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
From Little Things Big Things Grow
Paul Kelly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An eight year long story of power and pride
British Lord Vestey and Vincent Lingiarri
Were opposite men on opposite sides
Vestey was fat with money and muscle
Beef was his business, broad was his door
Vincent was lean and spoke very little
From little things big things grow
From little things big things grow
Gurindji were working for nothing but rations
Where once they had gathered the wealth of the land
Daily the pressure got tighter and tighter
Gurindju decided they must make a stand
They picked up their swags and started off walking
At Wattie Creek they sat themselves down
Now it don't sound like much but it sure got tongues talking
Back at the homestead and then in the town
From little things big things grow
From little things big things grow
Vestey man said I'll double your wages
Seven quid a week you'll have in your hand
Vincent said uh-huh we're not talking about wages
We're sitting right here till we get our land
Vestey man roared and Vestey man thundered
You don't stand the chance of a cinder in snow
Vince said if we fall others are rising
From little things big things grow
From little things big things grow
Then Vincent Lingiarri boarded an aeroplane
Landed in Sydney, big city of lights
And daily he went round softly speaking his story
To all kinds of men from all walks of life
And Vincent sat down with big politicians
This affair they told him is a matter of state
Let us sort it out, your people are hungry
Vincent said no thanks, we know how to wait
From little things big things grow
From little things big things grow
Then Vincent Lingiarri returned in an aeroplane
Back to his country once more to sit down
And he told his people let the stars keep on turning
We have friends in the south, in the cities and towns
Eight years went by, eight long years of waiting
Till one day a tall stranger appeared in the land
And he came with lawyers and he came with great ceremony
And through Vincent's fingers poured a handful of sand
From little things big things grow
From little things big things grow
That was the story of Vincent Lingairri
But this is the story of something much more
How power and privilege can not move a people
Who know where they stand and stand in the law
From little things big things grow
From little things big things grow
From little things big things grow
From little things big things grow
"From Little Things Big Things Grow" by Paul Kelly is a powerful and emotive song that tells the story of Vincent Lingairri, an Indigenous Australian man who fought for his people's rights to their land. The song begins by introducing the two main characters, Lord Vestey, a wealthy British businessman, and Vincent Lingiarri, his opposite in every way. The lyrics explain that these two men were on opposite sides of a long-standing conflict over land ownership in Australia.
The song then delves deeper into the story, highlighting the injustices faced by Indigenous Australians who were working for nothing but rations, all while their land was being taken from them by the wealthy and powerful. Gurindji people realized that they could no longer accept this way of life and decided to make a stand by walking off their jobs and sitting down at Wattie Creek.
As the song progresses, the confrontation between Vincent and Lord Vestey is detailed, with Vestey trying to offer more money to the Indigenous Australians to quell their demands for land rights. However, Vincent and his people refuse to back down, knowing that they have to stand up for their rights and their land. Vincent traveled to Sydney to tell his story to big politicians, but he refused their help and waited for the right opportunity to arise.
The final verse of the song is particularly poignant, as it describes the moment when Vincent returned to his people with a handful of sand, representing the handover of their land. The song concludes with the larger message that change is possible when people stand together to fight against power and injustice.
Overall, "From Little Things Big Things Grow" is a powerful and deeply insightful song that tells the story of Vincent Lingiarri's fight for his people's land rights. The lyrics highlight the struggles that Indigenous Australians have faced and continue to face, even as they fight for their rights and their place in society. The song is an important reminder of the importance of perseverance and unity in the face of oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
Gather round people let me tell you're a story
Listen closely, I have a story to share with you.
An eight year long story of power and pride
This is a story that unfolds over the course of eight years and is about people with different levels of power and pride.
British Lord Vestey and Vincent Lingiarri
Two men from different backgrounds: British Lord Vestey, who was wealthy and powerful, and Vincent Lingiarri, who was not.
Were opposite men on opposite sides
They had opposing beliefs and stood on opposite sides of the issue they were fighting for.
Vestey was fat with money and muscle
Lord Vestey was a rich and powerful man.
Beef was his business, broad was his door
Lord Vestey was in the beef industry and had many resources at his disposal.
Vincent was lean and spoke very little
Vincent Lingiarri was not wealthy and was not very talkative.
He had no bank balance, hard dirt was his floor
Vincent Lingiarri had no money and lived in a simple environment.
From little things big things grow
Small actions can lead to big changes.
Gurindji were working for nothing but rations
The Gurindji people were working without being paid, only receiving food as compensation.
