Growing up firmly attached to the Derby music scene, David honed his skills playing and touring in local bands and after self releasing his debut EP in November 2007, he set about piecing together a group of close friends to support him on the road and in the studio.
With band firmly in place he travelled to Wales to record his debut album during the summer of 2008. The first single to be taken from the album; 'The English Retreat' was released January 12th 2009 through independent label Fuse Records and sold out 100 limited edition copies in just two weeks. The album was released June 8th on all major download sites and record shops, and was followed by a 20 date tour of the UK.
2009 proved to be an exciting year for David on the airwaves and on the road, receiving national airplay on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6, as well as playing a live collaborative session for BBC Radio 1's Huw Stephens with award winning producer Baby J, while on the road he has shared stages with the likes of Mark Chadwick of The Levellers, 3 Daft Monkeys, Bob Fox and Eddi Reader.
In 2010 David set about writing and recording his second album. David wanted to capture the live and energetic atmosphere of his live shows so his now firmly established band the Pony Club joined him in the studio. The resulting 13 songs have a contemporary edge, but also reflect an increasing interest in traditional song-writing and arrangements. The band features the talents of Elly Lucas on fiddle, Julian Butt on accordion, Ben Dew and percussion and Sam Jordan on bass.
He was recently selected as a finalist for the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards 2011 along side his fiddle Elly Lucas, playing as 'David Gibb and Elly Lucas'. Aside from his music David was also awarded the title of 'Highly Commended Young Story Teller' at the Young Story Teller of the Year 2011.
The new album was released in July 2011, and the band's live performances received rave reviews and a reputation for a raucous and lively show, the future has never looks brighter for David Gibb.
Two Dead Boys
David Gibb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
One was blind and the other couldn't see
So they chose a dummy for a referee
The blind men went to see fair play
And the dumb man went to shout Hooray
And the paralysed donkey passing by
He kicked the blind man in the eye
Knocked him through a nine inch wall
Into a dry ditch and drowned them all
One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
A deaf policeman heard the noise
And went to arrest the two dead boys
If you don't believe this story's true
Ask the blind man he saw it too
One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
David Gibb's song "Two Dead Boys" is a humorous and absurd story about two dead boys who rise from the grave and engage in a fight. The lyrics describe the two dead boys standing back to back with swords drawn, and shooting each other. The story takes an even stranger turn when the singer reveals that one boy was blind and the other couldn't see, so they chose a dummy for a referee. A deaf policeman hears the commotion and comes to arrest the two dead boys, but if anyone doubts the story's truthfulness, they can ask the blind man who "saw it too."
The lyrics of "Two Dead Boys" are a prime example of a nonsense story, a humorous and absurd tale that doesn't make logical sense. While some people might find the subject matter of the song to be morbid or unsettling, the song's main purpose is to entertain through its absurdity. The song's repetitiveness and rhyme scheme contribute to the absurdity, as the listener hears the same lines repeated over and over without any real resolution.
Line by Line Meaning
One fine day in the middle of the night
This event occurred at an unusual time, in the middle of the night, which could imply that unexpected situations can happen anytime.
Two dead boys got up to fight
The two boys were already dead, but still continued to fight, suggesting that sometimes disputes can persist even past death.
Back to back they faced each other
The two boys stood back-to-back, possibly indicating that they were wary of each other, but were ultimately willing to fight.
Drew their swords and shot each other
Rather than fighting with swords, the boys used their swords to shoot each other, which could represent how people may resort to unexpected measures when in conflict.
One was blind and the other couldn't see
One of the boys was blind, while the other simply couldn't see, which could point to how people's impairments may affect their behavior and decision-making.
So they chose a dummy for a referee
Since both boys had vision problems, they selected a referee who was incapable of making calls, potentially suggesting a mutual distrust of authoritative figures.
And the paralysed donkey passing by
A donkey who was paralyzed happened to come across the boys' fight, highlighting how unexpected events or chance encounters can have a major impact on an already chaotic situation.
He kicked the blind man in the eye
The donkey's kick to the blind man could symbolize how even non-intentional actions can have severe repercussions.
Knocked him through a nine inch wall
The force of the kick caused the blind man to go through a wall, possibly signifying how even small things can lead to significant damage.
Into a dry ditch and drowned them all
The blind man's fall into a ditch and subsequent drowning could represent how a single disastrous event can have a ripple effect and lead to multiple fatalities.
A deaf policeman heard the noise
Despite being deaf, the policeman still heard the commotion, further emphasizing how chaos and conflicts can attract attention regardless of one's condition.
And went to arrest the two dead boys
The policeman attempted to arrest the already dead boys, showing how sometimes people try to address problems without fully understanding what's happening.
If you don't believe this story's true
This suggests that some people may be skeptical of the story, and may interpret it as either absurd or impossible, despite being a work of fiction.
Ask the blind man he saw it too
Despite being blind, the blind man has the knowledge of the event, implying that it's important to gather different perspectives before drawing conclusions.
Writer(s): David Gibb
Contributed by Allison T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.