1) a Br… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists by the name of David Gray, including:
1) a British singer-songwriter
2) an Italian disco musician
3) an American singer-songwriter
4) drummer for the British blackened death metal band Akercocke
5) a musician from South Africa
6) a British classical hornist
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1) David Gray is a British singer-songwriter born on June 13, 1968 in Sale, United Kingdom. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later in 1999.
Gray moved to Wales at age 9 and later returned to the north-west of England to attend the University of Liverpool. His musical career got early support from a dedicated Irish fan base. After a few marginally-successful releases through the 1990s, Gray's breakthrough came with the worldwide release in 1999 of his fourth album, White Ladder; this was a critical and commercial success and included his best-known songs, "This Years Love" and "Babylon". In the United States, the album received a boost from jam-band leader Dave Matthews, who made it the first release by the record company he co-founded, ATO Records.
On August 11, 2001 White Ladder at last reached the top of the UK charts, having been selling steadily since its reissue the previous May, thereby setting a new record for the longest uninterrupted climb to No. 1. The follow-up, A New Day At Midnight, also hit No. 1, and Gray's seventh album, Life in Slow Motion was released on September 12, 2005.
Gray's early music was in a contemporary folk-rock, singer-songwriter mode; his primary instrument was acoustic guitar, with occasional piano. 1996's Sell Sell Sell featured some rock arrangements and electric instrumentation. Starting with the release of White Ladder in 1999, Gray began to make significant use of computer-generated music to accompany his voice and acoustic instrumentation, a technique which differentiates him from many of his peers. Despite the move to more complex music, Gray has used small-scale, often home-based, recording methods and equipment and espoused a "do it yourself" approach to music production. However, Life in Slow Motion is a collaboration with noted producer Marius De Vries.
David Gray's brothers-in-law are Paul and Phillip Hartnoll, formerly of the Techno/Rave band Orbital. Because of this relationship, Gray performed guest vocals on the Orbital single Illuminate, while Paul Hartnoll produced a breakbeat remix of Gray's song "Please Forgive Me".
His successful single "January Rain" was included in the original soundtrack of the movie Serendipity, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale.
Pictures and additional information can be found on his website, www.DavidGray.com.
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2) David Gray was an Italian disco musician who had a hit with "Dead in the Water"
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3) David Gray is an American singer-songwriter
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4) David Gray is drummer for the British blackened death metal band Akercocke
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5) David Gray is a musician from South Africa
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6) British classical hornist, originally from London, England, UK, residing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Studied at the Curtis Institute Of Music. Former Principal Horn with The London Symphony Orchestra (1964-1972). Member of The Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra.
Dead in the Water
David Gray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People stand in line
People stand in line
A premonition of
The killers angel eyes
An Armageddon sky
Tell it like it is
It's like the old man says
We're dead in the water now
Dead in the water.
They come from miles around
They come from miles around
They come from miles around
In avarice and love
To suckle on the blood
Of some forgotten God
Sell it like it is
It's like the old man says
We're dead in the water now
We're dead in the water now
Dead in the water.
A simple act of faith
A simple act of faith
A simple act of faith
A celebration of
The color and the creed
The cancer and its seed
Crackles on the mic
Call it what you like
We're dead in the water now
We're dead in the water now
Dead in the water.
The song 'Dead in the Water' by David Gray contains powerful lyrics revealing the desperation and doom of society. David Gray starts the song off with the repetition of 'People stand in line' to show the vast number of people blindly following the orders of the powerful, even if it's leading to destruction. The next two lines 'A premonition of the killers angel eyes' and 'An Armageddon sky' evoke images of the Apocalypse, where death is rampant and destruction is everywhere.
Further, in the second verse, Gray highlights the greed of society and how people flock to gain whatever they can, even if it means exploiting others. The line, 'To suckle on the blood of some forgotten God,' is a powerful oxymoron, as it depicts people consuming the blood of something that is forgotten or no longer valued. He then goes on to state that people have no choice but to accept the harsh reality, as 'We're dead in the water now.'
The final verse of the song focuses on the futility of simple acts of faith in a world full of corruption and the decay of morality. 'The color and the creed / The cancer and its seed' shows how issues of race, religion and hate have become the disease that is eating away at society. The line 'Crackles on the mic' is a metaphor for how the situation is worsening and cannot be ignored. The chorus repeats the ultimate doom of 'We're dead in the water now,' signifying that society has hit rock bottom.
Line by Line Meaning
People stand in line
Individuals queue up, waiting patiently for something
A premonition of
A feeling or vision of something unpleasant that is yet to occur
The killers angel eyes
A person with a cold or evil glint in their eyes
An Armageddon sky
A cloudy or dark sky that signals the end of the world
Tell it like it is
Speak bluntly and honestly about something
It's like the old man says
This quote or sentiment is something that older generations have passed down
We're dead in the water now
We're stuck and unable to move forward
They come from miles around
People travel far to partake in something
In avarice and love
Individuals are driven by greed or passion
To suckle on the blood
To receive nourishment or benefit at the expense of others
Of some forgotten God
A deity that has been long disregarded or ignored
Sell it like it is
Present something as it truly is, not sugarcoated
We're dead in the water now
We're trapped and unable to progress
We're dead in the water now
We're stuck and unable to move forward
Dead in the water.
Our situation is bleak and seems unchangeable
A simple act of faith
An action that requires trust in something without proof or logical explanation
A celebration of
An event that honors a particular aspect or group of people
The color and the creed
The diversity and beliefs of individuals
The cancer and its seed
The destructive influence and repercussions of something
Crackles on the mic
Static or interference on a microphone
Call it what you like
Refer to something as you see fit, despite others' opinions
We're dead in the water now
We're stuck and unable to move forward
We're dead in the water now
We're trapped and unable to progress
Dead in the water.
Our situation is bleak and seems unchangeable
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID GRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind