For singer-songwriter Nail, it was a history-making moment -- small town boy decides to chase a big city dream -- and a theme that has informed his music ever since. On his first album from MCA Nashville, he neatly bridges the divide, laying claim to his hometown roots while keeping a firm grip on the future, and all the deeply emotional territory in between.
“I feel like regardless of where you grew up, city, small town, east coast, west coast or whatever, there’s something in this music that you can relate to,” he says. “They might not all be exactly the same, but everyone has those moments; the first time you left home, falling in love, losing love. That’s what moves me, what I can dig into.”
Nail, son of a former high school band director, cut his musical teeth on a record collection that included Stevie Wonder, Elton John and the Beatles. “Elton John was one of the main reasons I started singing, and is still a tremendous influence,” he says. “I think he and the Beatles are probably two of the greatest melody makers of all time.” Then he moved on to country: “I ‘discovered’ country music in the early 90’s along with everyone else my age,” he says, “but I guess I kind of got more obsessive than everybody else. I found myself looking back as far as the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, exposing myself to some of the biggest stars of that era. It was then that I fell in love with Glen Campbell, who is still one of my all-time favorites.”
Drawn to Music City after high school, Nail took that first step on his long and winding road, following the music. “I had been to Nashville as a small child but I had no memories of what it was like and obviously had no idea what the music business was like,” he says. “I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing.” Overwhelmed, he ended up moving back to Missouri in less than a year.
Returning to Nashville two years later, Nail became frustrated once again in early 2005 with the lack of movement with his music career. David spent the next two summers helping an old college buddy coach the Twitty City Knights, a select group of some of Nashville’s best baseball talent. “I did it just to get away from the reality of what my career had become at that time, and it was being around those kids that recharged my batteries. It reminded me how free and easy life is at 17 and 18 years old and how truly blessed I’d been, both growing up, and now, being able to chase my dream. I will forever look back on that time and those kids for getting me back on track.” Shortly thereafter, mutual friend Brian Wright, who’d recently become V.P., A&R, for both the MCA and Mercury Nashville labels, introduced Nail to Frank Liddell, who 10 years earlier had produced one of Nail’s all-time favorite records, Chris Knight’s self-titled Decca debut.
Through the ups and downs of a life in the music business, Nail was persistent – and his dream became a realization with I’m About To Come Alive, a collection of songs that captures the highs and lows and the hometown flavor of his own experiences. “I wanted to take something from the people who’ve inspired me,” he says, “but also put myself in there, and just make something I could be proud of. It’s definitely a moody record, there’s definitely going to be some heartbreak in there, definitely going to be some dark times. But there’s music you listen to when you’re feeling good, and music you listen to when you’re down and out, and I think this is a record that satisfies both needs.”
From the second he started recording, Nail was determined to bridge the gap between traditional country and the soulful styling’s of a Lionel Ritchie and Ray Charles. “I’ve got to have a piano player with a lot of fire, a little more recklessness!” he says. Liddell (Miranda Lambert) offered up legendary player Chuck Leavell, who brought his inspired piano into the mix with Nail’s smooth, yet soulful vocals to create magic on tracks like “Mississippi.” “It’s a very reflective ballad about a guy from a small town who’s in the city,” Nail says. “Very moody and Ray Charles-esque. Chuck went in there and started playing the intro and suddenly I felt as if I was back in those early days of recording. His playing sent me to another level of singing.”
“Turning Home” had that same soulful emotion and drew Nail’s attention as a demo. “When I first heard it, it was a lot of what I was feeling at the time. I just kept listening to it over and over. I felt like I had always been searching for a song I could really sing, put some emotion, pain and hurt into, and then here was this song,” he said. The result is a perfect match between singer and song, with that same church-meets-honky-tonk piano on the side, and vocals reminiscent of another one of Nail’s big influences, Vince Gill.
Nail wrote five of the eleven I’m About To Come Alive tracks, including “Missouri.” “I was in the middle of a two-year bout with depression,” said Nail. “It’s without a doubt the most honest and personal song I’ve written. I’d been in a relationship for a year or so and could sense something was wrong with me. It was more or less me crying out, pleading for her to leave me because I didn’t have the courage to do it myself.” Along side Scooter Carusoe “Anything But Mine” Nail also wrote “Clouds,” which, he explains, is about one of his most recent misses at romance. “The best songs I’ve ever written just kind of come to me. You don’t have a choice in the matter, they just more or less pour out. Both ‘Missouri’ and ‘Clouds’ were like that.”
With all that emotion going into his songs, he admits he’s a guy who’s always looking for the happy ending. “This is a confession – I’m a man of many extremes, whether working or playing,” he says. “I’m a songwriter, so I’m a sensitive guy. I long for the storybook life.” And it’s produced a lot of good material. “I think the really great singers and writers are able to dig a little deeper and find that other level of emotion,” Nail says. “And I think that’s what makes them better than the rest. I always pride myself on trying to find that place with every song.”
