In 2000, Mundy was dropped by Epic while working on his second album, The Moon is a Bullethole, which was about to be recorded. Although a four-track EP of that title was released, much of the material for the cancelled album was eventually incorporated into 24 Star Hotel, Mundy's 2002 album.
24 Star Hotel was released on Camcor Records - a label Mundy himself set up, primarily funded by his royalties from the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. Camcor Records is named for the Camcor River, a popular fishing spot, which runs through the town of Birr. The album contained the song "July", an ode to the joys of the Irish summer, which gained heavy airplay throughout the summer months, and is, for Irish audiences at least, Mundy's signature tune. Other record labels based in Birr include Roesy's Blue Coak Records and Canabrism's Podcomplex Records, both artists being former schoolmates of Mundy.
In 2003 Mundy also contributed to Afro Celt Sound System's album Seed, and to Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 1 with a cover version of the Shakira song Whenever, Wherever, only with the two words in the title switched around.
In May 2004, Mundy released his third album, Raining Down Arrows, which entered the Irish album chart at number 1. The album has since gone platinum.
Mundy's collaboration with Sharon Shannon on the track "Galway Girl" has become a cult hit recently, thanks to RTÉ 2fm playing the track every Friday since Will Leahy took on the drive time show.
Mundy is the cousin of Fine Gael TD Olwyn Enright and the nephew of long-standing former TD and Senator Tom Enright.
Pardon Me
Mundy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i've given you, doll, me very best.
been drunk so many times in your pressence,
in my engine, you are the essence..
i've drunk my every penny + pounds
(?) my friends just to stay another round
just to take another look at you
pardon me, oh fathom me
what's your reason not to see me?
pardon me, oh fathom me
you've no reason not to kiss me
i've sat and pondered crying
and wondered what you wear beneathe your clothes
i've thought about your mother + the crows
that sit in the apple trees at the bottom of her gardens
pardon me, oh fathom me
tell me, what's your reason for not seeing me
pardon me, oh fathom me
'cause you've no reason for not kissing me
i've told my friends Chartreuse is your name
and that i have an infatuation
i want us to be a plural
i know a little place way out in the rural
you don't know what i'd do just to kiss
your coward country lips
and not think about sex for a change
Chartreuse -- i think i love you
pardon me, oh fathom me
what's your reason not to see me?
pardon me, oh fathom me
what's your reason not to kiss me?
pardon me, oh fathom me
tell me, what's your reason for not seeing me
pardon me, oh fathom me
'cause you've no reason not to kiss me
kiss me
In the lyrics of Mundy's song "Pardon Me", we are introduced to a character who is deeply infatuated with a woman he refers to as his "coal-haired lady from the west". The singer has given his best to her and has been drunk in her presence many times, suggesting that he is trying to impress her. He has even spent all his money and borrowed from friends just to stay in the bar and take another look at her. However, the woman seems to be oblivious to his advances. Throughout the song, the singer is pleading with her to notice him and asking for a reason why she won't see him or kiss him.
The lyrics take us through the singer's thoughts and feelings as he sits and wonders about the woman's life, what she wears, and even her mother and the crows that sit in her garden. He then tells his friends about his infatuation with the woman, whom he refers to as Chartreuse. The singer imagines a future with her, wishing they could be a plural, and has a desire to kiss her without thinking about sex. The lyrics end with the singer asking her to pardon him and fathom him, to tell him her reason for not seeing him or kissing him, because he believes she has no reason not to.
Overall, the lyrics reveal an unrequited love that the singer has for the woman, and how he is desperate for her attention and affection.
Line by Line Meaning
me coal, me coal-haired lady from the west,
I am addressing you, my coal-haired lady from the west.
i've given you, doll, me very best.
I have given you all that I have, my dearest lady.
been drunk so many times in your pressence,
I have been drunk many times in your presence.
in my engine, you are the essence..
You are the very essence of my being.
i've drunk my every penny + pounds
I have spent all my money on drinking.
(?) my friends just to stay another round
I have betrayed my friends to stay longer and drink more.
just to take another look at you
All I wanted was to have another glimpse of you.
me coal-haired lady -- Chartreuse
I refer to you, my coal-haired lady, as Chartreuse.
pardon me, oh fathom me
Please forgive me, understand my intentions.
what's your reason not to see me?
I wonder why you refuse to acknowledge my existence.
you've no reason not to kiss me
I believe you have no reason not to kiss me.
i've sat and pondered crying
I have spent time crying and thinking about you.
and wondered what you wear beneathe your clothes
I have thought about what you wear under your clothes.
i've thought about your mother + the crows
I have also thought about your mother and the crows in her garden.
that sit in the apple trees at the bottom of her gardens
The crows sit in the apple trees located at the bottom of her garden.
'cause you've no reason for not kissing me
I don't understand why you won't kiss me.
i've told my friends Chartreuse is your name
I have told my friends that your name is Chartreuse.
and that i have an infatuation
They also know that I have a strong attraction towards you.
i want us to be a plural
I want us to be together, as a unit.
i know a little place way out in the rural
I know a special place in the countryside we can go to.
you don't know what i'd do just to kiss
You have no idea what I would do just to be able to kiss you.
your coward country lips
I refer to your lips as cowardly belonging to the countryside.
and not think about sex for a change
I just want to kiss you without thinking about sex for once.
Chartreuse -- i think i love you
I believe that I am in love with you, Chartreuse.
tell me, what's your reason for not seeing me
Please let me know why you refuse to notice me.
kiss me
Kiss me, please.
Contributed by Bella T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Seb
Saw you live in France, when this song was a hit on the parisian rock radio. Great show, very good memories of my teen years.
This is not the album version, is it ?
Martin Cartney
Remember seeing them at t in the park
Ruth Linington
So young! :)
Audrey Grier
He was so young!!
chillizoe5
Mundy FINALLY sang this on his live Facebook performance the other day. I was delighted! He can still belt it. :)