Current birth an… Read Full Bio ↴Sean McCarthy is a New England based solo artist.
Current birth and death dates listed in this wiki do not reflect this particular artist as he is still living.
“Live on Saturday Night, Uncut” (2022) is an EP featuring 4 songs performed live. Joined by the “Ragged Impressarios” on the first three tracks, the last is a solo acoustic performance.
Produced by Steve Bertrand (The Tories, Avion), Sean's release, “Everything Has Past” (2010, re-released in 2019) features drummer Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp & more), bassist Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction, Alanis Morrisette), guitarist Sean Woolstenhulme (The Calling, Lifehouse) and keyboardist Scott Simons (LA-based Solo Artist). Added to the mix were Grammy Nominee & Juno Award winner James “Jimbo” Barton assisting with engineering & Mastering Engineer Tom Baker (Precision Mastering).
Sean’s prior CD entitled “July” (2003) is a collection of three songs. The CD’s co-producer, Todd Bowie, has worked with The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac & most recently, Beck among many other artists.
Other releases: "Flannel Bandanna" (1995), "If You've Got The Time" [Single] (2016), Goodbye (Alternate Version) · Sean McCarthy · Mike Mercier · Gary Vinny Fuoco (2000)
Sympathy
Sean McCarthy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dropped his coat on the floor
Took a look at empty walls
Turned and closed the door
And then he lit a cigarette
And he went inside
Sat at the kitchen table
Nobody's fault he just fell so easily
She didn't love him back
This is the way it's meant to be
We all need
A little sympathy
We all need
A hand in holdin' on
Mary, Mary who are you cryin' to?
There's nobody to listen
You haven't seen you little boy it's been a year or two
Since he's been missin'
It's been a long time
His daddy knew how much he meant to you
You've got no other family
Now what do you do?
We all need
A little sympathy
Oh, we all need
A hand in holdin' on
Sometimes the world around comes crashin' down like a ton of lead
When you lose the drive, oh it's hard to get ahead
There's a feelin' inside and it comes and it goes
It's somethin' everybody shares, and everybody knows
We all need
A little sympathy
Oh, we all need
A hand in holdin' on
Oh, we all need (everybody needs)
Just a little bit of sympathy (everybody breaks)
Don't you know we all need (everybody bleeds)
A hand in holdin' on (everybody need)
Sammy got around from work
Dropped his coat on the floor
Took a look at empty walls
Turned and closed the door
And then he lit a cigarette
And he went inside
Sat at the kitchen table
Yeah, and then he cried
The song "Sympathy" by Sean McCarthy is a powerful and emotional track that speaks to the universal human experience of needing comfort and support during difficult times. The song tells the stories of two different individuals, Sammy and Mary, who are both struggling with different forms of loss and loneliness.
The first verse describes Sammy returning home from work only to be met by empty walls and a sense of despair. He lights a cigarette and cries while sitting at the kitchen table, overwhelmed by the weight of his emotions. The lyrics suggest that he is heartbroken over the fact that the person he loves does not feel the same way about him. The chorus repeats the sentiment that we all need a little sympathy and a hand to hold onto during tough times.
The second verse tells the story of Mary, who has lost her son and is left with no family to turn to for comfort. Sean McCarthy highlights the importance of having a support system during difficult times and nods to the fact that simply having someone to listen and offer sympathy can make a world of difference.
The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, reiterating the idea that no matter what we are going through, we all need support and compassion from others. The lyrics acknowledge that life can be difficult and trying, but ultimately they offer a message of hope and a reminder that we are not alone in our struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Sammy got around from work
After finishing work, Sammy came back home.
Dropped his coat on the floor
Once he arrived home, he removed his coat and placed it on the floor.
Took a look at empty walls
Feeling lonely, he glanced at the barren walls of his home.
Turned and closed the door
He then shut the door behind him.
And then he lit a cigarette
Feeling stressed, he took out a cigarette and lit it up.
And he went inside
After smoking, he walked into the kitchen.
Sat at the kitchen table
He sat down at the kitchen table.
Yeah, and then he cried
Feeling sad and overwhelmed, he began to cry.
Nobody's fault he just fell so easily
Sammy's growing depression wasn't anyone's fault, he just fell into it easily.
She didn't love him back
The person he loved didn't love him back.
This is the way it's meant to be
This is the way things happen sometimes, there's no way of changing it.
We all need
Everyone needs
A little sympathy
A little empathy and understanding from others.
A hand in holdin' on
Support to help cope with difficult situations.
Mary, Mary who are you cryin' to?
The singer is asking Mary who she's calling out to for help.
There's nobody to listen
There doesn't seem to be anyone who can help or is willing to listen.
You haven't seen you little boy it's been a year or two
Mary hasn't seen her son in a long time, it's been years since she last saw him.
Since he's been missin'
Her son has been missing for a long time and Mary is heartbroken.
It's been a long time
Mary has been without her son for a long time.
His daddy knew how much he meant to you
Mary's ex-partner, the father of her son, knew how important their son was to her.
You've got no other family
Mary is alone, she has no other family to support her through this hard time.
Now what do you do?
The artist is asking what Mary will do now that she has lost her son.
Sometimes the world around comes crashin' down like a ton of lead
Life can sometimes get really tough and overwhelm you, you can feel as though the weight of the world is crushing you.
When you lose the drive, oh it's hard to get ahead
When you lose motivation or drive, it is difficult to make any progress in life.
There's a feelin' inside and it comes and it goes
Depression is a feeling that can come and go in waves.
It's somethin' everybody shares, and everybody knows
Depression is a shared experience, something many people know the feeling of.
Oh, we all need (everybody needs)
Everyone needs
Just a little bit of sympathy (everybody breaks)
Just a bit of compassion and empathy from others when you're feeling vulnerable.
Don't you know we all need (everybody bleeds)
The artist is reminding the listener that everyone needs
A hand in holdin' on (everybody need)
A support system to hold onto when going through difficult times.
Contributed by Lila B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.