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.
The Awakening
Paul Brady Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So many nights of saving love for no-one there
So many hearts that break when promises are broken
How long before you find the answer to your prayer
It's the awakening... It's the awakening...
How high the road that leads us on from Sweet Surrender
How soft the wind that waits to speed us on our way
How young and foolish were we still to be pretending
It's the awakening (Tonight you see her with different eyes)
It's the awakening (Tonight you know where your happiness lies)
(Chorus)
And if you're looking for the answers to your questions
Look inside
And if you're wondering why your heart is always restless
Look inside
Could you and I forget the times when we were strangers
When all the beauty that we shared was swept away
When every avenue we walked would lead to nowhere
Could you and I forget the tears of yesterday
It's the awakening (And you can leave all the sadness behind)
It's the awakening (And now you're ready to find peace of mind)
It's the awakening.
(Chorus)
And if you're looking for the answers to your questions
Look inside
And if you're wondering why your heart is always restless
Look inside
It's the awakening
And you can dry all the tears from your eyes
It's the awakening
And you don't have to invent a disguise
It's the awakening
Tonight you know where your happiness lies
It's the awakening
The sun is up and the future is bright
(gd/naas
The lyrics of Paul Brady's song "The Awakening" speak of a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. The first verse describes the pain of unrequited love and broken promises, and the longing for answers to unanswered prayers. The chorus offers the solution to look inside oneself for the answers to life's questions and the restlessness of the heart. The second verse speaks of the beauty that can be lost in a relationship when it loses its way, and offers a choice to let go of the past and find peace of mind through awakening.
The repetition of the phrase "it's the awakening" emphasizes the importance and power of this process of self-discovery. The lyrics suggest that by embracing this awakening, one can leave behind sadness, dry tears, and find true happiness. The use of figurative language, such as "how high the road that leads us on," "how soft the wind that waits to speed us on our way," and "the sun is up and the future is bright," creates an uplifting and hopeful tone.
Overall, "The Awakening" promotes the idea of taking control of one's own life and finding fulfillment through inner exploration and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
So many years of reaching out for words unspoken
For countless years, I've been expressing myself inadequately, struggling to articulate what's on my mind.
So many nights of saving love for no-one there
I've spent numerous evenings keeping my emotions to myself because there was no one around to share them with.
So many hearts that break when promises are broken
There have been an unimaginable amount of people that have been crushed when someone failed to follow through with something they said they would do.
How long before you find the answer to your prayer
I don't know how much more time is needed for me to finally receive an answer to the thing that I've been hoping for.
It's the awakening... It's the awakening...
This is the moment... this is when everything changes.
How high the road that leads us on from Sweet Surrender
The path forward from a moment of giving in to something desirable is quite steep and difficult.
How soft the wind that waits to speed us on our way
The gentle breeze that patiently awaits us has the power to help us quickly move towards our destination.
How young and foolish were we still to be pretending
Despite being immature and naive, we continued to act as though we were capable of causing our love to prosper in any other way.
That we could make our love grow any other way
We believed that we could make our love blossom through means other than those that are natural and sincere.
It's the awakening (Tonight you see her with different eyes)
Everything will change starting tonight, and you will see her in a new light.
It's the awakening (Tonight you know where your happiness lies)
Tonight you will discover exactly where your happiness was waiting for you all along.
(Chorus)
This is the point in the song where the refrain repeats.
And if you're looking for the answers to your questions
If you're searching for solutions to the issues that are troubling you...
Look inside
...the answers you need can be found within yourself and your own emotions.
And if you're wondering why your heart is always restless
If you're unsure why your emotions are constantly in a state of flux...
Look inside
...you need only to look within yourself for the answer.
Could you and I forget the times when we were strangers
Is it possible for us to forget the moments when we were unknown to one another?
When all the beauty that we shared was swept away
Is it possible to forget when all of the beauty and positivity that we experienced together vanished?
When every avenue we walked would lead to nowhere
Is it possible to forget when every path we took led us to a dead end?
Could you and I forget the tears of yesterday
Is it possible for us to stop dwelling on the emotional pain of our past?
It's the awakening (And you can leave all the sadness behind)
This is the time to shed all of the emotional baggage that you've been carrying around with you.
It's the awakening (And now you're ready to find peace of mind)
Now is the moment when it's possible for you to finally achieve a sense of inner peace.
(Chorus)
Once again, it's time for the chorus to repeat.
And you can dry all the tears from your eyes
All of the tears of sadness and frustration that you've cried can finally be wiped away.
It's the awakening (And you don't have to invent a disguise)
You no longer have to pretend to be someone that you're not.
Tonight you know where your happiness lies
As the night continues, you will begin to realise where your true happiness and emotional fulfillment come from.
It's the awakening
This is truly a life-changing moment.
The sun is up and the future is bright
The sun has risen, illuminating an incredibly hopeful world as we head towards the future.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PAUL BRADY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind