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
Safety In Numbness
Paul Dempsey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What brought you to this
A flightless bird surrounded by red-handed kids
In their borrowed black sheeps' clothes
Yeah everybody's in on the joke...
So practice your boredom
Look a thousand times removed
They would turn you out in the cold
Now that everybody's in on the joke...
Are you missing a stranger that you might have loved?
Do you feel that there's something you don't feel enough?
There's a perfectly good poison for the perfectly numb
If you want some...
But naming the feeling
Just kills the charade
And if flowers should bloom upon your wallpaper face
It'll follow you everywhere you go
Now everybody's in on the joke.
Desire only burns and
Envy's always green
A mind can only race and a heart can only beat
There's these towering neon signs we must uphold
To keep out the blackness
And run with the blue
Now only a fool would sing as if he's telling the truth
Kid, just swallow down that lump in your throat
Because everybody's in on the joke
Are you missing a stranger that you might have loved?
Do you feel that there's something you don't feel enough?
There's a perfectly good poison.....
Are you missing a stranger that you might have loved?
Do you feel that there's something you don't feel enough?
There's a perfectly good poison for the perfectly numb
If you want some...
The lyrics of Paul Dempsey's "Safety In Numbness" explores the idea of conformity and the fear of expression. The image of a flightless bird with glue in its feathers suggests a struggle to fly, symbolizing the singer's inability to break free from societal constraints. These constraints are further illustrated by the reference to "red-handed kids in their borrowed black sheeps' clothes", emphasizing the uniformity and conformity of society. The repeated phrase "everybody's in on the joke" suggests that everyone is aware of the game that is being played, and those who choose to deviate from the norm will not be accepted but ridiculed.
The fear of expression is further explored through the idea of "practice your boredom" and "look a thousand times removed". The singer is encouraged to blend in and not draw attention to themselves, only a "freak" would do otherwise. The lyrics "naming the feeling just kills the charade" suggests that the singer should not acknowledge their emotions, for it will break the illusion of contentment. However, the lyrics suggest that this illusion is poisonous, and the perfectly numb is achieved through a "perfectly good poison." The repeated lines "Are you missing a stranger that you might have loved?/Do you feel that there's something you don't feel enough?" highlights the idea that the singer is missing something, unable to articulate what it may be, but recognizes that something is not quite right.
Overall, "Safety In Numbness" explores the themes of conformity and fear of expression. The singer is encouraged to fit in, not rock the boat, and swallow any emotions that may threaten to break through the illusion of contentment.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got glue in your feathers
You are stuck in a situation that is not letting you fly to your potential.
What brought you to this
What circumstances have led you to be in this situation?
A flightless bird surrounded by red-handed kids
You are unable to escape the influence of those who are guilty of something, and their presence keeps you grounded.
In their borrowed black sheeps' clothes
They are hiding in plain sight, pretending to be something they are not.
Yeah everybody's in on the joke...
Everyone around you knows what's going on, but you are still in the dark.
So practice your boredom
Get used to being uninterested in your surroundings.
Look a thousand times removed
Distance yourself from reality, so you don't have to feel anything.
'Cause only a freak would sing in a crowded waiting room
Standing out in a group is not normal, and people expect you to conform to their idea of normalcy.
They would turn you out in the cold
You will be rejected and left alone.
Now that everybody's in on the joke...
The truth has been revealed, and you are the only one who is late in understanding.
Are you missing a stranger that you might have loved?
Is there someone you haven't met yet, but you feel like you have a connection with?
Do you feel that there's something you don't feel enough?
Is there a deeper connection or feeling missing from your life?
There's a perfectly good poison for the perfectly numb
There are harmful activities that can make you feel alive, but they will ultimately lead to destruction.
But naming the feeling
Labeling your emotions.
Just kills the charade
Exposing the truth behind the façade will destroy the illusion.
And if flowers should bloom upon your wallpaper face
If you try to hide your emotions behind a false exterior, eventually the truth will come out.
It'll follow you everywhere you go
The truth will always be with you, and you can never hide from it.
Desire only burns and
Craving for something will only cause pain and suffering.
Envy's always green
Jealousy will eat away at you until you are consumed by it.
A mind can only race and a heart can only beat
You can't change the basic nature of your mind and heart.
There's these towering neon signs we must uphold
We are expected to conform to societal expectations and follow a set of rules.
To keep out the blackness
To avoid feeling depressed or hopeless.
And run with the blue
To chase after happiness and positivity, even if it's not genuine or real.
Now only a fool would sing as if he's telling the truth
People will assume you are lying if you express your true feelings.
Kid, just swallow down that lump in your throat
Suppress your emotions and don't express them.
Because everybody's in on the joke
Everyone knows the secret, and you are the only one who doesn't understand.
There's a perfectly good poison.....
There are ways to numb yourself, but they will ultimately lead to your destruction.
Are you missing a stranger that you might have loved?
Do you feel like you have missed out on an opportunity to love someone?
Do you feel that there's something you don't feel enough?
Is there a part of you that is unfulfilled and longing for more?
There's a perfectly good poison for the perfectly numb
You can numb yourself to avoid feeling pain or discomfort, but there are serious consequences to doing so.
If you want some...
If you are willing to accept the consequences, you can use unhealthy coping mechanisms to avoid emotional pain.
Contributed by Sophia R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alex Clarke
awesome song, great performance.
Ratzonastove 2.0
He's so cute, and his voice makes this 100x better :) <3
Amanda Kippen
mmmm love it 💖