Four Men and a Dog made a name for themselves with their eclectic and vivac… Read Full Bio ↴Four Men and a Dog made a name for themselves with their eclectic and vivacious blend of traditional Irish music with a wide spectrum of other genres, including rap, Southern rock, jazz, blues, bluegrass, polka, country swing, and even salsa.

Four Men and a Dog made their debut performance as a band in 'Murphy's Bar', Dungiven, County Derry, in 1990 before going on to steal the show at the Belfast Folk Festival later that year, with a high-energy approach that combines furious traditional dance tunes with irreverant new music and inimitatible covers.

Barking Mad, their debut album from Cross Border Media, snagged an award for Album of the Year from Folk Roots magazine in 1991, marking the first time that an Irish group had ever won the prize. Four Men & a Dog's music is enthusiastic and infectious.

During live shows it is also spontaneous, since band members do not rehearse. The group emerged in 1990 with a high-energy performance during the Belfast Folk Festival. Its name stems from the nickname of its original vocalist, Mick "the Black Dog" Daly.

Other original members included percussionist Gino Lupari, accordionist Donal Murphy, mandolinist and banjoist Brian McGrath, and fiddler Cathal Hayden. Kevin Doherty later replaced Daly as lead singer.

Around the same time, the group added James Blennerhassit on bass and Rod McVeigh on piano. Early in 1992,Conor Keane took over for Murphy on the accordion. By the following year, Gerry O'Connor stepped in for McGrath on banjo.

A later lineup consisted of guitarist Arty McGlynn, Doherty, Lupari, Hayden, O'Connor, and Keane. McGlynn, who produced the group's first album, formerly played with Patrick Street, the Clancy Brothers, and Planxty. Kean hails from the group Arcady, while O'Connor previously played with Skylark.

In 1993, Shifting Gravel, the group's second album, was not greeted by critics as enthusiastically as the band's debut. Objections arose over the pop-rock undertones injected by singer/songwriter Doherty. He pulled back a bit for the following album, Doctor A's Secret Remedies from Castle Communications in 1995, and added more narrative structure to the songs rather than his previous stream-of-consciousness stylings.

They recorded their album Doctor A's Secret Remedies (1995) at Levon Helm's studio in Woodstock, New York, with musical guests Garth Hudson and Randy Ciarlante. Rick Danko also joined the group on a UK tour where they played some of The Band's classics.

Castle Communications issued the group's next album, Long Roads, in 1996. Aaron Hurwitz, producer for the Band, engineered the recording at a studio run by Levon Helm in Woodstock, NY. Featured on the release are the Band's Rick Danko, Randy Ciarlante, Garth Hudson, and Richard Bell.

Restless
Four Men and a Dog Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A blue restless heart
Loves the rain
A dance to the rhythm
The rhythm of my pain

A stir of emotion
A deep bound devotion
May only the truth remain

Let it rain, Hallelujah
Let that springtime downpour
Run right through you
Let it rain, Hallelujah

A cream soda and a pecan pie
And a fat sack of reefer and boys I'll get by
A long, black, neon-lit river
Yes, that's what's missing in my life

But as long as it's gonna rain
I'll light a cigarette, and I'll sing
Sweet Mama Nature rehydrate my brain

Let it rain, Hallelujah
Let that springtime downpour
Run right through you
Let it rain, Hallelujah

Let it rain, Hallelujah
Let that springtime downpour

Run right through you
Let it rain, Hallelujah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Restless" by Four Men and a Dog depict a sense of longing and a search for fulfillment. The opening lines introduce a blue restless heart that finds solace in the rain, as if it serves as a source of comfort and catharsis. The description of a dance to the rhythm of pain suggests that the persona finds a strange beauty and connection in their own suffering.

The following lines delve into the emotional turmoil and deep devotion that the persona experiences. There is a desire for only the truth to remain, implying a longing for authenticity and clarity amidst all the restlessness. The repetition of the phrase "Let it rain, Hallelujah" serves as a plea for the rain to wash away the burdens and bring a sort of spiritual renewal. It evokes a sense of surrender and release, as if allowing the rain to cleanse and nourish one's soul.

The next verse takes a slightly different direction, introducing elements of indulgence and escapism. The mention of a cream soda, pecan pie, and a fat sack of reefer suggests a desire for comfort, pleasure, and perhaps a temporary escape from the restlessness. The image of a long, black, neon-lit river reveals a missing piece in the persona's life, implying a longing for something more vibrant, exciting, and fulfilling.

Despite the longing and need for fulfillment, the persona acknowledges that as long as it's going to rain, they'll find solace in lighting a cigarette and singing. This implies a resilience and adaptability, finding small moments of peace and contentment even in the midst of restlessness. The final repetition of "Let it rain, Hallelujah" reinforces the desire for the rain to wash away the discontentment and bring a sense of renewal and hope.

Line by Line Meaning

A blue restless heart
A heart that is full of longing and dissatisfaction

Loves the rain
Finds solace and comfort in the rain

A dance to the rhythm
Moving along to the beat

The rhythm of my pain
The consistent and familiar pattern of my suffering

A stir of emotion
A sudden surge of strong feelings

A deep bound devotion
An intense and unwavering commitment

May only the truth remain
Let only honesty and authenticity persist

Let that springtime downpour
Allow the heavy rainfall of new beginnings

Run right through you
Flow with and deeply experience it

A cream soda and a pecan pie
Simple pleasures and comforts

And a fat sack of reefer and boys I'll get by
Using marijuana and camaraderie to cope and survive