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
---
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.
---
2) David Gray was an Italian disco musician who had a hit with "Dead in the Water"
---
3) David Gray is an American singer-songwriter
---
4) David Gray is drummer for the British blackened death metal band Akercocke
---
5) David Gray is a musician from South Africa
---
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.
Dares My Heart Be Free
David Gray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Till the final gasp
Can the tale survive the telling
Will this feeling ever last
And it’s a long old slog
With that mean black dog
That calls from the mire
And dares my heart be free
Try to keep it sweet
Baby make ends meet
Heading in the right direction
Just maybe down the wrong street
Speaking through the mesh
With her sumptuous flesh
That ghost in the wires that calls out my name
The mockingbird choir that calls it again
That old mystifier that dares my heart be free
Baby now
Couldn’t you just once
Just once let the damn thing be
Going around thinking like that
Won’t have nothing left to hold on to
All the subtle ways
That a face betrays
Every hurt that burns within it
In the flicker of its gaze
And as I fall beneath
Well it’s a new green leaf
That tells from on high of all that is blessed
In each day that rises east into west
That springs from the bough
And dares my heart be free
Baby now
Couldn’t you just once
Just once let the damn thing be
Going around talking like that
Won’t have nothing left to hold on to
Feel that autumn wind
Where my hair has thinned
All the cares we never asked for
And all the loves we don’t intend
And through my sleepless brains
Well it’s an endless train
That pours through the darkness mile after mile
Drinking the diesel, burning the oil
That screams to the night
And dares my heart be free
Dressed from head to toe
In the afterglow
Offering prayers and supplications
To quite what I’ll never know
And then it drops so strange
Behind the jagged range
That circle of fire that dares my heart be free
That ghost in the wires that dares my heart be free
That voice from the mire that dares my heart be free
In David Gray's song, "Dares My Heart Be Free," the lyrics explore themes of struggle, resilience, and the complexities of emotions. The opening lines, "Can I hold it fast, Till the final gasp" suggests a determination to hold on to something until the very end, potentially referring to a relationship or a dream. The singer wonders if the tale of their journey can survive the hardships they face and questions if their feelings will endure.
The next lines, "And it’s a long old slog, With that mean black dog, That calls from the mire, And dares my heart be free," introduce a metaphorical "mean black dog" that symbolizes the challenges and obstacles in life. This "dog" relentlessly calls from the depths of despair, challenging the singer's ability to find freedom and happiness. It suggests that the path to freedom is arduous and requires perseverance.
The following verses explore the singer's internal struggle and their efforts to maintain a positive outlook. Lines like "Try to keep it sweet, Baby make ends meet, Heading in the right direction, Just maybe down the wrong street" highlight their determination to find contentment, even if they may not always be on the right path. The mention of a ghost in the wires represents a distant connection, perhaps a voice from the past that haunts the singer, calling out their name and stirring their emotions. Overall, these lines communicate the difficulties of navigating relationships and the challenges of finding fulfillment.
In the chorus, the singer pleads with their partner, expressing a desire for them to let things be and stop overthinking or analyzing every situation. They fear that constant doubt and worry will leave them with nothing to hold on to. It conveys a longing for simplicity and a plea for the partner to loosen their grip on control.
The subsequent verses delve into the complexities of human emotions. The lines, "All the subtle ways, That a face betrays, Every hurt that burns within it, In the flicker of its gaze" speak to the power of facial expressions and how they can reveal the pain we carry within us. The singer contemplates the fleeting nature of life and the blessings that each day brings. They find solace in the beauty of nature, symbolized by the new green leaf and the rising and setting of the sun.
Towards the end, the song brings up the idea of unexpected challenges and burdens that life presents, represented as the "autumn wind" and the cares and loves we never asked for. The mention of an "endless train" pouring through the darkness, drinking the diesel and burning the oil, suggests a relentless, repetitive struggle that pushes the singer to their limits. It hints at the exhaustion and weariness they experience in their pursuit of freedom.
