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.
Holding On
David Gray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't let those feelings start
Don't let the line go slack
When you're pulling it all apart
How to describe the sky
Or dismantle a beating heart
Guess, we're just holding on
Honey, we're holding on
To the world
Seeking assurances
Some kind of guarantee
There has to be more than this, oh now
More than the eye can see
Holding the lanterns high
While we sink with our vanity
I guess, we're just holding on
Baby, we're holding on
Honey, we're holding on
To the world
Here we are holding on
Baby, we're holding on
Honey, we're holding on
To the world
Now I'm gonna love you
Like the spring bursts from the ground
Unfurling from the ground
Unfurling from the ground
Faces of buildings, trees
All that is stoned, inert
Here in these empty streets
Well, it silently does assert
That we are just passing ghosts, honey
Vapors of joy and hurt
And here we are holding on
Baby, we're holding on
Honey, we're holding on
To the world
Baby we're holding on
Oh yeah, we are holding on
Hey now, we're holding on
Baby we're holding on
Here we are holding on
Baby, we're holding on
Guess we're just holding on to the world
Baby, we're holding on to the world
In David Gray's song “Holding On”, the singer encourages someone not to give up, even though they may feel like doing so. The first verse speaks to the person's fear of vulnerability and the risk involved in loving someone, and how easy it is for all the emotions to unravel. Gray then goes on to reflect on life's meaning, questioning whether there's more to it than just what we see on the surface. He seems to be on a journey to find assurance and certainty, but ultimately concludes that we are all just temporary beings in a world that will continue without us.
The chorus repeats the idea that despite life's difficulties, we must keep "holding on" to the world around us. In the third verse, Gray shifts his message to one of love, promising to love the person he's addressing with the force of a spring bursting from the ground. The final verse is a meditation on the transience of life, bringing the song full-circle by once again emphasizing that we must continue to hold on to the world despite our impermanence.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, now don't look back
Don't dwell on the past and let go of negative feelings.
Don't let those feelings start
Avoid getting overwhelmed by your emotions.
Don't let the line go slack
Stay connected and don't lose your grip on what's important.
When you're pulling it all apart
Even if things seem difficult and chaotic, stay strong and keep moving forward.
How to describe the sky
Some things in life can't be easily put into words or explained.
Or dismantle a beating heart
Some emotions can be so intense and vital that it's impossible to control or suppress them.
Guess, we're just holding on
Life can feel uncertain and overwhelming, but we have to keep going and persevere.
Baby, we're holding on
We're doing the best we can to stay strong and survive.
Honey, we're holding on
Even though things might not be perfect, we're committed to sticking it out and seeing it through.
To the world
We're trying to navigate and make sense of a complex, unpredictable world.
Seeking assurances
We crave certainty and reassurance when things feel uncertain and overwhelming.
Some kind of guarantee
We want some promise that everything's going to be okay, even if we can't know for sure.
There has to be more than this, oh now
We hope there's a bigger purpose or meaning to our struggle and challenges in life.
More than the eye can see
We want to believe that there's more to life than what we can observe and experience.
Holding the lanterns high
Trying to find a way forward and illuminate a path through the darkness.
While we sink with our vanity
Even as we strive for significance and success, we're slowly losing ourselves and our humility.
Now I'm gonna love you
Expressing a commitment to supporting and caring for someone through thick and thin.
Like the spring bursts from the ground
Vowing to love with a passion and intensity that is natural and unstoppable.
Unfurling from the ground
Growing and developing into something beautiful and vibrant.
Faces of buildings, trees
Acknowledging the richness and complexity of the urban and natural world around us.
All that is stoned, inert
Recognizing that we coexist with non-living things that are profoundly different from ourselves.
Here in these empty streets
Observing the loneliness and isolation of the modern world.
Well, it silently does assert
Suggesting that there might be a deeper meaning or purpose behind our suffering and struggles.
That we are just passing ghosts, honey
Feeling small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, even as we strive for significance and significance.
Vapors of joy and hurt
Experiencing a range of emotions that can be both beautiful and painful, and that ultimately evaporate into nothingness.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID (GB2) GRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Organic Grower
So profound, reminds me of life in slow motion days. David is a true master.
Eimear Slee
I know this song was released in 2017, but can someone tell me when this song was first written.
John Potter
He keeps a notebook on him and writes down song lyrics as they occur to him so there's no telling where the lyrics came from and when each of the lyrics were written.
Valentina Nuñez
must date back at least 11 years now, as this was taken from the album Foundling released in 2010. Since it was released in august and an album takes some time to be finished I'd safely bet it was first written somewhere in late 2009 or early 2010 :)
Abby Grace
Wow
Nuclear Gandhi
Nice.