Paul Kelly – “All Those Smiling Faces”
Americana Highways is hosting this premiere of Paul Kelly’s song “All Those Smiling Faces,” from his forthcoming album Fever Longing Still, set for release on November 1. Fever Longing Still will be Paul’s first album of original songs since Nature in 2018, and was recorded and mixed by Steve Schram. The album’s title comes from a line in Sonnet 147 by Shakespeare, in honor of Paul’s affinity with Shakespeare.
“All Those Smiling Faces” is Paul Kelly on vocals and acoustic guitars; Peter Luscombe on drums and percussion; Bill McDonald on bass; Dan Kelly on electric guitars, mandolin and harmony vocals; Ashley Naylor on electric guitars; and Cameron Bruce on keyboards and harmony vocals. The video here of the song was produced and directed by Siân Darling and Ben McFadyen, with Director of Photography and editor Ben McFadyen and These Wild Eyes and camera assistant/gaffer Steve Ryan; and BTS by Giulia McGauran. This video was made on the lands and waters of the East Kulin Nations.
Thomas Hardy’s poem Heredity is the beating heart of this song,” describes Paul Kelly when asked about his latest single, “All Those Smiling Faces.”
“Other poems joined the party. Dana Gioia’s Finding A Box Of Family Letters and Wislawa Szymborska’s Letters Of The Dead. Things got crowded, just like a family BBQ. Still, I managed to get a few words in here and there,” adds Kelly. “The band is awesome on this, serious, full of intent. I never know what the themes are until I am in the middle of doing a record.”
This song sounds an alarm of mortality and a warning to enjoy the moment: “I’ve been talking to the dead
With this photo album here in my bed / Picnics, parties, long ago / Some are strangers, many I know / All those smiling faces / Ooh, get on the floor and dance! / You don’t have forever / Ooh, get out there and dance / Soon we’ll all be together!” And amidst the crunchy roots rock music Paul taps into our core commonality. It’s utmost authenticity and fully bittersweet.
Find the music and more information here: https://linkin.bio/ig-paulkelly/
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Video Premiere: Paul Kelly’s “How to Make Gravy”
