reference to the idea that sectarianism is a learned behaviour, passed down from generation to generation. The fact that the song implies that some of the marchers may not be aware of the origins of their own beliefs is particularly poignant. The final verse of the song offers a glimmer of hope, however - the singer notes that he has friends who come from the same background as the marchers, but who have rejected hatred and bigotry. The last lines of the song, "Every summertime, it's the marching season siege / Woh the siege, it's the marching season siege", bring the song full circle, reminding the listener that this is an annual event that is not likely to go away any time soon.

Line by Line Meaning

Marching down my street
You are purposefully choosing to walk down the street that I call home, and it's not because you need to or have to, but rather to show dominance.

Right past my own church
It's a personal affront that you would walk by my place of worship while beating your drums and spewing hate.

You beat your drums of hate
Your beating of the drums is an audible representation of your hatred toward a group of people.

Until your hands burst
Your violent and aggressive beating of the drums is so intense that it causes you physical harm.

And the route you take through my neighbourhood
Your route through my area is calculated and strategic, not random or aimless.

Is a well planned route
Your route is not just a simple walk, but rather a predetermined path for your march.

Baying for some blood,
Your goal is not just to march and make noise, but also to incite violence and bloodshed.

Woh some blood.
You are expressing an intense desire for harm to come to others.

You could march down your own streets,
You have a choice in where you march, but you are purposely marching in a place where you are not welcome.

But that's now what you want
Your aim is not really to celebrate your heritage or culture, but rather to show disdain and contempt for others.

There's no point in that
There is no purpose or point in peacefully marching in your own neighborhood, because that wouldn't further your agenda.

You need someone to taunt
Your goal is to provoke and belittle others, rather than celebrate your own culture.

And the hate they feel
The hatred felt by the people you are targeting has been forced upon them from a young age.

Is beaten into them
The hate is repeatedly and forcefully instilled within them through various methods.

From their infancy,
This indoctrination begins from a very young age, before the child is even aware.

Drummed and drummed again
The message is repeatedly and loudly delivered, in a similar way to how you repeatedly beat your drums.

I have many friends, who come from your background
Despite the differences in our backgrounds, I can still connect and empathize with those who come from your cultural identity.

But they see through hate and their own voice they've found
My friends from your background have rejected the cycle of hate that they were born into, and have found their own voices in life.

Every summertime, we are under siege
Every year during the summertime, we feel threatened and under attack by your marches.

Every summertime, it's the marching season siege
Your yearly marches during the summer are oppressive and feel like a forced siege on our communities.

Woh the siege, it's the marching season siege
The siege caused by your marches is a real and painful experience every year.

Woh the siege, the siege, the siege, the siege
The repetition of the word 'siege' represents the ongoing and persistent nature of the oppression felt by those targeted by your marches.

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAMIEN DEMPSEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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