Fixative
David Gray Lyrics


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If there's a diamond in my mind
Will it dwindle down to naught
Or will it always be defined
If I can't fix it in my heart

So I'm returning to the place
That I might look into your eyes
And look so hard that I can taste
That winter sun that never sets
The swallow caught up in the nets
The perfect chorus when it hits
Don't slam the door, boy, when you leave

Was heading northward when I saw
That empty house out in the mist
There are traces left for sure
On every mouth you ever kissed

So I'm returning to the word
That I might look between the lines
That I might dutifully recall
The blue within your seagull stare
The funny ways you had to care
For every little thing beyond compare
Don't slam the door, boy, when you leave

So now I'm calling in the gulf
When you went walking with the wolf
Hey boy, you really brought it on yourself
Don't slam the door, now, when you leave

The strangest for we ever faced
The stark in every staging grace
Is crushing diamonds into paste




Don't slam the door, boy, when you leave
Don't slam the door, boy, when you leave

Overall Meaning

In David Gray's song Fixative, the artist seems to be reflecting on memories and relationships. He wonders if the things that once seemed important may dwindle down to nothingness in his mind or will they always endure, always be defined. He acknowledges that he cannot fix everything that has happened in his heart but he's returning to an important place, and the person that he's associated with that place. There, he hopes to look deeply into the person's eyes, and in doing so, to connect with that winter sun that never sets. He mentions a swallow caught in the nets, the perfect chorus when it hits and not to slam the door when he leaves. These phrases hint at moments that can be captured and held onto, but only if one is aware enough to recognize their fleeting nature.


The second verse describes the artist driving northward when he sees an empty house in the mist. Perhaps this is a metaphor for a relationship that has ended and left an emptiness. The traces left behind on every mouth he ever kissed could represent memories shared by many people, but none of them were enough to save the relationship. He returns to the word and looks between the lines, trying to recall the blue within her seagull stare and her funny ways of caring for every little thing beyond compare. The final verse refers to calling in the gulf, which could indicate a place where something has been lost, and it has a sense of finality. The artist talks about walking with the wolf and that he brought it on himself. He ends with the line, "The strangest foe we ever faced, the stark in every staging grace, is crushing diamonds into paste. Don't slam the door, boy, when you leave." This line reflects the fragility of relationships and the importance of being aware of the moments that matter.


Line by Line Meaning

If there's a diamond in my mind
If there's something precious in my thoughts


Will it dwindle down to naught
Will it disappear over time


Or will it always be defined
Or will it remain clear and distinct


If I can't fix it in my heart
If I can't fully internalize it


So I'm returning to the place
So I'm going back to where it all started


That I might look into your eyes
So I can gaze deeply into your eyes


And look so hard that I can taste
And focus so intently that I can almost sense it


That winter sun that never sets
That feeling of warmth and comfort that never fades


The swallow caught up in the nets
The tragic fate that can befall even the most innocent


The perfect chorus when it hits
The moment when everything comes together perfectly


Don't slam the door, boy, when you leave
Don't be rude and abrupt when you depart


Was heading northward when I saw
I was traveling north when I came upon


That empty house out in the mist
That eerie, abandoned dwelling in the fog


There are traces left for sure
There's evidence of what happened before


On every mouth you ever kissed
On every person you've ever been intimate with


So I'm returning to the word
So I'm going back to the idea or concept


That I might look between the lines
So I can search for hidden meaning


That I might dutifully recall
So I can deliberately remember


The blue within your seagull stare
The melancholy tone in your piercing gaze


The funny ways you had to care
The unique and endearing approaches you took to show you cared


For every little thing beyond compare
For every detail that was special and unmatched


So now I'm calling in the gulf
So now I'm reaching out across the divide


When you went walking with the wolf
When you took risks and got involved with danger


Hey boy, you really brought it on yourself
You have no one to blame but yourself for the consequences


The strangest for we ever faced
The most unusual situation we've encountered


The stark in every staging grace
The harsh reality beneath every performance of elegance


Is crushing diamonds into paste
Is destroying something of great value and significance


Don't slam the door, boy, when you leave
Don't ruin things with a rude and hasty departure


Don't slam the door, boy, when you leave
Don't forget to be polite and courteous when you leave




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID GRAY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@keiljones2902

"the strangest foe we ever faced"

@contemporarypaperart

Merveilleux comme toujours :) j'aime . Hello from Brussels :)