In the final verse, the singer confesses to dressing "from head to toe, In the afterglow" and offering prayers to an unknown entity or force. This implies a spiritual or existential aspect to their struggle, seeking answers and guidance in the face of uncertainty. The song concludes with a repetition of the lines: "That ghost in the wires that dares my heart be free, That voice from the mire that dares my heart be free." These lines suggest that despite the challenges faced and the haunting voices from the past, the singer's heart still longs for freedom and the ability to break free from the burden that weighs them down.
Line by Line Meaning
Can I hold it fast
Can I keep this feeling firmly in my grasp
Till the final gasp
Until the very end of my life
Can the tale survive the telling
Will this story endure when it is shared with others
Will this feeling ever last
Will this emotion continue to exist
And it’s a long old slog
And it's a challenging and arduous journey
With that mean black dog
With that persistent feeling of sadness or depression
That calls from the mire
That comes from the dark and difficult parts of my mind
And dares my heart be free
And challenges my heart to find freedom and happiness
Try to keep it sweet
Try to maintain a positive and pleasant disposition
Baby make ends meet
Darling, let's find a way to make our lives financially stable
Heading in the right direction
Moving towards the path of success or fulfillment
Just maybe down the wrong street
Perhaps taking a different route than expected
Speaking through the mesh
Communicating through barriers or limitations
With her sumptuous flesh
With her alluring and desirable physicality
That ghost in the wires that calls out my name
That intangible presence in technology that continuously reminds me of its existence
The mockingbird choir that calls it again
The group of voices that mimic and repeat the same message
That old mystifier that dares my heart be free
That familiar enigma that challenges my heart to break free from its constraints
Baby now
Darling, at this moment
Couldn’t you just once
Is it possible for you to, even just once
Just once let the damn thing be
Allow this situation to exist without interference or judgment
Going around thinking like that
Continuing to have such negative thoughts
Won’t have nothing left to hold on to
There will be nothing left to cling onto or find solace in
All the subtle ways
All the hidden and nuanced ways
That a face betrays
That a person's expression reveals
Every hurt that burns within it
Every pain or suffering that is deeply felt
In the flicker of its gaze
In the rapid and transient movement of its eyes
And as I fall beneath
And as I succumb to
Well it’s a new green leaf
It's a symbol of rejuvenation and fresh beginnings
That tells from on high of all that is blessed
That conveys divine blessings from above
In each day that rises east into west
In every day that begins in the east and ends in the west
That springs from the bough
That originates from the branch
And dares my heart be free
And challenges my heart to break free and experience liberation
Feel that autumn wind
Sense the cool breeze of the autumn season
Where my hair has thinned
Where my hair has become sparse or less abundant
All the cares we never asked for
All the worries or concerns that were undesired
And all the loves we don’t intend
And all the romantic connections we never planned for
And through my sleepless brains
And through my restless thoughts or mind
Well it’s an endless train
It's a never-ending and unstoppable cycle
That pours through the darkness mile after mile
That flows continuously through the darkness, covering great distances
Drinking the diesel, burning the oil
Consuming the fuel needed to sustain itself
That screams to the night
That loudly and vigorously calls out to the darkness
And dares my heart be free
And challenges my heart to break free and find liberation
Dressed from head to toe
Completely adorned or covered
In the afterglow
In the warm and radiant light that follows
Offering prayers and supplications
Presenting earnest and humble requests or petitions
To quite what I’ll never know
To an unknown entity or force
And then it drops so strange
And then it suddenly becomes unfamiliar or peculiar
Behind the jagged range
Hidden beyond the sharp and irregular mountains
That circle of fire that dares my heart be free
That ring of flames that challenges my heart to break free from its constraints
That ghost in the wires that dares my heart be free
That intangible presence in technology that challenges my heart to find freedom
That voice from the mire that dares my heart be free
That sound from the swampy and difficult parts of my mind that challenges my heart to find liberation
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: David Gray
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind