Brady began performing as a hotel piano player in Donegal at the age of sixteen and graduated to being guitarist, during the 1960s, in two rhythm and blues bands: Rockhouse and the Cult. There followed a stint with the Johnstons as a guitarist and singer that ended in 1974, and a shorter one with Planxty that saw Brady touring extensively but recording no albums. In 1976, Brady recorded an album with Andy Irvine that he now regards as his best. Welcome Here Kind Stranger, released in 1978 was the summation of his interest in Irish music and was followed in 1981 by the appropriately named Hard Station, Brady's engagement with commercial rock.
Brady went on to record several other albums and collaborated with Bonnie Raitt and Richard Thompson. In 2006 he collaborated with Cara Dillon on the track "The Streets of Derry" from her album "After the Morning". He has also worked with Fiachra Trench.
Nobody Knows
Paul Brady Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's gonna rise
Everyone knows that Johnny is ready
He's ready to fly
Up on the rooftop he turns to the crowd
No one is waiting
No one is there
Nobody knows why Elvis threw it all away
Nobody knows what Ruby had to hide
Nobody knows why some of us get broken hearts
And some of us find a world that's clear and bright
You could be packed up and ready
Knowing exactly where to go
How come you miss the connection?
No use in asking, the answer is nobody knows
No use in asking, the answer is nobody knows
Johnny will keep his illusions
What else can he do?
And you can pretend that it would be different
If it happened to you
But up on the rooftop, it's a whole other world
And who could see heaven
And not want to stay?
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Paul Brady's song Nobody Knows are a reflection on the uncertainty and unpredictability of life. The first verse talks about Johnny's high expectations and how he's ready to fly, but when he gets up on the rooftop and turns to the crowd, nobody is waiting, and nobody is there. This exemplifies how life can be a lonely journey and how our expectations do not always come to fruition.
The chorus touches upon different themes of life that we may never know the answers to. For instance, nobody knows why Elvis threw it all away, or what Ruby had to hide. These lyrics suggest that we can never fully comprehend what others are going through, and we can never truly understand the motivations behind their actions. The chorus also mentions how some of us find a world that's clear and bright while others get broken hearts. This line communicates the idea that life is not always fair and that some people seem to have it easy while others struggle.
The second verse acknowledges that we can be packed up and ready for something, but miss the connection, and the answer to why we missed it is nobody knows. This lyric shows how the randomness of life can play a part in our successes or failures. The final lines of the song talk about how Johnny will keep his illusions, and we can pretend that things would be different if it happened to us. The line 'And who could see heaven and not want to stay?' could represent the potential for finding beauty and hope in the unlikeliest of places, even if it is just a fleeting moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Johnny's got high expectations
Johnny is full of hope and ambition
He's gonna rise
He believes he will succeed
Everyone knows that Johnny is ready
Everyone is aware that Johnny is prepared
He's ready to fly
He is eager to move ahead
Up on the rooftop he turns to the crowd
Johnny, on the rooftop, looks out at the people below
No one is waiting
No one is expecting him or paying attention
No one is there
There is no one to greet him
Nobody knows why Elvis threw it all away
No one understands why Elvis Presley gave up everything he had
Nobody knows what Ruby had to hide
No one knows the secrets that Ruby, whoever it may be, kept hidden
Nobody knows why some of us get broken hearts
No one knows why some people experience heartache
And some of us find a world that's clear and bright
While others discover a life that is happy and full of promise
You could be packed up and ready
You may have all you need to start out
Knowing exactly where to go
With a clear sense of direction
How come you miss the connection?
Why did you fail to make the connection or find success?
No use in asking, the answer is nobody knows
There is no point in seeking an answer, as no one knows
Johnny will keep his illusions
Johnny will continue to believe in his dreams
What else can he do?
What other options does Johnny have?
And you can pretend that it would be different
You may imagine things would turn out differently if you were in his shoes
If it happened to you
If you were in Johnny's situation
But up on the rooftop, it's a whole other world
The rooftop creates a separate reality
And who could see heaven
For those that experience the rooftop's ambiance
And not want to stay?
