Bringing Music Back to Life: A Collection of Songs Inspired by The Mad Lady
'Sometimes you realise that what you are listening to is what a real singer should be, someone with a direct connection between soul and voice - Jake Cogan is one of those rare few.' Dick Gaughan
Supporting Women's Mental Health and Wellbeing
Irish music has been the soundtrack of my life. These songs tell stories of love, loss, resilience, and hope—woven into the fabric of history and my own upbringing. Though I am a fully-fledged Scottish lassie, I was raised on Irish songs, and their presence in my life has been profound and unshakable. Not that I tried to shake any of it including this accent!
For years, I’ve felt a calling to gather these songs and record them, preserving their spirit and stories. The time is now.
Why This Project Matters
Music has been my life, and without it, I am lost. This collection is not just about preserving songs—it’s about healing, connection, and supporting mental health. A portion of the proceeds from this project will go toward a women’s mental health initiative, ensuring that the power of music extends beyond the album itself.
A Fusion of Music and Visual Art
In addition to my music, I have also been a visual artist for many years, not many folks know about that side of life - you do now!
My paintings are about human journey, sacrifice for the greater good, and the resilience of the human spirit—much like the songs of Ireland, which capture the beauty of the land and the courage of its people. As part of this campaign, I will be offering signed paintings of mine—something personal and unique for those who support this project. My artwork, like my music, is reflection of emotion, history, and storytelling, Tapestry as Carol King once said!
A Sudden Loss That Changed Everything
A few Fridays ago, my friend Eric—partner of a dear friend, Sylvia—was killed in a car accident. Just days before, we had shared laughter, memories, and plans to return to The Royal Oak, folk music institution in Edinburgh, where I had once, in his words, “Brought the house doon!”
Eric and Sylvia often requested the tragic Irish love song 'Grace' and I can still see them shedding tears at the kitchen table as I sang. That night, we made loose plans to go back, to sing again. But that night never came. Grace is my first pick for this collection.
Eric’s sudden passing was a harsh reminder that tomorrow belongs to no man. It crystallized something I had long felt: I couldn’t wait any longer to make this album a reality. These songs deserve to be heard, to be sung, to be passed on to future generations.
Returning to Music—A Journey of Healing
Many people have asked when and where they will hear me sing again. The truth? I’ve been struggling.
I live with depression. At times, crippling anxiety. Stage fright that has led to panic attacks mid-performance. Depression that silences me in ways I struggle to describe.
But music calls me back. Always. And this project is part of that return—part of my climb out of the darkness.
Why This Project Supports Women’s Initiatives
During the time I have been away from making music, I have devoted myself to frontline work in women's services—supporting mental health, domestic violence survivors, and trauma recovery. Through this work, I have witnessed first-hand the power of safe, creative spaces in fostering healing and connection. Music, storytelling, and shared experiences can be profound tools for resilience and recovery. This project is not just about reviving my own musical journey—it is about creating something that can contribute to women's initiatives, using song as a means of support, comfort, and empowerment.
At the same time, my own struggles with mental health—battles with depression and anxiety—have kept me from performing and creating music as freely as I once did. I know what it means to feel silenced by personal struggles, and I also know how powerful music can be in bringing people back to themselves. This project is, in many ways, my own journey of healing, and I hope it can offer solace and strength to others as well.
The Mad Lady, My Godfather, and Me
https://jakecogan.bandcamp.com/track/the-mad-lady-and-me
On my first album, I recorded The Mad Lady and Me—a song about a young woman attempting to take her own life in the River Lee, Shandon, County Cork. It resonated with me deeply because suicide has touched my own life in ways that have shaped me profoundly.
Just before I recorded that song, my godfather—my Uncle John—took his own life at 40. He was my great pal, my brilliant godfather, the one who introduced me to The Clash, The Jam, The Wolfe Tones, Christy Moore. One Sunday, he handed me Tapestry by Carole King and said, "Here, you need to listen to that." And I did. Still do.
Eleven months earlier, my father died suddenly while on holiday in Spain with my mother. They were celebrating 25 years of marriage. I was 18.
My dad filled our home with the sounds of Jackson Browne, James Taylor, The Eagles. He heard some of my own songs once and told me, "You are a wordsmith. Use it."
So, when I sang The Mad Lady and Me, the lyrics hit deeper than a song:
'Bye, bye Mama, goodbye brother John. Fair thee well ye Shandon Bells, ring on. Ring on.'
After one performance, a man approached me and said, "You seem to deliver that song with an eerily deep understanding. It’s very moving."
I simply said, "Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate them more than you know." Because how could I explain? That I did understand. That I had lost people I loved in that very way. That I, too, had stood at the edge of darkness.
Join Me in This Musical Legacy
This is more than an album—it is a bridge between past and present, between voices long gone and those still singing. It is a way to honour the songs that have shaped us, the people who carried them, and the stories they hold.
The Irish and Scottish influence has spread far and wide, shaping societies across the seas in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and beyond. Generations of families have carried these songs and stories to new lands, keeping their heritage alive through music. I would love to hear from you—what songs did your ancestors bring with them? Do you have memories of a grandparent singing by the fireside, or of family gatherings? Was a cherished tune passed down? Where in the world are you, and how has this musical tradition endured in your life?
Let’s build this collection together—a living, breathing tribute to the voices that connect us all. Perhaps, in doing so, we may even find connections to each other—through names, places, and shared histories.
By supporting this project, you are not just funding an album; you are preserving a rich musical heritage and contributing to something deeply meaningful.
A River of Song, A Tide of Souls
Recording this collection of Irish songs is more than just a musical endeavour. It is a calling, a reckoning, a return. These songs arrived in Scotland with the waves of people who crossed the sea, bringing their stories, their hardships, their music. They are part of a cultural movement, a legacy of resilience, heartbreak, and joy. To sing them now is to honour that history, to keep the voices of our ancestors alive.
If I can bring these songs to more kitchen tables, more living rooms, more places where people gather and share their stories, then I will have done something worthwhile.
And if this album can contribute to a cause that supports women’s mental health—women like me, like the ones I have worked with, like the ones we have lost—then it will mean even more.
So here I am. Answering the call. Asking for help. Doing what does not come easy but what I know is right.
Because tomorrow belongs to no one. And if there are to be tomorrows, I wish them not to harness the darkness of many of my yesterdays.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s make this music live again.
Listen to The Mad Lady and Me
Watch the Video
How Your Support Will Help
Your contributions will bring this record to life. Here’s how your support will help:
• £20 – Helps cover the cost of studio time and musician fees.
• £50 – Supports production, mixing, and mastering.
• £100 – Contributes to physical copies, artwork, and distribution.
• £500 – Sponsors part of the final album production and release.
Every contribution, no matter the size, moves this project forward. This is more than just recording an album—it’s about creating something meaningful, something that gives back.
A Global Community of Song
Another way to support this project is by having a listen to some of my recorded works - all available on Bandcamp@ https://jakecogan.bandcamp.com/album/parcel-of-rogues-2
Join me in this journey—not just as a listener, but as part of the story.
Your support, whether through donations, song suggestions, or artwork commissions, means everything.
Let’s Keep the Music Alive—Together
This project is a celebration of heritage, healing, and the power of music to connect us across time and place. If you believe in keeping these songs alive, in honouring our shared history, and in music’s ability to uplift, please consider supporting this album.
👉 Donate today and be part of the journey.