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.
Winter Clothes
John McDermott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through spring's first morning sun
We'd run, only beginning
I never gave a thought
That sun and seasons change
It's strange, so soon it's the ending
Let me get my hat
When I'll lose the warmth of you
I'll need that
Let me put my rain shoes on
I'll need some of those
When I'll leave the warmth of you
I suppose, I'll need my winter clothes
Need my winter clothes
I never will forget
My summer sorceress
Your dress, light as the laughter
And golden leaves that fell
Like notes from a lover's song
Gone wrong, lost ever after
Let me get my overcoat
I'll need my scarf and gloves
When I'll face the chill of night
Without my love
Let me put my rain shoes on
I'll need some of those
I'll bring the days of golden sun
Took the clothes
Need my winter clothes
Need my winter clothes
Need my winter clothes
The lyrics of John McDermott's song Winter Clothes capture the bittersweet feeling of losing love and facing the cold, lonely winter ahead. The first stanza describes the beginning of a relationship, the joy of new love, and the realization that things are changing too quickly. The lines "I never gave a thought / That sun and seasons change / It's strange, so soon it's the ending" play with the idea that sometimes we take things for granted until they are gone.
The chorus, "Let me get my overcoat / Let me get my hat / When I'll lose the warmth of you / I'll need that / Let me put my rain shoes on / I'll need some of those / When I'll leave the warmth of you / I suppose, I'll need my winter clothes" reflects the acceptance of loss and the need to prepare oneself for the winter ahead with warm clothing. McDermott's reference to specific pieces of clothing such as an overcoat, hat, and rain shoes is an allusion to the practical steps one needs to take to face the cold weather.
The second stanza reminisces on a past love and the feeling of loss that can never be forgotten. The lines "And golden leaves that fell / Like notes from a lover's song / Gone wrong, lost ever after" describe the beautiful, fleeting moments of love that are now gone, and how they are missed through the winter season.
Overall, the song Winter Clothes is a haunting melody that speaks to the cyclical nature of life and love. McDermott's use of imagery captures the feeling of loss and the need to prepare oneself for the cold winter ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
When our love was new
When our relationship was just beginning
Through spring's first morning sun
During the early days of spring when the sun first rises
We'd run, only beginning
We were just starting to explore the possibilities of our love
I never gave a thought
I never considered
That sun and seasons change
That the weather and time of year can shift significantly
It's strange, so soon it's the ending
It's surprising how quickly everything ended
Let me get my overcoat
Please allow me to go and retrieve my coat
Let me get my hat
Please allow me to go and retrieve my hat
When I'll lose the warmth of you
When I'm no longer near your physical warmth
I'll need that
I'll require the warmth provided by my coat and hat
Let me put my rain shoes on
Please allow me to go and put on my shoes designed to repel rain
I'll need some of those
I'll require the protective shoes to keep my feet dry
When I'll leave the warmth of you
When I'm leaving you or when you're no longer close by
I suppose, I'll need my winter clothes
I believe I'll require my clothing designed to protect me in colder weather
I never will forget
I'll always remember
My summer sorceress
My lover who seemed magical like a sorceress during the summertime
Your dress, light as the laughter
Your dress was as delightful and joyful as laughter
And golden leaves that fell
The leaves that were colored like gold and fell from the trees
Like notes from a lover's song
Like pieces of a romantic melody
Gone wrong, lost ever after
Ended poorly, with no future for us together
I'll need my scarf and gloves
I'll require my scarf and gloves to keep my neck and hands warm
When I'll face the chill of night
When I'm dealing with the coldness of the night
Without my love
Without you near me
I'll bring the days of golden sun
I'll attempt to recall the happy, warm memories we shared in the summertime
Took the clothes
I gathered my winter clothes
Need my winter clothes
I require my winter clothes to keep me warm
Need my winter clothes
I require my winter clothes to keep me warm
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind