His 2012 release, The Rain From London (Shark Meat), a four-track EP featuring a title track that tips a Union Jack umbrella to London’s famous wet weather. Inspired by ‘80s UK pop, Darren has harnessed that energy and infused it with a fresh sophistication for a sound that is memorably powerful and poetic. The EP garnered five nominations in the 2012 RightOutTV Music & Video Awards and the track This Modern Life (1984) won the award for Best Electronic Song. The song Force Of Gravity was also a finalist in the 2012 UK Songwriting Contest.
Prior to The Rain From London, Darren released the single and music video Celebrity du Jour (Shark Meat, 2009), which was featured on MTV Networks LOGO channel. It was filmed on location in New York City and starred actress Cynthia LaForte, known for her roles on hit TV shows Law & Order and Royal Pains.
His solo-artist career began in 2005, with Anything Is Possible, the first album he recorded, produced and released on Shark Meat. The album received much critical acclaim and appeared on the initial 2006 Grammys voting ballot. The album also landed him a nomination in the 2006 OutMusic Awards for Outstanding New Artist - Male. Darren opened the awards show, held at The Knitting Factory in New York City, with Out Of The Rain, the second single from the album. The Anything Is Possible Tour included performing to an audience of 10,000 at the Christopher Street Day Festival, Cologne, Germany.
Darren is a voting member of The Recording Academy (The Grammys) and The Songwriters Hall Of Fame, and also member of the Producers & Engineers Wing of The Grammys.
Drowning
Darren Ockert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the inside I’m fading fast
It’s funny how a new day
Can change your life forever
Now you’re just a memory,
A photograph there’s nothing here to hold
I wake up feeling you’re still in my arms
I wake up realize you’re gone
I’m drowning in this world
I’m drowning in the air that I breathe
I can’t go on now I’m without you
I’m drowning in this world
Where there’s no relief
I’m lost in disbelief and I’m drowning
Now that you’re gone
Look around me tell me what you see?
Now it’s just so empty
A hollow place there’s nothing here for me
I wake up feeling you’re still in my arms
I wake up realize you’re gone
It’s hard to face the day alone
I’m drowning in this world
I’m drowning in the air that I breathe
I can’t go on now I’m without you
I’m drowning in this world
Where there’s no relief
I’m lost in disbelief and I’m drowning
Now that you’re gone
How long can I take this will I ever breathe?
I keep on breaking through these chains
But they come back again
And how long can I fake this,
When you meant everything to me?
I still get lost in your eyes
I need to hold you close again.
I’m drowning in this world
I’m drowning in the air that I breathe
I can’t go on now I’m without you
I’m drowning in this world
Where there’s no relief
I’m lost in disbelief and I’m drowning
Now that you’re gone
The lyrics of Darren Ockert's song "Drowning" describe the singer feeling lost and alone after a significant relationship has ended. The first verse portrays the idea of the outside looking normal, but the singer is struggling internally. The second verse paints a picture of the emptiness and hollowness the singer feels after the relationship has ended. And the chorus repeats the metaphor of drowning, emphasizing the overwhelming feeling of despair and hopelessness that the singer is experiencing.
The bridge of the song focuses on the difficulty of moving on from the relationship, and the conflicting desire to hold onto the memories of the past while also needing to accept the present reality. The final chorus brings the song full circle, emphasizing that the singer is still drowning in their feelings and struggling to cope with their new reality without their significant other.
Line by Line Meaning
On the outside everything looks fine
Externally, everything appears to be alright
On the inside I’m fading fast
However, inside I am quickly losing strength
It’s funny how a new day
Can change your life forever
It is interesting how one day can alter the course of your existence permanently
Now you’re just a memory,
A photograph there’s nothing here to hold
Currently, you are a recollection to me and nothing tangible is left to cling to
I wake up feeling you’re still in my arms
I wake up realize you’re gone
Upon waking up, I initially feel your presence, but then remember that you are absent
It’s hard to face the day alone
Being alone and facing the day is difficult
I’m drowning in this world
I’m drowning in the air that I breathe
I can’t go on now I’m without you
I’m drowning in this world
Where there’s no relief
I’m lost in disbelief and I’m drowning
Now that you’re gone
The chorus expresses being overwhelmed by grief and struggling to cope without the person who has moved on
Look around me tell me what you see?
Now it’s just so empty
Observing the world and surroundings leading to a feeling of vacancy
A hollow place there’s nothing here for me
A sense of emptiness and the absence of anything to fulfill the singer
How long can I take this will I ever breathe?
I keep on breaking through these chains
But they come back again
The artist is questioning their ability to handle the situation and feeling trapped by grief that keeps resurfacing
And how long can I fake this,
When you meant everything to me?
The singer wonders how long they can pretend to be okay when their former partner meant the world to them
I still get lost in your eyes
I need to hold you close again.
The artist is still entranced by the memory of their shared love and yearns for physical closeness once more
Contributed by Bailey L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.