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)
Stones
Paul Tiernan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're down in the kitchen, trying to fall...
How many days have gone
In this particular way
Playing out in the hall... Way
I'm out of my head where the wallpaper's warm
You're out in the rain
Falling... Down
Sticks and stones built our home
But words will never hurt us
So send me down another drink
Let's make a toast to love
I'm back in my head and the future smells fine
These are good times it's said
Just a matter of time
To move into the sun with my hat on my head
I might fall into love
Like I fell out of it
Sticks and stones built our home
But words will never hurt us
So send me down another drink
Let's make a toast to love
I'm out of my head
The lyrics of Paul Tiernan's song "Stones" tell a story of two people who are in the same house but are living separate emotional experiences. The first verse describes the singer as out of their head, leaned against the living room wall, while the other person is in the kitchen, trying to fall. There is a sense of distance and disconnection in this description, as if two people are physically present but emotionally far apart. The second verse switches the perspective and describes the other person being outside in the rain while the singer is inside, out of their head. The use of the phrase "sticks and stones built our home, but words will never hurt us" emphasizes the idea that physical objects can be broken or destroyed, but emotional pain cannot be easily healed with words alone. The song ends on a hopeful note, suggesting that the singer might be ready to move on and fall in love again.
Overall, the song seems to be exploring themes of emotional disconnection and isolation, and the ways in which people can come together and heal from emotional pain. The use of imagery like sticks and stones emphasizes the idea that physical objects (like a house) can provide shelter and protection, but that true emotional healing requires deeper connections between people.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm out of my head by the living room wall
I'm feeling disconnected and disoriented while standing by the living room wall
You're down in the kitchen, trying to fall...
You're in the kitchen, presumably feeling sad or upset and trying to relax or calm down
How many days have gone
I've lost track of the number of days that have passed
In this particular way
In this specific manner or pattern
To the sound of the piano
Accompanied by the background piano music
Playing out in the hall... Way
Coming from the hall and filling the space with music
I'm out of my head where the wallpaper's warm
I'm mentally disconnected while standing near warm wallpaper
You're out in the rain
You're outside in the rain
Falling... Down
Possibly physically falling down, or experiencing an emotional dip
Sticks and stones built our home
Our home was physically built using sticks and stones as construction materials
But words will never hurt us
Although physical construction materials can cause pain and damage, verbal insults cannot
So send me down another drink
Give me another alcoholic beverage
Let's make a toast to love
Let's raise our glasses and celebrate love
I'm back in my head and the future smells fine
I'm feeling more present and optimistic about the future
These are good times it's said
This is supposedly a positive and enjoyable time period
Just a matter of time
It's only a question of when things will start to feel better or different
To move into the sun with my hat on my head
To step into a brighter, more positive future while wearing a hat
I might fall into love
I could potentially experience romantic feelings
Like I fell out of it
In the same way that I previously lost romantic feelings or experienced heartbreak
Sticks and stones built our home
Our home has a physical foundation made of sticks and stones
But words will never hurt us
Verbal insults cannot physically damage our home, as they would with sticks and stones
So send me down another drink
Please give me another alcoholic beverage
Let's make a toast to love
Let's raise our glasses and celebrate love
I'm out of my head
I'm feeling disconnected or mentally unwell
Contributed by Carter E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.