The LA Times said in January 2007 'David Ford digs down deep in the heart-and-soul tradition: an English and male Lucinda Williams? He puts everything into every note, every word.'
Ford recorded his debut album 'I Sincerely Apologise For All the Trouble I've Caused' on his own in his cellar flat in Eastbourne during 2005 thinking he was just "doing a bunch of demos". However, the strength of these recordings led to magnoliaMAM taking him on for management and shortly thereafter licensing the 'demos' as a finished album to Independiente for the UK and then, in April 2006, to Columbia Records in New York for the USA and the 'rest of the world'.
The album was widely acclaimed and featured in the best of lists for 2006 in the LA Times, The Sunday Times, The New York Post, The Word and The Toronto Star - who said 'you have to go back to Dylan's 'Idiot Wind'/'Blood on the Tracks' to find such an impressively sustained, bile-soaked round of invective'.
Ford toured extensively in the USA, the UK, Canada and Australia during 2006. When performing live, Ford makes use of a 'looping pedal' which allows him to build up layers of vocals, guitars, percussion and keyboards to create extremely powerful and beautiful layers of sound; most notably when playing the song "State Of The Union". (live footage can be seen on both his myspace page and his old archived web site - www.myspace.com/davidford & www.davidford.mu - current website is at www.davidfordmusic.com)
2007 saw the release of his critically-aclaimed, yet widely ignored, album Songs For The Road. Ford spent the most of 2008 in the US promoting it.
February 2010 saw the release of his album, Let The Hard Times Roll, coinciding with a tour of the UK, with dates in the US too.
In April 2011 Ford released his autobiography, I Choose This, covering his musical experience from high school through to touring the United States as a solo artist.
Ford's musical honesty and passionately melodic songwriting has seen him compared to the likes of Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Neil Young, James Taylor and Elton John.
Requiem
David Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
well practiced in losing and brave in defeat
with no friends in this business you keep your enemies sweet
and keep one in the chamber for every stranger you meet
I'll take pieces of silver for a head full of rhyme
I'll take a headache and a casket for a life full of time
I'll take a patch of new mexico and I will call it mine
Well the mob's getting angry and the torches alight
Because they're putting up taxes by a penny tonight
And you can never taste freedom boys if you run from a fight
And when the heavens are falling take a step to the right
So we smoke ourselves skinny and we drink ourselves blind
Self-discovery knocks but there is nothing to find
And if you're looking for victims would you keep me in mind
Let us be kissed on the cheek, let us be fucked from behind
There's no need to tread carefully there's no need to fear
Just talk in obscure non-specifics and try to look all sincere
Every administration blames the one from last year
So when consequence calls there'll be nobody here
So we sell out our kids for a tank full of gas
And a lifetime in plastics for a fistful of cash
Let the rivers run dry let the economy crash
And let the discotheques resound to the requiem mass
So we sell out our kids for a tank full of gas
And a lifetime in plastics for a fistful of cash
Let the rivers run dry let the economy crash
And let the discotheques resound to the requiem mass
David Ford's song "Requiem" is a commentary on the state of society. The opening lines describe the weight of the world and the sense of being stuck or trapped in life. The singer is familiar with losing and remains brave even in defeat. He also understands the importance of making friends and keeping enemies close, as well as maintaining a form of self-defense. The lyrics are honest and visceral, painting a picture of a person who is acutely aware of the harshness and cruelty of life.
The next verse illustrates the singer's willingness to sacrifice for the sake of artistic creation. They are willing to trade a comfortable life for the freedom of creative expression. The verse is also symbolic of how individuals tend to trade their time for material possessions, ultimately giving up the pursuit of happiness in the process. The verse about the mob getting angry and taxation highlights the idea that one cannot hide from conflict or run away from problems. However, the singer still urges everyone to take a step to the right as a form of prevention or to escape from future problems.
The final two verses describe how society is driven by greed and self-interest, and how individuals are willing to sacrifice anything for their own personal gain. The lyrics are a social commentary on the state of the world, pointing out the issue of using resources at any cost without considering the long-term effects. The song warns against the impact of greed and how it can lead to destruction in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
well the world's getting heavy and it sticks to my feet
I'm feeling weighed down by the problems of the world, and it's hard to move forward
well practiced in losing and brave in defeat
I've experienced a lot of struggles and setbacks, but I remain resilient
with no friends in this business you keep your enemies sweet
In a competitive world, it's important to be nice to your adversaries
and keep one in the chamber for every stranger you meet
You never know who might be a threat, so it's wise to be cautious
I'll take pieces of silver for a head full of rhyme
I'll accept any amount of money in exchange for my creative ideas
I'll take a headache and a casket for a life full of time
I'll endure pain and death if it means having more time to live my life
I'll take a patch of new mexico and I will call it mine
I'll take any piece of land and make it my own
And I'll swear never to return to the scene of the crime
I'll never go back to where I've made mistakes in the past
Well the mob's getting angry and the torches alight
There is unrest and violence brewing among the people
Because they're putting up taxes by a penny tonight
The government is angering the people by raising taxes even slightly
And you can never taste freedom boys if you run from a fight
Freedom cannot be gained easily or without a fight
And when the heavens are falling take a step to the right
In times of crisis, it's important to take action and not be paralyzed by fear
So we smoke ourselves skinny and we drink ourselves blind
We use harmful substances to cope with our problems
Self-discovery knocks but there is nothing to find
We search for meaning in ourselves, but often come up empty
And if you're looking for victims would you keep me in mind
If someone is looking to harm others, I might be an easy target
Let us be kissed on the cheek, let us be fucked from behind
We crave physical affection and pleasure, even if it's not healthy or consensual
There's no need to tread carefully there's no need to fear
We act recklessly without concern for the consequences
Just talk in obscure non-specifics and try to look all sincere
We use vague language to avoid accountability while appearing genuine
Every administration blames the one from last year
Politicians deflect criticism by blaming their predecessors
So when consequence calls there'll be nobody here
When the negative effects of our actions catch up to us, we won't be around to face them
So we sell out our kids for a tank full of gas
We prioritize immediate gratification over the well-being of future generations
And a lifetime in plastics for a fistful of cash
We settle for shallow, materialistic lives in exchange for money
Let the rivers run dry let the economy crash
We disregard the environment and the economy in pursuit of personal gain
And let the discotheques resound to the requiem mass
We celebrate our destructive actions and their consequences, oblivious to the harm we've caused
Contributed by Alexis N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.