When you’re singing the song, you try to drop the ego and let people in.” I Would Not Live Always is the debut full-length album by Irish folk musician John Francis Flynn.

A 2022 profile of Flynn in Financial Times found Garth Cartwright calling this album "unique [for] both Flynn’s voice—mournful, deep, expressive—and the adventurous arrangements of songs by celebrated British folk authorities Shirley Collins and Ewan MacColl, alongside centuries-old ballads".

[3] In The Guardian, Jude Rogers scored this release 4 out of 5 stars, stating that it has "an unearthly intensity" that made it the folk album of the month.

[6] In Hot Press, Kate Brayden gave this album a 9 out of 10, calling it "at times otherworldly and poignant, often hauntingly gripping but always spine-tingling".

[9] In Uncut, Rob Hughes gave this album 4 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as "an extraordinary debut by any standard" and praising Flynn's combination of traditional tunes with modern sounds and supporting session players.