1) an Austral… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least nine artists with the name Paul Kelly:
1) an Australian singer-songwriter
2) an American film and TV composer
3) an American soul singer & songwriter
4) an Irish folk singer and songwriter
5) a member of British bands Birdie and East Village
6) a member of English rock band Northern Uproar
7) an English multi-instrumentalist for The Islanders
8) an American bass player
9) a member of The Martial Arts, BMX Bandits and How to Swim
1) Paul Kelly is an Australian singer-songwriter, based in Melbourne, and widely considered as an icon of Australian music. He has released music under his own name and as Paul Kelly and the Messengers, Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls, and Paul Kelly and the Stormwater Boys. His output has ranged from bluegrass to studio-oriented dub reggae, but his core output comfortably straddles folk, rock, and even some country. His lyrics, simply and laconically voiced, have managed to speak to Australian experiences and history perhaps more broadly and directly than any other artist.
2) Paul Kelly is an American composer based in New York City. He is the talent that brings music to the world of film, TV, and advertising. He has been sought after by renowned directors, like Oliver Stone, for his blockbuster films, Savages, Any Given Sunday, Comandante and Oscar-Nominated short film Everything In This Country Must. Glowing reviews that Kelly has received, can be seen in the following from Thom Jurek, Soundings in Film, who say, “His moving sound constructions are full of emotions and moods — not all of them pleasant — and his takes on funk, rock, and blues are not journeyman, but those of a musician who takes these art forms seriously and seeks to represent them accurately in his utterances. Kelly may be a sketcher, but his sketches stand on their own outside the realm of the image,” and Frank O. Gutch Jr, Evolution In Film, who give glowing context to the work of Kelly in the following, “Paul Kelly knows what music is. He knows that it can be a setup, a climax, or an anticlimax. He knows the value of music applied to other media. More than that, he knows music. Not at all unlike a classical composer or even the rock band which plays beyond the fringe, he creates music for a reason.”
Visit http://paulkelly.com for more information.
3) Paul Kelly (born Paul Laurence Dunbar Kelly in Overtown, Miami, Florida, USA on 19 June 1940) is an American Soul singer, musician and producer. He is best known for the song "Stealing in the Name of the Lord", which was a hit in 1970. And in 1974 another hit with "Hooked, Hogtied & Collared" from the album with the same title. He also wrote "Personally", which has been widely-covered, and was a hit for soul singer Jackie Moore, as well as country singers Karla Bonoff and Ronnie McDowell. Other songs have been covered by gospel artists, including The Mighty Clouds Of Joy and The Staple Singers.
4) Paul Kelly (born 1957 in Dublin) is an Irish folk singer and songwriter. He has played Irish traditional music, bluegrass and country, and is equally at home in a variety of different styles of music.
5) Paul Kelly is a British member of Birdie and East Village
6) Paul Kelly is a member of English rock band Northern Uproar
7) Paul Kelly is an English multi-instrumentalist for The Islanders
8) Paul Kelly is an American bass player
9) a member of The Martial Arts, BMX Bandits and How to Swim
Dumb Things
Paul Kelly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the one who should be lying low
Saw the knives out, turned my back
Heard the train coming, stayed out on the track
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I've done all the dumb things
Thought I loved her, hung my heart on the moon
Started howling, made no sense
Thought my friends would rush to my defence
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I've done all the dumb things
And I get all your good advice
It doesn't stop me from going through these things twice
I see the knives out, I turn my back
I hear the train coming, I stay right on that track
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I've done all the dumb things
I melted wax to fix my wings
I've done all the dumb things
I threw my hat into the ring
I've done all the dumb things
I thought that I just had to sing
I've done all the dumb things
The song “Dumb Things” by Paul Kelly talks about a person who is caught up in the foolishness of life. The lyrics talk about how the singer has done all the dumb things, including pawning his rings and melting wax to fix his wings, with no regard for consequences. He also speaks of how he thought that he just had to sing, and that would be enough to make everything right in his life.
The song has a very upbeat tempo which contrasts with the lyrics, and it is evident that there is desperation in the singer’s voice. The reference to “the knives out” and “the train coming” indicate that danger is imminent, yet the singer chooses to stay and face it. He also mentions that he hears good advice, but it doesn’t stop him from going through these things twice, this could be interpreted as stubbornness or an inability to learn from previous experiences.
