Newfoundland musician Séan McCann played in the groups the Newfoundland Republican Army and Rankin Street before joining Great Big Sea, which had a lengthy recording career beginning with its self-titled debut album in 1992. McCann contributed to all of the band's albums, singing, playing various instruments, and writing songs. He appeared under his own name on a couple of various-artists albums (contributing "The Town I Loved So Well" to Irish Drinkin' Songs and "Only Our Rivers Run Free" to The Best Irish Pub Songs), and finally made his full-length solo album debut with Lullabies for Bloodshot Eyes, released by Lean Ground Music on February 23, 2010. The following month, he was back on tour with Great Big Sea.