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.
The Lights of London
David Gray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When your lion got tamed
Was up on your stage
When your childhood flamed
The sorrow and rage
But it aint no game
To me now
Slow ye down and stay awhile
All the lights in London shining now
Standing in line
With these abstract gifts
Counting the time
As the dragnet shifts
A quarter to nine
and the gray cloud lifts
Away now
All the lights in London shining now
Slow ye down and stay awhile
All the lights in London falling down
Hearing you say
With your perspect's tongue
Walking the way
Where the dreams get flung
Was never your thing
When it all goes wrong
To worry
Whoa-oa
All the lights in London shining now
Slow ye down and stay awhile
All the lights in London shining now
Interlude
Telling a lie
Cause the truth just stinks
Out in the mud
Where the lightning sinks
Wishing you could
As the strip light blinks
Away now
Whoa-oa
All the lights in London shining now
Slow ye down and stay awhile
All the lights in London falling down
All of London falling down
All of London falling down
All of London
The Lights of London by David Gray is a song that examines the complexities of life in the city of London. The lyrics suggest that the city can be both a place of wonder and a virtual prison with the opening lines, "Was there in your cage when your lion got tamed; was up on your stage when your childhood flamed." The reference to the lion and the flame is symbolic of a loss of innocence and the harsh realities of life. The persona in the song acknowledges the futility of their past embellishments and says that it's not a game anymore.
The song draws attention to the fast pace of life in London and the fleeting nature of time, illustrated through the words, "Standing in line with these abstract gifts, counting the time as the dragnet shifts, a quarter to nine and the grey cloud lifts, away now." The persona seems to feel trapped by the constraints and pressures of the city but chooses to sit and watch London's beauty for a while, admiring the city lights.
The song's final verse is about the struggle to keep up appearances when the truth is hard to swallow. The lyrics are explicit, "Telling a lie 'cause the truth just stinks, out in the mud where the lightning sinks, wishing you could as the strip light blinks, away now." The song concludes with the chorus, reminding us that all of London is falling down, emphasizing the tragedy and reminding us of the impermanence of things.
Line by Line Meaning
Was there in your cage
I was there with you when you were trapped and couldn't escape
When your lion got tamed
I saw when you lost your wildness and became more subdued
Was up on your stage
I watched you perform and put on a show for others
When your childhood flamed
I witnessed the pain and anger from your past experiences affecting you now
The sorrow and rage
The sadness and anger you feel deep inside
But it ain't no game
Although it may seem like a joke or something insignificant, it is serious to me
To me now
I care about you now more than ever
Standing in line
Waiting patiently for something
With these abstract gifts
Having intangible or conceptual offerings, rather than physical presents
Counting the time
Watching the clock, keeping track of how much time is passing
As the dragnet shifts
As the situation changes and the outcome becomes uncertain
A quarter to nine
Almost 9 PM
And the gray cloud lifts
When the gloom and doom clears away, revealing a possible brighter future
Hearing you say
Listening to your words
With your perspect's tongue
Through your unique view and opinion
Walking the way
Moving forward towards your dreams
Where the dreams get flung
Where you take a chance and hope for the best
Was never your thing
It was never something you were comfortable with or enjoyed doing
When it all goes wrong
When everything falls apart and doesn't work out as planned
To worry
It's not helpful to stress and fret about things you can't control
Telling a lie
Saying something that isn't true
Cause the truth just stinks
Because admitting the truth is uncomfortable and unpleasant
Out in the mud
In a difficult and unpleasant situation
Where the lightning sinks
Where danger or trouble is lurking, waiting to strike
Wishing you could
Desiring something that you can't have or do
As the strip light blinks
As the fluorescent light flickers, signaling a harsh reality
All of London falling down
The chaos and destruction of a city or society
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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