Nashvi… Read Full Bio ↴Catching Up With David Mead (In Four Scenes and Three Cities)
Nashville, TN, mid-1990s. . . After bouncing around the club scene in a few bands, David Mead takes the leap as a solo artist. A copper-topped kid with a tender heart and wicked sense of humor, he has one unfailing secret weapon - the kind of singing voice that can stop drunks in mid-drink and A & R guys in mid-schmooze. “A soaring but unshowy falsetto,” says Uncut. “Honeyed and compelling,” adds Entertainment Weekly.
New York City, NY, early-2000s. . . Mead signs a major label deal with RCA, former home to Elvis Presley and David Bowie. Aspiring to similar career longevity and variety, Mead locks in for a steady climb. Honing a songwriting gift that improbably takes in Broadway, Beatles, Prog and New Wave then ups the ante to something all his own, he releases a pair of critically-acclaimed records, The Luxury Of Time and Mine and Yours. “Infectious melodies,” says The Guardian. “A major tunesmith,” affirms MOJO.
Middle Of Nowhere, Indiana, mid-2000s. . . Mead tours from town to town, meeting crowds sparse or sold-out with equal gusto, leaving true believers in his wake. When he’s not on the road, he’s writing, recording (Indiana, Wherever You Are, Tangerine, Almost and Always) and lending songs to screens big (The Sweetest Thing, Boys and Girls) and small (Ed, Private Practice). He’s making loads of fans and friends. Some of them in high places. John Mayer says, “David Mead is one of my favorite singer-songwriters.” Taylor Swift tweets, “I can’t get David Mead’s ‘Nashville’ out of my head.” Joe Jackson, Fountains Of Wayne, Shelby Lynne, Ron Sexsmith all feel it too, enough to invite Mead to share stages and tours.
Nashville, 2011 . . . . 253 of Mead’s most-dedicated fans rally around his Kickstarter campaign to raise over $20K to
fund his new record Dudes. The yield on the investment? Pure pleasure, with humor, mystery, emotional wallop and dudes of all ages lurking behind a hundred unforgettable hooks. “There is no easy way for me to express the gratitude I feel for all the generous support,” Mead
says, “except to try to back it up with what I feel might be my best album to date.”
Nashville
David Mead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was barely breathing, I was crawling home
Well it's not quite London or the south of France
Or an Asian island or a second chance
Going back to Nashville, thinking about the whole thing
Guess you gotta run sometimes
Maybe I'm a fast train rolling down the mountain
You're a distant memory, you're an exit sign
I was talking crazy on the driver's side
And I know I hurt you but I won't confess
Was that blood or a wine stain on your wedding dress
Going back to Nashville, thinking about the whole thing
Guess you gotta run sometimes
Maybe I'm a fast train rolling down the mountain
Watching all my life go by
Going back to Nashville, laughing at a bad break
What's the use in wondering why
Maybe I'm a storm front rolling through the valley
Tearing up a good July
And it's safe and warm where nothing ever happens
Would it be so hard to realign a star or two
Change a southern night for you
Well it's not quite evening, and it's not New York
There's a scar in the blue sky by the old airport
And I'm talking crazy on the driver's side
I will always love you like a long goodbye
The lyrics of David Mead's song "Nashville" speak to feeling lost and searching for a sense of home. Mead describes driving down a familiar road, feeling disconnected from the world and reminiscing about past mistakes. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing for the familiar, and a desire to return to a simpler time. Mead compares Nashville to other places in the world, recognizing that it may not be as exotic or glamorous, but it holds a special significance to him.
The chorus of the song reflects the idea that sometimes we need to run away from our problems in order to face them. Mead recognizes that he is like a "fast train rolling down the mountain," unable to stop and process his thoughts and emotions. He is "watching all [his] life go by," feeling as though he is losing control of his destiny. The repetition of the phrase "going back to Nashville" suggests that this place holds a special meaning to Mead, and perhaps returning to it will help him find himself again.
Overall, the lyrics of "Nashville" are deeply reflective and poignant. They speak to the universal experience of feeling lost and searching for a sense of home, while also referencing Mead's own personal experiences and struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
On a childhood highway through a night alone
I was traveling alone through a dark road as a child
I was barely breathing, I was crawling home
I was tired and lost my strength, which made me move slowly
Well it's not quite London or the south of France
The place I'm in is not as glamorous as Paris or the French Riviera
Or an Asian island or a second chance
It's not as exotic as an Asian island or a chance to start anew
Going back to Nashville, thinking about the whole thing
I'm returning to Nashville and reflecting on my past experiences
Guess you gotta run sometimes
Sometimes you need to escape and run away from your problems
Maybe I'm a fast train rolling down the mountain
I might be moving quickly towards something, like a train headed down the mountain
Watching all my life go by
Feeling like I'm just observing my life pass me by
You're a distant memory, you're an exit sign
You're someone from my past and no longer a crucial part of my life
I was talking crazy on the driver's side
I was talking nonsensically while driving
And I know I hurt you but I won't confess
I'm aware of the pain I caused you, but I'm not going to admit it
Was that blood or a wine stain on your wedding dress
I'm unsure if the stain on your wedding dress is blood or wine, but I remember it vividly
Going back to Nashville, thinking about the whole thing
Once again, I'm thinking about my past experiences in Nashville
Guess you gotta run sometimes
Reiterating that you need to escape at times
Maybe I'm a fast train rolling down the mountain
Reemphasizing that I might be moving quickly and not thinking things through
Watching all my life go by
Continuing to feel like an observer of my own life
Going back to Nashville, laughing at a bad break
Returning to Nashville and finding humor in a bad situation
What's the use in wondering why
What's the point of asking questions and dwelling on the past?
Maybe I'm a storm front rolling through the valley
Maybe I'm a destructive force, like a storm moving through a valley
Tearing up a good July
Destroying something that was once good, much like tearing up the month of July
And it's safe and warm where nothing ever happens
There's comfort in a place where nothing ever seems to change
Would it be so hard to realign a star or two
Asking if it would be difficult to change the course of one's life
Change a southern night for you
Changing something about the night to make it better for you
Well it's not quite evening, and it's not New York
The time of day and location isn't significant or exciting
There's a scar in the blue sky by the old airport
There's a mark or imperfection in the sky above the old airport
And I'm talking crazy on the driver's side
Once again, I'm talking nonsensically while driving
I will always love you like a long goodbye
Stating that even though we might say goodbye, my love for you will endure for a long time
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID MEAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind