Doonican started performing in his home town and featured in the first ever television broadcast from Waterford. He then joined a band which toured Ireland playing the drums. In 1951 he moved to England to join another group, The Four Ramblers who toured and performed on BBC Radio shows broadcast from factories.
He eventually went solo and had a radio show as well as performing concerts and cabaret. In 1963 he was booked to appear on Sunday Night at the London Palladium. As a result of this performance, he was offered his own show on BBC television, lasting for over twenty years and moving to Saturday as its popularity grew. It featured his relaxed crooner style performance sitting in a rocking chair, as well as a number of comic Irish songs, notably "Paddy McGinty's Goat", "Delaney's Donkey", and "Rafferty's Motor Car", on which he accompanied himself on acoustic guitar. He often wore a cardigan which became a trade mark, and was sometimes compared to American singer Perry Como though Doonican has claimed his main influence was Bing Crosby. As a variety show, there were a number of other acts featured and performers such as Dave Allen had early exposure on the show.
The Palladium performance also kick-started his recording career. Between 1964 and 1973 he was rarely out of the UK Singles Chart, his greatest successes including the singles "Walk Tall", "The Special Years", "What Would I Be", "If The Whole World Stopped Loving", and "Morning"; and the albums 13 Lucky Shades of Val Doonican, and Val Doonican Rocks, But Gently. He also sang the theme song to the film, Ring of Bright Water.
He stopped performing in 2009 and spent a lot of his free time in Spain (where he had a second home).
Doonican's daughter wrote two books entitled Wired to the Moon and Fear of Custard under the name Sarah Kavanagh. Both stories are related to the performance entertainment world.
Can't Help Falling in Love
Val Doonican Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Val Doonican's song Can't Help Falling In Love is a classic love song about not being able to resist falling in love with someone. The first line of the song, "Wise men say, only fools rush in," is a warning to not rush into love but to take things slowly and with caution. However, the singer cannot resist falling in love with the person they are singing to. They compare their love to the flow of a river, saying that it is gentle and natural, and that some things are just meant to be.
The singer then implores the listener to take their hand and their whole heart too, indicating that they are fully committed to the relationship and cannot imagine their life without the other person. The repetition of the line "I can't help falling in love with you" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's inability to control their feelings and how deeply they have fallen for the other person.
Overall, the lyrics of Can't Help Falling In Love capture the intense, all-consuming feeling of falling in love and how it can be both exhilarating and scary at the same time.
Line by Line Meaning
Wise men say, only fools rush in.
It is often said that wise men think it foolish to rush into love without adequate thought and consideration.
But I can't help falling in love with you
Despite this conventional wisdom, I am unable to prevent myself from falling deeply in love with you.
As the river flows gently to the sea
Just as the river flows calmly and steadily towards its destination in the sea, our love also moves steadily towards its inevitable destination.
darling so we go some things were meant to be
My dearest, certain things in life are simply meant to be, including the love that we share for each other.
take my hand take my whole heart too
Please take my hand and my entire heart as well, for they both belong to you and always will.
cause i can't help falling in love with you
I am unable to resist the overpowering emotions that I feel towards you, as I am absolutely and irrevocably in love with you.
Contributed by Bailey V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.