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
Man Of The Moment
Paul Dempsey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could be why you see just distance in his eyes
He could be watching ashes grow,
Where all your best seeds were just now sown
But for all i know there's far more i don't...
New rays of light must fight for a place between the leaves
So son don't seem surprised to find no shade beneath this tree
When offered your piece of the franchise
Now every kid expects a birth-right...
Hand-me-down, hand-me-down oh brother,
Now it's your turn, it's your turn to deliver...
Hand-me-down, hand-me-down oh brother,
What's the measure of a man, made to measure...
It's some privilege to claim that only the strong survive -
If you can choose the time and place and what you'll sacrifice
We'll all get our piece of the dream
And the have-nots will have to take another hit for the team
Well that's just how it's always been...
It went something like - garden. Tree. Adam and eve. And father, pray, forgive.
But if i never hear that shit again i'll live and live and live and live
And whatever made the world go round before
Is probably what will keep it going round after they're gone
The lyrics of Paul Dempsey’s song Man of the Moment is a commentary on the human need for power and the struggle to attain it. The “man of the moment” is described as someone who is ahead of his time, implying that he possesses a special knowledge or ability that others do not have. Despite this insight, there is a sense of detachment in him that is revealed in his distant gaze. The imagery of “watching ashes grow” while your best seeds were just sown conveys the idea that the man of the moment sees beyond the present moment and is perhaps able to glimpse the future consequences of actions taken now.
The song also touches on the concept of inheritance and entitlement. The chorus references a “hand-me-down” tradition, where the past is passed down to the next generation to claim as their own. This is contrasted with the idea that the man of the moment is creating something entirely new and not relying on the former generation's achievements. Instead, new rays of light must fight for a place between the leaves, suggesting that the man of the moment is creating a new way forward, and not simply rebuilding or inheriting from the past. The song’s final lines suggest a questioning of the origins of power and the concept of fate – wondering what force has kept the world functioning before and what will keep it functioning in the future.
Line by Line Meaning
The man of the moment is just way ahead of his time,
The current leader is ahead of his contemporaries in terms of ideas and vision.
Could be why you see just distance in his eyes
His forward-thinking nature seems to cause him to always be looking toward the future and not as invested in his current surroundings.
He could be watching ashes grow,
He might be looking at what's left of the people who came before him, seeing the destruction and decay of their ideas and ideals.
Where all your best seeds were just now sown
He is watching the growth of his and others' new ideas and concepts while looking down on the previous ones.
But for all i know there's far more i don't...
Despite being aware of this, there are things that the artist does not understand or know about the man of the moment.
New rays of light must fight for a place between the leaves
It's a constant battle between old and new ideas, with the new ones struggling to find a place where they can grow and shine.
So son don't seem surprised to find no shade beneath this tree
This may result in a lack of safety and comfort in the present, but the benefits of the change may eventually outweigh the initial discomfort.
Just like abe' you can't think twice
As the famous quote from Abraham Lincoln suggests, making tough decisions and taking responsibility requires strength of character and conviction.
When offered your piece of the franchise
When you're in a position of power, you need to make choices that benefit the greater good rather than just yourself.
Now every kid expects a birth-right...
It's essential to address the imbalance of privilege to ensure equal opportunity, which would prevent power from being handed down only to those in power's families.
Hand-me-down, hand-me-down oh brother,
We must overcome the tradition of passing power from one generation to the next, transferring opportunities from father to son.
Now it's your turn, it's your turn to deliver...
As a new generation comes forward, it's their responsibility to take up the mantle of leadership and to work toward positive societal change.
What's the measure of a man, made to measure...
It's essential to redefine how we measure the worth and success of individuals, departing from the traditional metrics of power and wealth.
It's some privilege to claim that only the strong survive -
The notion that strength is the only measure of success is a privileged perspective because it ignores the potential for systemic inequalities that impact people's opportunities at success.
If you can choose the time and place and what you'll sacrifice
Success is largely aided by having the freedom to choose opportunities and sacrifices, which not everyone has access to.
We'll all get our piece of the dream
Through working together towards positive societal change, we can all participate in our vision for the future.
And the have-nots will have to take another hit for the team
However, this dream may require sacrifice, particularly from those who have been traditionally marginalized or underserved by existing societal norms.
Well that's just how it's always been...
This systemic issue has a long history, and it will take time and effort to shift the power dynamic for positive change.
It went something like - garden. Tree. Adam and eve. And father, pray, forgive.
Despite this, the singer doesn't want to hearken back to the ideas and origins that started this never-ending cycle of tradition and inequity.
But if i never hear that shit again i'll live and live and live and live
It's time to move past these sources of privilege and inequality, to create a new world view that values all individuals equally based on their merits.
And whatever made the world go round before
The sources of power and privilege that existed before likely don't align with current societal values or visions for a better tomorrow.
Is probably what will keep it going round after they're gone
By clinging to these outdated ideas, those in power continue to perpetuate systemic inequalities that could be dismantled with intentional change efforts.
Contributed by Alexander T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dane Cook
Some of Paul’s best writing. My favourite!
Stefano Manganaro
Brilliant❤️
joe Thomas
On heavy rotation. Brilliant song
Jamie Walton
He forgot the 3rd verse.He wasn't happy (shaking his head) but covered it up well