Coming from a family with a keen musical interest, Flannery was introduced to folk and blues music at a young age. He says that he wrote his first song at the age of fifteen. When he was in school he got together with a few local guys and formed a rock band called Black Orange but their gigging history was sporadic and they went their separate ways a few years after. Later, while undergoing a music and management course at Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa in Cork, Flannery commenced writing the album that would become "Evening Train", an eleven-track concept album about the exploits of two brothers. Released in 2007, the album was received positively by critics in Ireland and the United States.
Flannery's second studio album "White Lies" was released on 12 September 2008, achieving a top ten position on the Irish Albums Chart. It later went platinum and was nominated for the Choice Music Prize.
Flannery released his third studio album, Red to Blue, on 30 March 2012.
Official site: www.mickflannery.com
When I've Got A Dollar
Mick Flannery Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He is such a fool for
Playing cards with such men
He don't know his luck's end
But why would I be bothered
Why would I be bothered
When I've got a dollar
And things are well now
Oh
How there's always the sign
That something's hiding
Where you don't want to look
You're afraid of your mind
I am such a dreamer
I am such a fool for
Sending my affections
In all the wrong directions
Why would I be bothered
Why would I be bothered
When I've got a dollar
When I've got a dollar
Things are well now
Oh
How there's always the sign
That something's hiding
Where you don't want to look
You're afraid of your mind
The song "When I've Got a Dollar" by Mick Flannery is a melancholic reflection on the futility of many of life’s pursuits. The opening lines describe a character who is foolish enough to gamble with unsavory men, unaware of the danger he is putting himself in. However, the singer of the song seems indifferent to this man's misfortune, as he sees himself as having something much more valuable than the material possessions that many people covet. He has a dollar in his pocket and seems content with that.
The chorus of the song contains the lines "Why would I be bothered when I've got a dollar?" which serves as a reminder that sometimes the things that we think are important are not as significant as we make them out to be. The second verse talks about the pitfalls of being a dreamer, sending out one's affections in all the wrong directions. The singer seems to imply that he has made this mistake before.
The last lines of the chorus reveal the central message of the song: "Things are well now, oh how there's always a sign that something's hiding where you don't want to look, you're afraid of your mind." The lines suggest that even when things seem to be going well, there is always something lurking beneath the surface that can cause us unease. The singer seems to suggest that by focusing on the simple things in life, like having a dollar in his pocket, he is able to avoid these pitfalls.
Overall the song "When I've Got a Dollar" is a poignant reflection on the things that we value in life, and how sometimes the most important things are the ones that we take for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
He is such a loser
The person being referred to is unsuccessful and lacks confidence
He is such a fool for
He is a fool for engaging himself in activities that he cannot win
Playing cards with such men
Participating in risky games with dangerous people
He don't know his luck's end
He is unaware that his good luck will soon run out
But why would I be bothered
The singer is not concerned about other people's problems
When I've got a dollar
Because the singer has some money, he does not need to worry about the problems of others or his own
And things are well now
The singer's life is going well for the time being
Oh
This is an exclamation showing an emotion or feeling
How there's always the sign
There is always an indication that something is not right
That something's hiding
There is something hidden that may bring problems in the future
Where you don't want to look
The hiding place is somewhere undesirable
You're afraid of your mind
The person is fearful of what their own thoughts are telling them
I am such a dreamer
The singer is a person who dreams a lot
I am such a fool for
The singer is a foolish person for behaving in a manner that is not rational
Sending my affections
The singer sends his love in the wrong direction
In all the wrong directions
The singer falls in love with the wrong type of people
Things are well now
The singer's life is going well for the time being
How there's always the sign
There is always an indication that something is not right
That something's hiding
There is something hidden that may bring problems in the future
Where you don't want to look
The hiding place is somewhere undesirable
You're afraid of your mind
The person is fearful of what their own thoughts are telling them
Writer(s): Michael Flannery
Contributed by Josiah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.