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.
A Century Ends
David Gray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Try to focus on it all
Find a spirit of resistance
Instead of pride before the fall
Forge some opposition
From disparate strands
It ain't the prettiest position
As a century ends
Unstable situation
Faces made of wax
Streams of melting glass
Sheets of butchered facts
The roar of the machine
Hooded hearts and jeweled hands
And anger spilling out like gasoline
As a century ends
Everything I seen,
Everything that I heard,
Ain't even the tip of the iceberg
Fire down memory lane
So pass me my rose tinted glasses again
Through a fog of contradiction
Out to the lake of tears
See society admiring its own reflection
Chase a light that shines and disappears
Careful what you say 'cause reality offends
Just sit back and let your soul decay
As a century ends
And it's easy to get weary
As you fight to get it done
'Gainst a popular theory
That it's over
'Fore it's even begun
Strain the limit of compassion
Tend a wound that never mends
And honesty's still out of fashion
As a century ends
The song "A Century Ends" by David Gray is a critique of the society's state at the end of the 20th century, depicting a world where everything is unstable and contradictory. Gray urges people to look beyond themselves, forge some opposition and find a spirit of resistance instead of pride before the fall. He expresses frustration with society's obsession with its own reflection and the lack of honesty in modern times. The current situation is depicted as the prettiest position but he insists it's necessary because the century is ending, and the world is in deep need of a change. The lyrics warn about the dangers of letting your soul decay, society's need for anger and spirit of opposition, and the struggle to strive for progress.
The line "everything I've seen, everything that I've heard, ain't even the tip of the iceberg" suggests that the world is full of hidden truths and events that we are unaware of. Furthermore, "pass me my rose-tinted glasses again" refers to society's tendency to ignore the underlying problems and only focus on the positive aspects of the world.
Moreover, the song highlights the frustration of fighting for change in a society that seems to have already given up. The final lines question the limit of compassion, with honesty still unpopular.
Overall, "A Century Ends" is a thought-provoking song that urges listeners to be aware of the world around them, to resist social norms and strive for change.
Line by Line Meaning
Cast your eyes into the distance
Look far beyond, towards the future
Try to focus on it all
Concentrate on all possibilities
Find a spirit of resistance
Look for the strength to fight against the odds
Instead of pride before the fall
Don't be overconfident or it may lead to downfall
Forge some opposition
Create some resistance against what is unjust
From disparate strands
Using different means, methods and resources
It ain't the prettiest position
It may not be the easiest or most glamorous thing to do
As a century ends
At a time when the current era is coming to a close
Unstable situation
A precarious, dubious condition
Faces made of wax
Fake, plastic expressions
Streams of melting glass
Distorted, illusory view of reality
Sheets of butchered facts
Misinformation, lies and propaganda spread systematically
The roar of the machine
Deafening noise of the oppressive system
Hooded hearts and jeweled hands
Malicious intentions and insincere actions behind a mask of beauty and charm
And anger spilling out like gasoline
Overwhelming, explosive emotion fuelling violent reactions
Everything I seen,
All that I have observed so far
Everything that I heard,
All that I have been told so far
Ain't even the tip of the iceberg
Is only a small part of a much bigger and concealed reality
Fire down memory lane
Painful memories resurface with bitterness and regret
So pass me my rose tinted glasses again
I choose to ignore the harshness of reality and live with an optimistic illusion
Through a fog of contradiction
In a confusing and conflicting environment
Out to the lake of tears
Towards a place of mourning and sorrow
See society admiring its own reflection
Witness society's narcissistic self-obsession
Chase a light that shines and disappears
Pursue something that is fleeting and ephemeral
Careful what you say 'cause reality offends
Be cautious about speaking the harsh truth because it may hurt others
Just sit back and let your soul decay
Indulge in apathy and watch your spirit wither away
And it's easy to get weary
It's effortless to become exhausted
As you fight to get it done
While trying to complete the task at hand
'Gainst a popular theory
Contrary to a common belief
That it's over
That it's all finished and there's no hope left
'Fore it's even begun
Before the fight has started or the goal has been pursued
Strain the limit of compassion
Exhausting one's capacity for empathy
Tend a wound that never mends
Trying to heal an injury that never goes away
And honesty's still out of fashion
Truthfulness is still not valued
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID GRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TjenkinsandAige
This stuff is great. It’s so cool to go back and find even more great music
Erik Kotvis
Probably the best song I have ever heard.
Jim Gill
If Carlsberg wrote a song…. 😂
David Fox
no dislikes after 8 years , fuck yeah
Mike Moss
If honesty was blood...this poor man would have been dead so long ago. Thank God he turned into music instead.
M.R.DarlingProductions
thanks kid. :)