There are moments of genuine noise and terror on singer-songwriter Daughn G… Read Full Bio ↴There are moments of genuine noise and terror on singer-songwriter Daughn Gibson's debut solo LP, All Hell, but not of the devil's-horns kind. Instead, the 31-year-old Carlisle, Pennsylvania, resident fashions ghostly, haunting country-ish ballads out of Christian gospel samples and looping audio software while his rich baritone narrates small-town tragedy.
Gibson's affinity for country music-- as well as the genre's cherished storytelling tradition-- began when he started driving trucks for a living nearly a decade ago. "I started listening to country when there was nothing else to listen to on the radio when I was driving," he says. "I started liking the stories, no matter how absurd they sounded. I liked that they were portrayals of people, or scenarios, or nostalgia." To this day, he's still working in the trucking industry, as an HR representative.
Years before going solo, Gibson took up the drums as a pre-teen after "staying up and watching Metallica and Guns N' Roses videos." He played in bands with names like Nokturnal Acid and Natal Cream throughout high school and eventually joined up with childhood friends Joel Winter and Randy Huth in the stoner-metal outfit Pearls and Brass, which presently operates as an on-and-off concern.
Gibson was inspired to explore the dusty, lonely, electronically decayed sounds on All Hell after moving further into central Pennsylvania, where there weren't as many like-minded musicians to start a band with. With the moral support of Pissed Jeans' Matt Korvette, whose White Denim label is releasing the album, Gibson pieced the record together over the course of 2011. Later on this year, he'll be touring with a band setup, too.

Ray
Daughn Gibson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My first child stumbled home
And woke me up when he hit the floor
He looked like a movie star
But he grew up to be totally worthless

Ray, let's go
Towards the waves

Follow me
And knock this off

His mother, God rest her soul
Had three doctors and fought 'em all
She gave him a nice keepsake

But I think he lost it
Somewhere in Vegas

Overall Meaning

In "Ray," Daughn Gibson sings of a father's disappointment in his grown-up child, whom he refers to as Ray. The lyrics are rather blunt and straightforward, as the singer admits, "he looked like a movie star, but he grew up to be totally worthless." The singer then calls out to Ray, telling him that they should go towards the waves and that Ray should follow him and "knock this off" - possibly implying that the two need a change of pace or lifestyle.

The song takes an emotional turn when the singer mentions Ray's mother, who has passed away. We learn that she had three doctors, and despite their efforts, she eventually succumbed to whatever ailment she had. The mother had given Ray a nice keepsake, but the singer believes that Ray has lost it somewhere in Vegas. There's a sense of sadness and disappointment in the singer's voice, as he reflects on his child's life and how it hasn't turned out as he had hoped.

Overall, "Ray" is a touching and honest song that deals with the complexities of parenthood, relationships, and the uncertainties of life. It's a song with a lot of heart and emotion, and Daughn Gibson's vocals perfectly capture the depth of the lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

My first child stumbled home
I witnessed my eldest son coming home unsteadily for the first time.

And woke me up when he hit the floor
I was sleeping, but his fall roused me.

He looked like a movie star
My son was blessed with an attractive appearance.

But he grew up to be totally worthless
Unfortunately, he did not develop his potential and became useless.

Ray, let's go
I addressed Ray, suggesting we share a moment together.

Towards the waves
I gave him a direction to follow towards the waves.

Follow me
I invited him to come along with me somewhere.

And knock this off
Perhaps, I implied that we should finish something or accomplish an objective.

His mother, God rest her soul
I mentioned his late mother, wishing for her eternal peace.

Had three doctors and fought 'em all
She had to deal with three doctors, all of whom she resisted.

She gave him a nice keepsake
She presented him with a valuable item.