Where once they had gathered the wealth of the land
The Gurindji people were once able to collect resources from the land they lived on.
Daily the pressure got tighter and tighter
Their living conditions and work demands became increasingly difficult over time.
Gurindju decided they must make a stand
The Gurindji people made a decision to stand up for their rights.
They picked up their swags and started off walking
They packed their belongings and began to travel.
At Wattie Creek they sat themselves down
They settled in a place called Wattie Creek.
Now it don't sound like much but it sure got tongues talking
Their actions may have seemed small, but they gained attention and were the topic of conversation.
Back at the homestead and then in the town
Their actions were noticed by people in the homestead and the town.
Vestey man said I'll double your wages
Lord Vestey offered to increase their pay.
Seven quid a week you'll have in your hand
He offered them a specific amount of money per week.
Vincent said uh-huh we're not talking about wages
Vincent Lingiarri refused to negotiate for just higher wages.
We're sitting right here till we get our land
He insisted on fighting for their land rights.
Vestey man roared and Vestey man thundered
Lord Vestey responded with anger and aggression.
You don't stand the chance of a cinder in snow
Lord Vestey believed the Gurindji people had no chance of achieving their goals.
Vince said if we fall others are rising
Vincent Lingiarri believed that if they failed, their efforts would inspire others to continue the fight.
Then Vincent Lingiarri boarded an aeroplane
Vincent Lingiarri traveled by plane to Sydney.
Landed in Sydney, big city of lights
He arrived in the bright and bustling city of Sydney.
And daily he went round softly speaking his story
He told his story to people every day, in a calm and gentle manner.
To all kinds of men from all walks of life
He spoke to people from all different backgrounds.
And Vincent sat down with big politicians
Vincent Lingiarri met with important government officials.
This affair they told him is a matter of state
The officials said that his issue was a serious matter that needed to be addressed by the government.
Let us sort it out, your people are hungry
They offered to help because the Gurindji people were in need.
Vincent said no thanks, we know how to wait
Vincent Lingiarri declined their offer and said they were willing to wait for their land rights to be recognized.
Then Vincent Lingiarri returned in an aeroplane
He flew back to his home country.
Back to his country once more to sit down
He returned home and settled back into his life there.
And he told his people let the stars keep on turning
He encouraged his people to remain patient and trust that change was coming.
We have friends in the south, in the cities and towns
He reminded them that they had supporters in other places.
Eight years went by, eight long years of waiting
They waited for eight years for their land rights to be recognized.
Till one day a tall stranger appeared in the land
A stranger arrived with an important announcement.
And he came with lawyers and he came with great ceremony
He came with legal representatives and a lot of ceremony.
And through Vincent's fingers poured a handful of sand
Vincent was given a symbolic gesture to represent the recognition of their land rights.
That was the story of Vincent Lingairri
This is the story of the fight for land rights by Vincent Lingiarri and the Gurindji people.
But this is the story of something much more
This is also a story of the power of standing up for what you believe in and not giving up.
How power and privilege can not move a people
The Gurindji people were able to succeed despite facing opposition from a powerful and privileged person.
Who know where they stand and stand in the law
The Gurindji people knew their rights and were able to use the law to achieve their goals.
From little things big things grow
Small actions can lead to big changes.
From little things big things grow
Small actions can lead to big changes.
From little things big things grow
Small actions can lead to big changes.
From little things big things grow
Small actions can lead to big changes.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KEV CARMODY, KEVIN DANIEL CARMODY, PAUL MAURICE KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michaelhannan3517
Irish guy here who came across this song while backpacking in Perth 25 years ago. Only now I'm appreciating the story and the struggle behind it. Thank you Paul Kelly for telling the story of those who were never listened to. Tearing up here.
@hakimbilbaisi1008
Anyone who doesn't think Paul Kelly is a national treasure is a bloody mug!
RIP Edward 'Gough' Whitlam... You made a difference in so many ways!
Best Aussie song of all time, much love from Lake Michigan. x
@debbiecantu8421
Black fella, white fella doesn't matter what ya colour, As long as you a true fella
@kylemccormack9858
Yew! Warumpi Band forever!
@chantelsebille936
Paul Kelly
@toadfoolery6509
Lol ma fave line ever
@elliotblundell4700
now thats the tuth
@ryankennedy582
wat???
@theresawilliams4296
My husband as an Aussie Aboriginal, he has never been so proud to hear this song and be proud to be one. The love will never die, which is why I love him.
@dianamellett8610
My mob