Press release –
Award-winning Liverpool-based singer-songwriter John Jenkins unveils ‘Dying By Inches’, his first solo release for 2026.
Reflecting on the song, John shares:
I wrote and recorded this song for my album Growing Old – Songs from my Front Porch a few years ago. At the time, I felt that the political climate in the United States was deteriorating. The nation’s long‑held ideals—Hope, Freedom, and Liberty—seemed to be eroding day by day. Dying By Inches emerged from my deep unease and dismay at what I believed was unfolding.
Now, in 2026, I wish I could say the situation has improved. However, anyone looking at events in the United States with an impartial eye can see that the opposite appears to be true.
I’ve recently begun performing the song live again, and it resonates more strongly now than it ever did. I’ve never previously released an older track as a current single, but I feel compelled to do so with this one, given the times we’re living through and the message at its heart.
With comparisons to Simon & Garfunkel, Ralph McTell, and Suzanne Vega, John Jenkins continues to craft timeless, emotionally resonant songs that speak to the heart. I Didn’t Really Want to Change the World is another powerful chapter in a career defined by authenticity, resilience, and lyrical grace.
John Jenkins, a veteran of John Peel sessions and ’80s post-punk with The Persuaders and Come in Tokio, has carved a path as a leading singer-songwriter in the UK folk, country, and Americana scene. A master of melody and understated lyricism, his critically acclaimed albums showcase evocative storytelling and deft musicianship, earning him widespread praise from the music press.
Website: www.johnjenkinsmusic.com
Dying by Inches
I’m dying but no-one really knows
Spoke to the chaplain – told him
“Here’s a bag, bury me in these clothes
Well, I have no faith in this world
Nothing is sacred – Nothing is fair”
Spoke to the DA and he felt the same
“I fought all my life for goodness
But everything it’s now changed
Well, I remember a time way before
When everything felt so different and life wasn’t so poor”
Well, I saw a light held up high in the sky
Of a statue of a woman by the port
And I think of the dreams that my father once had
Laid wasted or just plain ignored
Well, I have no faith in this world
Nothing is sacred nothing seems fair
Well, I saw that light held up high in the sky
And it seemed just a little bit dimmer to me
And I think of those people who sailed to this port
With the belief they’d find hope and liberty
We’re dying but we don’t really know