The song is structured in a way that amplifies the intensity of the message. The repetition of the phrase “in the middle of a dream” shows how the singer is driven by his own fantasy world, where he can never seem to grasp the reality of his situation. The chorus is catchy and memorable, and the listener can’t help but dance along to the beat, despite the melancholy and sordid nature of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome, strangers, to the show
Greetings to everyone! I welcome all the strangers attending the event.
I'm the one who should be lying low
I am the person who should be keeping a low profile due to some unfavorable circumstances.
Saw the knives out, turned my back
I sensed some danger, so I turned away from it.
Heard the train coming, stayed out on the track
I was aware of the potential harm, but still kept myself in the dangerous situation.
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
Amidst a fantasy or wishful thinking, I messed up and regretted it.
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I experienced financial turmoil and had to sell my possessions to manage my situation.
I've done all the dumb things
I have made a lot of foolish mistakes in life.
Caught the fever, heard the tune
I was highly passionate about something and became obsessed with it.
Thought I loved her, hung my heart on the moon
I believed that I loved someone and was willing to do anything for them, even if it was unwise.
Started howling, made no sense
I started behaving irrationally yet felt like it was right at the time.
Thought my friends would rush to my defence
I expected my friends to support me in difficult times, but they didn't come through for me.
And I get all your good advice
I receive ample advice from well-wishers about what I should do to avoid making mistakes.
It doesn't stop me from going through these things twice
Despite knowing better, I still repeat my mistakes and suffer through the consequences again.
I melted wax to fix my wings
I attempted to fix something by using irrational and flawed techniques and methods, which only made things worse.
I threw my hat into the ring
I took on a challenge or competition that I was not ready or qualified for, leading to failure.
I thought that I just had to sing
I believed that my singing talent would be enough to achieve success, but I was wrong.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL MAURICE KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ashlee Kerry
🎵 LYRICS 🔃
Welcome, strangers, to the show
I'm the one who should be lying low
Saw the knives out, turned my back
Heard the train coming, stayed out on the track
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I've done all the dumb things
Caught the fever, heard the tune
Thought I loved her, hung my heart on the moon
Started howling, made no sense
Thought my friends would rush to my defence
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I've done all the dumb things
Yeah, I threw my hat into the ring
I've done all the dumb things
And I get all your good advice
It never stops me from going through these things twice
I see the knives out, I turn my back
I hear the train coming, I stay right on that track
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I've done all the dumb things
I melted wax to fix my wings
I've done all the dumb things
Yeah, I threw my hat into the ring
I've done all the dumb things
I thought that I just had to sing
I've done all the dumb things
LeavingIt Blank
Lyrics:
Welcome, strangers, to the show
I'm the one who should be lying low
Saw the knives out, turned my back
Heard the train coming, stayed out on the track
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I've done all the dumb things
Caught the fever, heard the tune
Thought I loved her, hung my heart on the moon
Started howling, made no sense
Thought my friends would rush to my defense
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I've done all the dumb things
Yeah I threw my hat into the ring
I've done all the dumb things
And I get all your good advice
Never stops me from going through these things twice
I see the knives out, I turn my back
I hear the train coming, I stay right on that track
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I've done all the dumb things
I melted wax to fix my wings
I've done all the dumb things
Yeah I threw my hat into the ring
I've done all the dumb things
Well I thought that I just had to sing
I've done all the dumb things
Jojo Grrl
I’m here in 2023 and it still resonates now!
Anton Muller
One of the greatest songwriters ever ! Still going strong in 2022 !!
Christine J Mae
Saw him live last night. And yes he sung this one! Yay!
James McDermott
Paul Kelly, as a song writer must be the most underated Australian song writer ever.
kcole4001
This is easily one of the best songs ever written, has been a favourite of mine since the '80s.
The groove is killer. Keep on rockin'!
Annette Sandberg
I love this song. I listen to it everyday.
missg Babii
When it’s still being played and sung loud and proud, you know it’s a great Aussie Classic 👌🏾💯🇦🇺
Heather Dumoulin
I am Canadian ... always loved Paul Kelly .... this is one of my favs
JJ Brown
Great song, great man wrote it.
S H
@JJ Brown Amen to that