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.
Birds Without Wings
David Gray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A change in this place
'cause I'm tearing off the fancy wrapping
Find an empty package
Take for a while your trumpet from your lip
Loosen your hold, loosen your grip
On your old ways that have fallen out of step
In a changing time
Hoist a new flag
Hoist a new flag
Angry sun burn down
Judging us all
Guilty of neglect and disrespect
And thinking small
And death by boredom
And death by greed
If we can't stop taking
More than we need
Across the fractured the landscape
I see the same things
Tired ideas
Birds without wings
Birds without wings
Birds without wings
But these are just thoughts
On lackluster times
And I've no interest
In excuses you can find
Like you've had a hard day
Now you're too tired to care
Now you're too tired to care
You've had a hard day
Well across the fractured landscape
I see the same things
Tired ideas, broken values
Many with the notion
That to share is to lose
A hollow people bound by a lack
Of imagination and too much looking back
Without the courage
To give a new thing a chance
Grounded by this ignorance
When the cat comes
We're just
Birds without wings
Birds without wings
Birds without wings
In David Gray’s song “Birds Without Wings,” the lyrics delve into a sense of longing for change in the world. The wish for something to happen and a change in place alludes to a desire for progress from the stagnant present, as Gray sings about tearing off the fancy wrapping and finding an empty package. These lyrics can be interpreted as a metaphor for realizing that surface-level changes aren’t enough – true progress must start from within.
The second verse is a call to action, urging listeners to let go of outdated beliefs and ideas that no longer serve a purpose in a changing world. The line “Hoist a new flag” is a plea to create something new, to try something different, and to embrace change. The song then shifts to a more ominous tone, with the angry sun burning down and judging all. The lyrics mention neglect, disrespect, boredom, and greed – all things that can lead to a bleak future.
The final verse includes the repetition of the phrase “Birds without wings,” which serves as a symbol for the unfulfilled potential and groundedness of society. Gray sings about how many people are stuck in the past and afraid to embrace new things, leading to a lack of imagination in progressing towards the future. The song ends with a foreboding message that if society doesn’t change, then they are just “Birds without wings.”
Line by Line Meaning
Wishing that something would happen
Longing for a positive change to take place
A change in this place
Specifically, a change in the environment/setting
'cause I'm tearing off the fancy wrapping
Beneath the surface, things are not what they seem
Find an empty package
Discovering that everything is not as valuable as it initially appeared to be
Take for a while your trumpet from your lip
Put aside your old way of doing things for a moment
Loosen your hold, loosen your grip
Be open to new ways of thinking and doing things
On your old ways that have fallen out of step
Acknowledging that traditional ways of doing things may no longer be relevant
In a changing time
There is a need to adapt to the current situation
Hoist a new flag
Embrace a new approach to life or to a particular situation
Angry sun burn down
Harsh reality sets in
Judging us all
The consequences of our actions are being evaluated
Guilty of neglect and disrespect
We have not made the best use of our resources/opportunities, and we have not treated others with the respect they deserve
And thinking small
Our vision and aspirations are limited
And death by boredom
We are not leading fulfilling lives
And death by greed
Our desire for more is ultimately self-destructive
If we can't stop taking
We are consuming more than we need
More than we need
Our consumption habits are unsustainable
Across the fractured the landscape
The world is divided and broken
I see the same things
The problems and challenges are universal
Tired ideas
The solutions we have relied on in the past are not working
Birds without wings
We are unable to fly or reach our full potential
But these are just thoughts
These observations are just musings and not necessarily actionable solutions
On lackluster times
These thoughts are a reflection of uninspiring times
And I've no interest
I am not satisfied with excuses or explanations
In excuses you can find
I am not interested in justifications
Like you've had a hard day
Hardships or difficulties are not an excuse for not making progress
Now you're too tired to care
Being exhausted is not an acceptable reason for not taking action
You've had a hard day
Acknowledging that it can be difficult to stay motivated in the face of adversity
Well across the fractured landscape
Despite the challenges, the problems are consistent across different communities and environments
I see the same things
The challenges we face affect everyone
Tired ideas, broken values
The solutions we have relied on in the past are not working, and our moral principles may be compromised
Many with the notion
There are those who hold beliefs that hinder progress
That to share is to lose
Some people believe that sharing resources or opportunities will result in personal loss
A hollow people bound by a lack
We are stuck in a cycle of lack and scarcity
Of imagination and too much looking back
We are not able to innovate or think creatively, and we are too focused on the past instead of the present and future
Without the courage
We lack the bravery to take action and do things differently
To give a new thing a chance
We are hesitant to try new approaches, ideas, or solutions
Grounded by this ignorance
Our ignorance and resistance to change are preventing us from making progress
When the cat comes
When we are confronted with a difficult situation
We're just
We become
Birds without wings
Unable to take flight, feel free or reach our true potential
Birds without wings
Powerless, weak, and immobilized
Birds without wings
Living life in a suboptimal way
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVID GRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind