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
Out The Airlock
Paul Dempsey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tied up in corners with no hope of escape
Followed at high speed
Roughed up and handcuffed and led away
Dangled upside down from a great height
Tied to the rails as the train rounds the bend
Hijacked and hotwired
Then she tells you
She tells you
She tells you you're not home
Sucked out of the airlock
Cornered like a rat in the crowded city square
Lowered into volcanoes
Bound up back to back in smart matching chairs
She tells you
She tells you oh
She tells you you're not home
My sweetheart dreams
My sweetheart dreams in an empty bed
My sweetheart dreams of revenge.
Left for dead in mexico
Forged and counterfeit, invisible ink
Cut out words on a ransom note
Oh i beg you honey it's not what you think
then she tells you
she tells you
she tells you you're not home
then she tells you you're not home
The song "Out The Airlock" sings about the different ways we can feel trapped and helpless, as if we're victims of a cruel fate. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is always on the run, always being caught and punished for no good reason, always being told that they don't belong. The singer sings about being thrown out of a moving limousine, tied up in corners without hope of escape, followed at high speed, roughed up and handcuffed and led away. The imagery is vivid and gritty, and it leaves the listener with a clear sense of someone who is constantly fighting against forces beyond their control.
The chorus of the song speaks to the sense of disorientation and confusion that comes from feeling like you don't belong: "Then she tells you, she tells you, she tells you you're not home." It's a refrain that ties the different verses together, and underscores the central theme of the song. The lyrics are filled with bleakness and despair, but also a sense of resilience and defiance. The final verse speaks to the idea of dreaming of revenge, and hints at the possibility of finding a way out of the cycle of violence and oppression that the singer describes.
Overall, "Out The Airlock" is a powerful song that manages to be both bleak and hopeful at the same time. It captures the feeling of being trapped and alone in a world that doesn't make sense, while also hinting at the possibility of finding a way out.
Line by Line Meaning
Thrown out of a moving limousine
Forcibly evicted from an upscale ride in motion.
Tied up in corners with no hope of escape
Restrained in isolated nooks without a chance of liberation.
Followed at high speed
Pursued at a breakneck pace.
Roughed up and handcuffed and led away
Handled harshly, manacled, and escorted elsewhere.
Dangled upside down from a great height
Suspended by the feet from an enormous elevation.
Tied to the rails as the train rounds the bend
Bound to the tracks as a locomotive approaches the curve.
Hijacked and hotwired
Commandeered and started by illegal means.
Snarled at by dogs against the chain link fence
Growled menacingly by canines beyond the armored barrier.
Then she tells you
At that point, she voices to you.
She tells you
She notifies you.
She tells you you're not home
She reveals that you're not present.
Sucked out of the airlock
Exhausted out of the aperture leading to outer space.
Cornered like a rat in the crowded city square
Trapped like a rodent in the busy urban plaza.
Lowered into volcanoes
Dropped down into the vents of active mountains.
Bound up back to back in smart matching chairs
Tightened together seated back-to-back in fashionable identical seats.
My sweetheart dreams
My lover envisions.
My sweetheart dreams in an empty bed
My lover dreams in a vacant sleeping furniture.
My sweetheart dreams of revenge.
My lover fantasizes about retribution.
Left for dead in mexico
Abandoned to perish in Mexico.
Forged and counterfeit, invisible ink
Faked and fraudulent, imperceptible pigment.
Cut out words on a ransom note
Removed words from a message demanding payment for the return of a person or property.
Oh i beg you honey it's not what you think
Oh, I plead with you darling, it's not what you presume.
Contributed by Katherine J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Caitlin Webster
This is one of my favorite songs of all time and I always get so disappointed that Paul has basically no recognition after all these years he's amazing and this should have a million views askjdhsa
transkryption
No kidding eh! Compared to the amount of airplay the mediocre emo Birds of Tokyo get it's sucg a disappointment
Kristoph109
How doesn't this have comments!? So good!
nbroleur
Incredible. Had this song going through my head tonight and then found this live version. thanks!!
Mick Markwick
OMG!! wow amazing!!
R S
Yep, so good
Bruno Brincat
This is not enough views