Who wouldn't want to remain there forever?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EDWARD JOEL KOWALCZYK, CHAD DAVID TAYLOR, PATRICK DAHLHEIMER, CHAD ALAN GRACEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@carlogleeson3502
Johnny's got high expectations
He's gonna rise
Everyone knows that Johnny is ready
He's ready to fly
Up on the rooftop he turns to the crowd
No one is waiting
No one is there
Nobody knows why Elvis threw it all away
Nobody knows what Ruby had to hide
Nobody knows why some of us get broken hearts
And some of us find a world that's clear and bright
You could be packed up and ready
Knowing exactly where to go
How come you miss the connection?
No use in asking, the answer is nobody knows
No use in asking, the answer is nobody knows
Johnny will keep his illusions
What else can he do?
And you can pretend that it would be different
If it happened to you
But up on the rooftop, it's a whole other world
And who could see heaven
And not want to stay?
Nobody knows why Elvis threw it all away
Nobody knows what Ruby had to hide
Nobody knows why some of us get broken hearts
And some of us find a world that's clear and bright
@peternolan814
Nobody Knows (Paul Brady)
Johnny’s got high expectations
He’s gonna rise
Everyone knows that Johnny is ready
He’s ready to fly
Up on the rooftop he turns to the crowd
No one is waiting
No one is there
Chorus
Nobody knows why Elvis threw it all away
Nobody knows what Ruby had to hide
Nobody knows why some of us get broken hearts
And some of us find a world that’s clear and bright
You could be packed up and ready
Knowing exactly where to go
How come you miss the connection?
No use in asking…the answer is nobody knows
No use in asking…the answer is nobody knows
Johnny will keep his illusions
What else can he do?
And you can pretend that it would be different
If it happened to you
But up on the rooftop, it’s a whole other world
And who could see heaven
And not want to stay?
Repeat Chorus
@ianscully6652
Johnny's got high expectations
He's gonna rise
Everyone knows that Johnny is ready
He's ready to fly
Up on the rooftop he turns to the crowd
No one is waiting
No one is there
Nobody knows why Elvis threw it all away
Nobody knows what Ruby had to hide
Nobody knows why some of us get broken hearts
And some of us find a world that's clear and bright
You could be packed up and ready
Knowing exactly where to go
How come you miss the connection?
No use in asking, the answer is nobody knows
No use in asking, the answer is nobody knows
Johnny will keep his illusions
What else can he do?
And you can pretend that it would be different
If it happened to you
But up on the rooftop, it's a whole other world
And who could see heaven
And not want to stay?
Nobody knows why Elvis threw it all away
Nobody knows what Ruby had to hide
Nobody knows why some of us get broken hearts
And some of us find a world that's clear and bright
@thomasdoherty8035
Nobody knows why elvis threw it all away, nobody knows what ruby had to hide. Brilliant from the wee Strabane man, from a Derry man 🇮🇪
@michaelmclaughlin7325
Exactly thomas, absolutly amazballs from a derry man , that used to work in strabane 4 15 yearx .....
@robertk9753
One of the most underrated singer/songwriters in the world, should be world class
@nigellyn1589
he is
@superlawes1
my mother had the album...i scoffed at it...then i heard this..it hit me...shes gone now...i get it now...the woman had taste...its an incredible song.
@pamalford8319
I first heard this song on ClancysIrishMusicRadio.com in 2000 and became an instant fan of Paul's. They also featured him on a playlist from his early days with The Johnstons during the 60's, "Ye Jacobites by Name". An incredible songwriter and singer. I wish that ClancysIrishMusicRadio.com was still around, but it was one of thousands of victims of 9/11.
@kasparssmits4563
Ger O’donnell has it done with trevor sexton, it’s incredible..
@brecans
"Nobody knows why some of us get broken hearts,while some of us find a world that's clear and bright". Great line.
@kerrysgold1
No use in asking..the answer is nobody knows,👌
@2bcYT
Cheers! June 2021