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.”
Queensboro Bridge
David Mead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The city can't keep you with me
'Cause this is an island of vagabonds
A stop on the way to be free
But this is the wrong time for metaphors
You like my one-liners best
So take the Queensboro Bridge to the airport
Well sweet baby Jesus is watching you
From his bed at the big corner church
And he knows the highs that you took me to
'Cause he knows the way that it hurts
But this is the wrong time for saying prayers
A kiss at the taxi will do
And if the Queensboro Bridge never gets you there
I'll be here waiting for you
You're a beautiful sight over east river lights
And I'm losing you
You're a dream taking flight in a pink morning sky
Yeah you're coming true
And this is the wrong time for saying prayers
A kiss at the taxi will do
But if the Queensboro Bridge never gets you there
I'll be here waiting for you
Yeah if the Queensboro Bridge never gets you there
I'll still be waiting for you
The lyrics of Queensboro Bridge by David Mead depict a relationship coming to an end, with the male singer left behind in New York City while the female protagonist leaves for the airport to pursue her own dreams of freedom. The first verse establishes that the city cannot keep the singer with the singer because it is populated by 'vagabonds' - people who move around a lot and are difficult to pin down. The male singer suggests taking the Queensboro Bridge to the airport, implying that it is a final goodbye. The reference to one-liners implies that the singer has been trying to make the best of a bad situation by offering some humor, but the singer is no longer finding it helpful. The second verse references the 'big corner church' and 'sweet baby Jesus', suggesting that despite the breakup, the male singer still wishes the best for the female protagonist. The reference to the highs they shared together suggests that they had a deep emotional connection, but ultimately it was not enough to keep them together.
In the chorus, the male singer conveys the sense of loss he is feeling as he watches the female protagonist leave. He acknowledges that she is a 'beautiful sight' and a 'dream taking flight', but ultimately he accepts that their paths have diverged. The final verse echoes the sentiment of the first, with the male singer saying that he is 'still waiting' for the female protagonist, even if she never comes back.
Overall, the lyrics of Queensboro Bridge are bittersweet, with the male singer conveying a sense of longing and regret, but also a measure of acceptance. The song speaks to the universal experience of relationships coming to an end and the difficulty of moving on.
Line by Line Meaning
Well midnight has faded to morning
The night has passed and it is now early morning.
The city can't keep you with me
We cannot stay together in this city.
'Cause this is an island of vagabonds
This city is a place where people come and go as they please.
A stop on the way to be free
People come here to find freedom.
But this is the wrong time for metaphors
It is not the right time for figurative language.
You like my one-liners best
You prefer my short quips over my more elaborate expressions.
So take the Queensboro Bridge to the airport
Take the bridge to get to the airport.
I'll stay and settle for less
I will remain here and compromise on what I want.
Well sweet baby Jesus is watching you
God is always watching over you.
From his bed at the big corner church
God is watching from the nearby church.
And he knows the highs that you took me to
God knows the great experiences we shared.
'Cause he knows the way that it hurts
God knows the pain I am feeling.
But this is the wrong time for saying prayers
Now is not the appropriate moment for prayer.
A kiss at the taxi will do
A goodbye kiss at the taxi is sufficient.
And if the Queensboro Bridge never gets you there
If the bridge does not take you where you need to go.
I'll be here waiting for you
I will remain here, waiting for your return.
You're a beautiful sight over east river lights
You are stunning as you are backdropped by the glowing East River.
And I'm losing you
I am losing my grip on you.
You're a dream taking flight in a pink morning sky
You are like a dream soaring away into the pink sunrise.
Yeah you're coming true
The dream is becoming a reality.
Yeah if the Queensboro Bridge never gets you there
If the bridge does not take you to your destination.
I'll still be waiting for you
I will be patient and wait for your eventual return.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAVID MEAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind