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.
Song to the Siren
David Gray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I did all my best to smile
'Til your singing eyes and fingers
Drew me loving to your isle
And you sang
Sail to me
Sail to me
Here I am
Here I am
Waiting to hold you
Did I dream you dreamed about me?
Were you here when i was full sail
Now my foolish boat is leaning
Broken lovelorn on your rocks,
For you sing,
"Touch me not, touch me not,
Come back tomorrow.
O my heart, O my heart
Shies from the sorrow"
I am puzzled as the oyster
I am troubled at the tide:
Should I stand amid the breakers?
Should I lie with Death my bride?
Hear me sing,
"Swim to me, Swim to me,
Let me enfold you.
O my heart, O my heart,
Is waiting to hold you"
The opening lines of the song introduce the singer who appears to be lost at sea, "long afloat on shipless oceans." Despite being lost, the singer tries to remain positive and "did all my best to smile." The mood changes when the singer sees the person they love, the one with "singing eyes and fingers," who draws them to their island. The person invites the singer to get closer, "sail to me, sail to me," so they can be together, and the singer responds, "here I am, waiting to hold you."
The second verse seems to be a conversation between the two. The singer questions the reality of their encounter, "Did I dream you dreamed about me?/Were you here when I was full sail?" But in the next line, the singer's boat is broken and leaning on the rocks, showing that they are in a delicate position. Despite the danger, the lover is still calling to them and invites them to swim out and be held. However, as the lover asks the singer to "touch me not," the singer becomes hesitant and unsure about whether they should go towards the lover, "should I stand amid the breakers?/ Should I lie with Death my bride?"
Line by Line Meaning
Long afloat on shipless oceans
I have been adrift on the open seas for so long, without direction or purpose.
I did all my best to smile
But I tried my best to keep a positive attitude, even in the face of uncertainty and doubt.
'Til your singing eyes and fingers
Then I saw you, and the way you expressed yourself through your voice and your touch.
Drew me loving to your isle
And I felt drawn to you, as if you were a beacon of love and safety in a world of uncertainty and danger.
And you sang
Your voice reached out to me, like a siren's call, beckoning me to come closer.
Sail to me
You urged me to move towards you, to take a chance and follow where you led.
Let me enfold you
You offered me the comfort and shelter of your arms, promising to protect me from harm.
Here I am
You revealed yourself to me, showing me the depths of your love and the strength of your character.
Waiting to hold you
Patiently waiting for me to take that first step towards you, knowing that I needed time to build my courage.
Did I dream you dreamed about me?
I wonder if you ever felt the same way about me, if you too had hopes and fears about our connection.
Were you here when i was full sail
Did you see me when I was at my strongest, my most confident, before I was dashed upon the rocks of uncertainty?
Now my foolish boat is leaning
I feel exposed and vulnerable, like a shipwrecked sailor adrift in a sea of disappointment and sorrow.
Broken lovelorn on your rocks,
My heart is shattered, my sense of purpose and direction lost, as I struggle to find my way back to the safety of your embrace.
For you sing,
You still call out to me, even as I lay broken and despairing on the rocks.
"Touch me not, touch me not,
But you warn me to stay away, to not try to touch or connect with you in my current state of grief and confusion.
Come back tomorrow.
You offer a ray of hope, a chance to start anew once I have had time to heal and recover.
O my heart, O my heart
I can hear the pain and longing in your voice, as you too struggle with the weight of your emotions and desires.
Shies from the sorrow"
You too are afraid of getting hurt, of feeling the pain and sorrow that comes with loving someone deeply.
I am puzzled as the oyster
I feel lost and confused, unable to make sense of my feelings or my situation, like an oyster trying to make sense of the ocean currents.
I am troubled at the tide:
The ebb and flow of life's uncertainties and challenges trouble me, leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable.
Should I stand amid the breakers?
I am torn between standing my ground and trying to weather the storm, or seeking refuge and safety elsewhere.
Should I lie with Death my bride?
Is it better to give up, to accept defeat and face the ultimate end, or to keep fighting, no matter how hard it may be?
Hear me sing,
Despite my doubts and fears, I too have a voice, a desire to be heard and to connect with someone who understands.
"Swim to me, Swim to me,
I too make a call, hoping that you will hear me and respond, that you will take a chance and swim towards me.
Let me enfold you.
I too offer comfort and shelter, a place to rest and recover, knowing that we are all in need of love and support at times.
O my heart, O my heart,
Just like you, my heart is full of pain and longing, but also of hope and possibility.
Is waiting to hold you"
For ultimately, we all yearn for connection and love, someone to hold us and share the journey of life, no matter how difficult it may be.
Contributed by Stella E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@koldplayz1
David Gray’s music has played in the background of my life for many years. I’ve recommended White Ladder to countless friends and family as an introduction to this man’s talents. To date, everyone I’ve introduced to his music has become a long term fan. Thanks David! See you in SaltLake and Mesa...
@michellewinstone
❤
@LittleJo-
I effing love this version
@aliceje
Wonderful rendition 😍
@johnnylaroux9517
Beautiful..... absolutely nailed it in a new way....
@philly8462
He did Tim Buckley song beautifully just as I knew he would.
@emjay3344
Go Down Easy and Ramona <3
@Quintellectual
Genius
@maetes
Like it. Great version.
@MrClover81
Seen him sing this live Birmingham