As well as performing solo, Paul has also toured internationally as a guitarist with the famous '60s legend Donovan, Welsh Breton songstress Katell Keineg, Kieran Halpin and platinum selling Irish singer Sinead Lohan whilst also guesting with the HotHouse Flowers, Mary Black, Christy Moore and Beth Orton.
Following on the success of his first album, he formed a trio with Kevin Murphy on cello and Colm McCaughey on fiddle bringing to the music an unusual sense of melody crossing over the rock-traditional-folk divide.
This distinctive combination has so far resulted in a successful tour of America and Scandinavia in 1994, a stunning performance at the international South by Southwest music seminar in Texas in 1995, tours and festivals in Switzerland and in Germany throughout the last ten years and a string of vibrant performances to wildly enthusiastic crowds all over Ireland.
The debut album was followed by a more "electric" album called "Virgoville" in 1998. Paul released his third album "God knows i love a happy ending" in 2002, an enthralling, swirling mixture of strings and voices and is at the moment working on his fourth album.
Recently Paul appeared on the Irish television series 'Other voices' featuring the best of Irish singer songwriters. One of Paul's songs 'Belle' has been included in the top ten Irish album of the same name.
Paul has also recently joined Irish cult band Interference who have been described as being one of the seminal influences on the likes of well known Irish artists, The Frames and Mundy.
Paul has a song (the title track) covered by one of Ireland's most popular singers, Kieran Goss, on his last album 'Red Letter Day'.
One of Paul’s songs ‘how to say goodbye’ is in an American film ‘Nick and Norah’s Infinite playlist’….recently a top 10 box office hit in the USA and to be released worldwide in 2009.
Paul Tiernan released his fourth CD entitled ‘Belle’ in 2005 which CDbaby (the worlds biggest online distributor of independent cds) wrote: ‘this is, without a doubt, one of the most memorable male folk albums to come through our doors in years.’
‘Earthquakes start with little cracks’ , Paul’s latest CD was released in Ireland on March 2nd, 2009. The opening song ‘Breakfast in bed’ has already been voted on of the best songs of 2008 by ‘Rock n’ Folk’ , one of France’s most popular music magazines.
For tour info, audio samples & CD purchases see Paul's homepage.
Paul Tiernan - discography:
Who's Fooling Who? (1995)
Virgoville (1998)
God Knows I Love a Happy Ending (2000)
Belle (2004)
Earthquakes start with little cracks (2008)
Postcards
Paul Tiernan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The whole town is out
A man on a bicycle
Is passing me out
Just a mile from the bridge
On a clear day
You might say
What a beautiful view
Easter parades, old pictures that fade
And postcards that come
From far away
Everybody's leaving
With a smile and a wave
They say
We'll give it a year or two
But nobody stays
I live in a small house
But there's plenty of room
So if you should call by
There'll be dinner for two
Easter parades, old pictures that fade
And postcards that come
From far away
The song "Postcards" by Paul Tiernan tells the story of a small-town life where everyone knows each other and has a sense of community. Despite the beautiful view around his house, the singer recognizes that everyone is leaving to pursue new opportunities, leaving behind fading old pictures, postcards from far away, and Easter parades. The sight of people leaving is a common occurrence for the singer, expressing the fleeting nature of time and life. The lyrics are rich in symbolism as they reflect on the mobility of the town's residents and the emotional disconnect between the singer and the rest of the town.
The lyrics convey a sense of loneliness and isolation, highlighting the prominence of postcards as a means of communication and connection. The postcards from afar provide a sense of comfort and connection to distant family and friends, contrasting with the overwhelming loneliness within the small town. The song also conveys the singer's willingness to share his home and create a community, as he invites anyone to have dinner with him. The song reflects upon the mundanity of small-town life and the human yearning for travel, adventure, and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's waving
Everyone in the town is greeting one another
The whole town is out
The entire community is present and visible
A man on a bicycle
A person riding a two-wheeled vehicle
Is passing me out
He is overtaking me as I walk or stand still
I live in a small house
I reside in a modest-sized dwelling
Just a mile from the bridge
My home is located within a short distance from a particular structure
On a clear day
During a time when the weather is nice and visibility is optimal
You might say
One could express the opinion that
What a beautiful view
The scenery is stunning
Easter parades, old pictures that fade
Retrospective visuals that lose their vividness over time, including holiday processions
And postcards that come
Correspondence cards that arrive
From far away
Sent from distant places
Everybody's leaving
Everyone is departing
With a smile and a wave
Exiting cheerfully and with a friendly nonverbal gesture
They say
The people have mentioned
We'll give it a year or two
They will try a new experience for a short period of time
But nobody stays
No one remains permanently
I live in a small house
My residence is not large
But there's plenty of room
However, there is enough space available
So if you should call by
Therefore, in the case that you visit
There'll be dinner for two
I will prepare a meal for both of us
Easter parades, old pictures that fade
Memories that gradually lose their clarity, such as festive marches
And postcards that come
Additionally, mail that arrives in the form of correspondence cards
From far away
From places that are situated at a distance
Contributed by Max O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.