And it’s that moment of raw emotional connection that Nail hopes to pass on to listeners. “I’m more or less just trying to join the fray of good music,” he says. “People ask me all the time how I’d describe my music and I say ‘Well, I hope it’s good.’ Hopefully people will just enjoy it for being good music and take from it whatever it makes them feel.”
Hard knocks and heartache, good times and bad, small towns and big cities – it’s all in his music. “They’re all aspects of life,” he says. “I’m still growing as both a person and artist, and will hopefully continue getting better in regards to both.”
I'm A Fire
David Nail Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two crazy kids, a boy and a girl
You're a spark, a match, I'm gasoline
You light me up honey, what I mean is
You put the beat in my heart
You put the smile on my face
You put the color in my sky
You put the swing in my dance
You put the speed in my run
Close your eyes, baby
Kiss the midnight sun
I'm a fire because of you
Oh, I'm a fire, burning blue
We're all gonna fall, that's part of the plan
Hold on to each other when we got no place to stand
When it feels like we're a million miles apart
I'll be shouting for you in the dark cause
You put the beat in my heart
You put the smile on my face
You put the color in my sky
Otherwise a cloudy day
You put the swing in my dance
You put the speed in my run
Close your eyes, baby
Kiss the midnight sun
I'm a fire because of you
Oh, I'm a fire, burning blue
You put the beat in my heart
You put the smile on my face
You put the color in my sky
Otherwise a cloudy day
You put the swing in my dance
You put the speed in my run
Close your eyes, baby
Kiss the midnight sun
I'm a fire because of you
Oh, I'm a fire, burning blue
Yeah, I'm a fire because of you
Yeah, I'm a fire, burning blue
Yeah, I'm a fire
Yeah, I'm a fire
Baby, I'm a fire
Oh, I'm a fire, burning blue
The song "I'm A Fire" by David Nail is a love song that expresses the strength and intensity of the relationship between two individuals. The lyrics suggest that the couple are facing life together, as one team against the world. The opening lines, "this is you and me against the world, two crazy kids, a boy and a girl" present the idea that the couple may face challenges, but they are committed to each other. The lyrics go on to use metaphors to describe the intensity of their relationship, with the statement "you're a spark, a match, I'm gasoline, you light me up honey, what I mean is".
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea of a strong partnership, with the repetition of "you put the beat in my heart, you put the smile on my face, you put the color in my sky, otherwise a cloudy day". These lines express how much the singer's partner means to them, and how they bring joy and life to even the hardest parts of life. The line "close your eyes, baby, kiss the midnight sun" suggests that their love is so intense that it can light up even the darkest times.
Overall, "I'm A Fire" is a romantic song that celebrates the strength and intensity of a relationship. It suggests that even when life is tough and challenges arise, the power of love can help to overcome them. The metaphorical language used throughout the song demonstrates how deeply the singer feels about their partner, and how they bring joy and light into their life.
Line by Line Meaning
Well hey, this is you and me against the world
We may face challenges, but we'll face them together as a team
Two crazy kids, a boy and a girl
We may be young and inexperienced, but we're in love and ready to take on the world
You're a spark, a match, I'm gasoline
You ignite my passion and energy, and I fuel our relationship with my own intensity
You light me up honey, what I mean is
You bring out the best in me, and inspire me to be my full self
You put the beat in my heart
You inspire and excite me, and make my heart race with love
You put the smile on my face
You bring me joy and happiness, and make me grin from ear to ear
You put the color in my sky
You bring vibrancy and beauty to my life, and make my world a more colorful place
Otherwise a cloudy day
Without you, my life would feel dull and dreary
You put the swing in my dance
You make me move with joy and rhythm, and bring fun and excitement to our relationship
You put the speed in my run
You push me to be my best, and make me feel alive and energized
Close your eyes, baby
Let's take a moment to savor our love
Kiss the midnight sun
Let's embrace the magic and passion of life, and enjoy the beauty of the world around us
I'm a fire because of you
You have ignited my passion and intensity, and I am burning with love because of you
Oh, I'm a fire, burning blue
My love for you is vibrant, intense, and all-consuming
We're all gonna fall, that's part of the plan
We know that life will have its ups and downs, but we're ready to take on whatever comes our way
Hold on to each other when we got no place to stand
When life gets tough, we'll rely on each other for strength and support
When it feels like we're a million miles apart
Even when we're physically apart, our love will keep us close
I'll be shouting for you in the dark cause
I'll always be there for you, even in the tough times
Yeah, I'm a fire because of you
My love for you is so strong, it feels like a raging fire
Baby, I'm a fire
I am filled with passion and energy because of your love
Oh, I'm a fire, burning blue
My love for you is vibrant, intense, and all-consuming
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAREN JOHNSTON, TOM DOUGLAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind