After singing at weddings for a few years, he joined with several other choristers to form a group named The Mistletones in 1980. He also sang the national anthems at Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Maple Leafs games since 1988 and continues to do so. From 1984 through 1992 he worked as a circulation representative for the Toronto Sun, Conrad Black heard him singing at company parties. Black, along with other executives, financed McDermott's independent recording of "Danny Boy" in 1992, which was picked up and released in North America by EMI Music Canada. Following this unexpected success, McDermott decided to pursue a professional singing career.
John has annual concerts world wide, and can be seen from Toronto, to Boston, to New York, to Glasgow.
McDermott performed his first concert at the Rebecca Cohn Theatre on October 5, 1993 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. From there he continued to tour the rest of Canada, performing as an opening act for The Chieftains. Throughout 1994 he went on a tour of Australia and New Zealand, following the great success of Danny Boy, which had been ranked Number 1 on the charts there and achieved triple platinum in New Zealand. Next, in 1995 he went on a tour of the United Kingdom with The Seekers.
At this point in his career he was becoming recognized internationally, so he started to tour regularly as a solo act rather than an opening act. He also appeared at several special events including the D-Day ceremonies in France in 1995, and the US Democratic National Convention in 1996. He has also appeared on TV several times, both as a host of CBC Television concert specials in 1997, and in his own television special titled John McDermott: A Time to Remember which aired on PBS in 2002.
McDermott formed The Irish Tenors and after performing a large concert in Dublin, Ireland in 1998, they spent some time touring the US, appearing on TV, and releasing a gold record.
Since leaving The Irish Tenors, McDermott continues to tour extensively throughout the World, performing with his own group and with the great symphonies of the world. He continues to work to support the veteran community in the United States and in Canada. In 2000 McDermott dedicated McDermott House in Washington DC, a transitional home for homeless veterans. His latest release Journeys-Bringing Buddy Home was recorded to help support fundraising for Fisher House Boston and launch the Canadian initiative for an outreach centre for Canadian Veterans.
Kathleen
John McDermott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blown like a leaf on a warm summer breeze
A vision approached me as cool as you please
With her strawberry hair and a wink in her eye
To say I was smitten would not be a lie
Gathering courage I started to speak
To ask of her name but my heart felt too weak
I mumbled the question she calmly replied 'kathleen'
Well I remember my first motorbike
With her riding pillion I'd not heard the like
Of her giggles and squeels as we leaned left and right
And feeling her arms round my chest holding tight
Whilrwind romances were never my speed
But this one took off like a runaway steed
When she said she was having the time of her life
I knew then this vision would soon be my wife, kathleen
Oh kathleen the memories you've left me
They'll be with me through all of my days
Thinking there's safety in numbers no doubt
Acounts for the fact that the wholw town turned out
To behold how serenely she walked down the aisle
But trembled and blushed as I kissed her sweet smile
Picnics on beaches and punts on the lake
Luck seemed to serve us a slice of life's cake
That was more than enought to sustain us through years
When laughter would somehow give way to some tears kathleen
Oh kathleen the memories you've left me
They'll be with me through all of my days
Then at the ball she looked ever so sweet
Heavy with child but still light on her feet
Every head turned our way as we whirled o'er the floor
And I love her more than I'd loved her before
(instrumental)
Two caring children siobhan and marie
A grand little grandchild to bounce on my knee
They're a fine testimonial to all that was right
In keeping our candle of love burning bright, kathleen
Now as my life nears it's own eventide
It's almost as though she were here by my side
Such a presence an aura so perfectly made
My beautiful vision that never will fade kathleen
The song "Kathleen" by John McDermott is a touching ode to a beloved wife. The song is a narrated story of how the singer met this woman and eventually married her. The song starts with the singer describing how he was blown away by the sight of this woman with strawberry hair and a wink in her eye. The singer gathers the courage to speak to her and stumbles over his words but manages to ask for her name to which she replies "Kathleen". After this first interaction, the singer proceeds to describe the whirlwind romance that followed, leading to their marriage and the family they built together.
The singer recalls how he remembers his first motorbike and the joy he felt when Kathleen rode with him. He describes how their romance took off and soon enough, she was his wife. They spent their time having picnics on beaches and punts on the lake. The song also touches on the fact that Kathleen was heavily pregnant at a ball they attended, and how he loved her more than ever. Finally, the song ends with the singer describing how they built a family together, their children, and grandchild. The song ends with the singer describing how despite the fact that Kathleen has passed away, she is still with him in spirit.
Overall, the song is a beautiful tribute to a loved one. The lyrics are heartfelt, and the melody is moving. The singer's emotions are palpable in every word, making it easy for one to feel their own emotions alongside the singer's as they listen to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Blown like a leaf on a warm summer breeze
I felt swept away by a sudden unexpected presence
A vision approached me as cool as you please
A beautiful woman came towards me with a calm and collected demeanor
With her strawberry hair and a wink in her eye
She had beautiful red hair and gave me a flirtatious look
To say I was smitten would not be a lie
I was immediately infatuated with her
Gathering courage I started to speak
I tried my best to work up the nerve to talk to her
To ask of her name but my heart felt too weak
I wanted to know her name, but I was too nervous to ask
Like I'd gone to heaven before I had died
It felt like I was in a dream, almost too good to be true
I mumbled the question she calmly replied 'kathleen'
I asked her name and she answered with a sense of ease and confidence
Well I remember my first motorbike
I recall a fond memory of my early years
With her riding pillion I'd not heard the like
She was on the back of my bike and I remember her laughter fondly
Of her giggles and squeels as we leaned left and right
We enjoyed the ride together, and I can still hear her joyous giggles in my memory
And feeling her arms round my chest holding tight
I can still remember how safely and securely she held onto me
Whirlwind romances were never my speed
I wasn't one for fast-moving relationships
But this one took off like a runaway steed
This relationship moved quickly and dynamically
When she said she was having the time of her life
When she expressed how much she enjoyed being with me, I knew she was the one
I knew then this vision would soon be my wife, kathleen
I knew she was the one I was meant to spend my life with
Thinking there's safety in numbers no doubt
I suppose everyone felt it was safer to be together in a group
Accounts for the fact that the whole town turned out
Everyone came to witness and celebrate our wedding
To behold how serenely she walked down the aisle
She walked down the aisle calmly and gracefully
But trembled and blushed as I kissed her sweet smile
She blushed when I kissed her, but it was a sweet moment
Picnics on beaches and punts on the lake
We had lovely times relaxing in the great outdoors
Luck seemed to serve us a slice of life's cake
We felt very fortunate in life
That was more than enough to sustain us through years
We were content with the simple pleasures in life that kept us happy for years
When laughter would somehow give way to some tears kathleen
We had our sad moments, but we always got through them together
Then at the ball she looked ever so sweet
At a ball we attended, she looked lovely
Heavy with child but still light on her feet
Even while pregnant, she moved gracefully
Every head turned our way as we whirled o'er the floor
We dazzled everyone on the dance floor
And I love her more than I'd loved her before
My love for her grew even stronger
Two caring children Siobhan and Marie
We had two daughters who grew up to be kind and loving
A grand little grandchild to bounce on my knee
We also had a grandchild, who brought us so much joy
They're a fine testimonial to all that was right
Our children and grandchild represent all the good and love that we shared in our family
In keeping our candle of love burning bright, kathleen
Our love remained strong and vibrant, like a candle that never goes out
Now as my life nears its own eventide
As I approach the end of my life
It's almost a though she were here by my side
It feels like she's still with me
Such a presence an aura so perfectly made
She had an amazing aura and energy that was unique to her
My beautiful vision that never will fade Kathleen
She was a beautiful inspiration that will always have a special place in my heart
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