Paul Dempsey formed Something For Kate just after leaving high school in 1994 with school friend, drummer Clint Hyndman. They then found bass player, Julian Carroll from an advertisement in a record store. The three played only a couple of shows and released a demo tape before they were approached by Chris Dunn, then A&R representative for Sony subsidiary label Murmur records who signed them instantly. All members were 17 years old. Dempsey wrote all songs and lyrics and after releasing 2 EP's, the band went to New Zealand to record their first album, Elsewhere for Eight Minutes. In 1998, he then released a solo album under the name Scared of Horses for which he wrote and played all the music whilst inviting guest vocalists to record the vocals. After this came album number 2, Beautiful Sharks for which Paul and the band won a Music Critics Award for Best Australian Album and Best Australian Live band and 2 ARIA nominations. This album gained much critical acclaim in particular for Paul's insightful lyrics and unique and understated observations on science, physics, astronomy and a general questioning nature. It was album no. 3 Echolalia, that really propelled Paul into being recognized as one of Australia's most gifted songwriters. He was voted Best Male Vocalist in Rolling Stone and the album was nominated for 5 ARIA Awards. It debuted at No.2 and has gone on to sell double platinum. Paul experienced writers block and depression (see below) at around this time. He and the band toured the U.S and Europe while he tried to write lyrics for the band's fourth album. No doubt feeling the pressure from the band's success, it wasn't until 2003 that The Official Fiction was released. Debuting at Number 1, this album displayed Paul's lyrical talent and maturity and a sense of anger at the political events of the time.
In 2003 Paul also produced and played drums, bass, guitar and keyboards on the Givegoods' 2003 album I Want to Kill a Rich Man , the side project for Tom Morgan and Evan Dando.
In 2005 after another bout of writer's block and debilitating depression, Paul and the band went to Los Angeles to make album number 5, Desert Lights which again displayed another leap in Paul's songwriting abilities and unique observations on the world around him. The album was released in 2006 and again debuted at Number 1 pointing to the longevity of the band and Paul's uniqueness in an ever changing musical climate.
In 2007 Paul began writing his first official solo album and produced the debut album for Melbourne singer-songwriter Brendan Welch titled The Gleaner.
Paul has also appeared on several of Melbourne Dance Artist T-Rek albums, playing a variety of instruments on the albums as well as playing keyopards on Melbourne band, The Nation Blue's album, 'Protest Songs'.
Recording was completed for Paul's debut solo album in April 2009 in Los Angeles with Mix engineer/ producer, Doug Boehm. The first song to be released from the album is titled Out the Airlock and was initially given away as a very limited free download on http://www.pauldempseymusic.com. The single was released through "itunes" May 15 2009.
The Daily Telegraph revealed on May 29 that the title of Dempsey's album is Everything Is True and is to be release on August 14 2009
Addicted
Paul Dempsey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kevin has a caterpillar squeezed between his fingers
Hear the mailman come, see what he delivers
And you wait
And it makes you feel strange
As if you were afraid
And you lie
With a look to the side
And you say
I was addicted to the drug
But now I know when I've had enough
Could curl up and sleep on the floor
But I'm riding the train a hundred miles an hour
It feels like this train might never stop
Watching static on the television
When the morning comes
And you wait
And it makes you feel strange
As if you are deranged
With a look to the side
And you say
I was addicted to the drug
But now I know when I've had enough
So far, you've come so far
You've come so far
We've come so far
The lyrics of Paul Dempsey's song Addicted depict the struggles and aftermath of addiction. The opening lines create a sense of confusion and uncertainty with the use of tongue twisters and nonsensical sentences. This reflects the mind of an addict, where thoughts and feelings are often jumbled and unclear. The first verse also includes imagery of a caterpillar being squeezed, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the feeling of being trapped or suffocated by addiction.
As the song progresses, the chorus reflects the struggle of breaking free from addiction. The repetition of "And you wait, and it makes you feel strange" highlights the internal conflict an addict faces while trying to quit. The line "I was addicted to the drug, but now I know when I've had enough" represents the point of realization and self-control, where the addict can finally manage their addiction.
The final lines of the song – "So far, you've come so far, we've come so far" – express a sense of pride and accomplishment. It acknowledges the difficult journey of overcoming addiction and celebrates the progress made.
Overall, the song captures the emotional and psychological journey of addiction, and the hope that comes with overcoming it.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear the words a jumble, try this tongue twister
The lyrics are hard to understand, like a tongue twister.
Kevin has a caterpillar squeezed between his fingers
An odd and confusing visual, possibly indicating a surreal or dream-like state.
Hear the mailman come, see what he delivers
Anticipation for the arrival of something, perhaps related to addiction.
And you wait
Waiting for something to arrive or happen.
And it makes you feel strange
The waiting is anxiety-inducing and uncomfortable.
As if you were afraid
The feeling of waiting is similar to fear.
And you lie
Not being honest with oneself or others about addiction.
With a look to the side
Shifty or nervous behavior, indicating discomfort.
And you say
Admitting addiction.
I was addicted to the drug
Specifically referring to drug addiction.
But now I know when I've had enough
Having achieved sobriety, and being able to manage addiction.
Could curl up and sleep on the floor
Expressing exhaustion and a desire to rest.
But I'm riding the train a hundred miles an hour
Still propelled forward through life, even when exhausted.
It feels like this train might never stop
Perpetual motion, possibly indicating a feeling of being trapped in addiction.
Watching static on the television
Distracting oneself with meaningless activities when struggling with addiction.
When the morning comes
Starting a new day or stage in life.
And you wait
Anticipating challenges or relapse.
And it makes you feel strange
Feeling uncomfortable and anxious about facing challenges.
As if you are deranged
The feeling of being irrational or crazy due to addiction.
With a look to the side
Nervous or uncomfortable behavior.
And you say
Admitting vulnerability and the need for support.
I was addicted to the drug
Repeating the admission of addiction.
But now I know when I've had enough
Reaffirming the ability to manage addiction.
So far, you've come so far
Reflecting on progress and change.
You've come so far
Emphasizing personal growth and recovery.
We've come so far
Acknowledging support from others in achieving sobriety.
Contributed by Eliana W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.