Tommy Fleming was born in 1971 in Aclare, County Sligo. His singing talent was apparent from a young age, when he took part in talent competitions and concerts. Started a rock band (!) whilst at school.
After leaving school (in 1990) Tommy started to establish himself as part of a Castlebar quartet known as “Jarog” performing in pubs and clubs around the country. Tommy was also attracting attention at their many festival appearances across the country.
However, despite this success in many venues through the early 1990’s, record companies didn’t appear to be interested in his work. Then a chance encounter with renowned producer and composer Phil Coulter changed all that.
In July 1993, Phil overheard Tommy performing at a charity event in Westport, County Mayo and within days he was ‘guesting’ with Phil and his Orchestra at the Opera House (Cork), the National Concert Hall (Dublin) and The University Concert Hall (Limerick). Four months later he was touring North America, playing to huge audiences all across the USA and Canada, culminating in two shows in the Boston Symphony Hall and the legendary Carnegie Hall, New York .
From then on there was no looking back, and Tommy joined De Danan as lead vocalist. He was with De Danan for three years before starting his solo career. In 1998, however, his career and life was threatened following a car accident in which he sustained serious injuries including a broken neck. He did have doubts whether he would be able to return to singing, but a year later he had fought his was back to health and the music scene in Ireland. If anything it has added even more depth to his voice.
Tommy's material varies from traditional to contemporary, but it is predominantly Irish.
Tommy was nominated for Best Irish Male Vocalist in the national Meteor Music Awards 2000 and 2006, and in 2005 he was awarded Best Irish Male Singer by Irish Music Magazine. His force, apart from the extraordinarily pure and powerful tenor voice, is his ability to load his singing with emotion. You cannot leave a Tommy Fleming gig unmoved - even should you have a heart of stone.
(Combination of own experience and - not least - information found/confirmed at http://tommyfleming.net)
Crossing Over
Tommy Fleming Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An eldered man with storm clouds setting in his eyes
He counts the sands of time remembering days gone by
It seemed like yesterday before it washed away
Hey don't wait for me there
Just find your own way
Hey don't wait for me there
Cause I'll be there soon enough
A thousand tears she's cried a hundred times before
But now that he is gone, she's ready to move on
It all just fell away, it seems like yesterday
Hey don't wait for me there
Just find your own way
Hey don't wait for me there
Cause I'll be there soon enough
I'll be there soon enough
Hey don't wait for me there
Just find your own way
Hey don't wait for me there
Cause I'll be there soon enough
The song "Crossing Over" by Tommy Fleming is a poignant and contemplative ballad that explores themes of aging, loss, and mortality. The opening lines of the song describe an elderly man who is perched alone, broken and weathered, with storm clouds setting in his eyes. He is counting the sands of time and remembering the days gone by, reminiscing about a time that seems like it was just yesterday before it was washed away. The chorus repeats the line "Hey don't wait for me there, just find your own way," conveying a sense of resignation and acceptance that we all must walk our own paths and face our own journeys in life.
Later on in the song, the focus shifts to a widow whose life ticks out like clockwork. She has cried a thousand tears before, but now that her loved one is gone, she is ready to move on. The past just seems to have fallen away, and it all seems like it was just yesterday. The chorus repeats again, driving home the message that we must find our own way in life and not wait for anyone else to show us the path.
Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. It urges us to make the most of the time we have and to forge our own paths through life, even when faced with loss and adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
All perched alone he sits there broken
An old man is sitting alone with a broken heart
An eldered man with storm clouds setting in his eyes
The man is old and his eyes are filled with sadness
He counts the sands of time remembering days gone by
The man looks back on his life, remembering the past
It seemed like yesterday before it washed away
The happy times of the past seem like they just happened, yet have faded away
Hey don't wait for me there
Don't hold back for me, continue on without me
Just find your own way
Keep going and find your own path
Cause I'll be there soon enough
I'll join you later when my time comes
The widow's life ticks out like clockwork
The widow's life is moving forward like clock hands
A thousand tears she's cried a hundred times before
The widow has cried so many tears in the past and still does
But now that he is gone, she's ready to move on
The widow is ready to start living without her loved one
It all just fell away, it seems like yesterday
Her happy times feel like they were just yesterday, but have disappeared now
I'll be there soon enough
The singer reaffirms that he will also join her eventually
Writer(s): Daniel Anthony Navarro, Eric Lowen
Contributed by Nora H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.