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.”
When They're Gone
David Nail Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sitting there begging for a spark
Don't look like much in that condition
But there was a time you should've seen her run
Down every back road in Lyle County
Under every streetlight up on Main
You sitting there drumming on a dashboard
Both of us falling like a fickle rain
We were
Cooler than December, hotter than July
Young and strong
Some things aren't meant to last forever
But that don't mean you forget 'em when they're gone, so come on
She had hair tangled as the kudzu
Legs as long as the trails that cut through
Those back acres to the river bend
She had her daddy's temper and her momma's flair
Made people talk but did not care
Try anything once ain't scared of nothing
Yeah, we were
Cooler than December, hotter than July
Young and strong
Some things aren't meant to last forever
But that don't mean you forget 'em when they're gone, so come on
Come on
Don't mean you forget 'em
I still ride down those old roads
Even if it's in my mind
Tight blue jeans and winding curves
Keep me turning on a dime, yeah, just like the time
When we were
Cooler than December, hotter than July
Young and strong
Some things aren't meant to last forever
But that don't mean you forget 'em when they're gone
Oh, we were
Cooler than December, hotter than July
Young and strong
Some things aren't meant to last forever
But that don't mean you forget 'em when they're
Don't mean you forget 'em when they're gone, so come on
Come on
Don't mean you forget 'em when they're gone
So come on, come on
Don't mean you forget 'em when they're gone
So come on, come on
So come on, come on
The song “When They’re Gone” by David Nail is a touching tribute to a past lover who is no longer present. The lyrics tell the story of two young lovers who were once “cooler than December, hotter than July,” but eventually went their separate ways. Although the relationship has ended, the memory of their time together still remains. The imagery in the song, such as the worn-out rusty engine and the winding back roads, adds to the nostalgic tone of the piece.
The first verse describes the couple’s past adventures together, when they would drive down every back road in Lyle County and sit under street lamps on Main Street. The second verse introduces the female love interest, who is described as having long legs and her parents’ personalities. The chorus repeats that “some things aren’t meant to last forever, but that don’t mean you forget ‘em when they’re gone.” The final verse implies that the singer still thinks about their past love and can’t quite let go, as they still ride down old roads and reminisce about the good times.
Overall, “When They’re Gone” is a bittersweet song that captures the painful nostalgia of past relationships that didn’t last. It conveys the message that although memories may be painful, it’s important to cherish them and appreciate the happiness they brought.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at that worn out rusty engine
Observing the old and rusted engine, conveying a sense of nostalgia.
Sitting there begging for a spark
The engine is in need of a spark or ignition to start running again.
Don't look like much in that condition
In its current state, the engine does not appear to be impressive or of much value.
But there was a time you should've seen her run
Despite its current appearance, the engine was once able to run beautifully and impressively.
Down every back road in Lyle County
The engine was driven on every road in Lyle County, possibly indicating a sense of adventure and exploration.
Under every streetlight up on Main
The engine was driven everywhere, even under the streetlights along Main Street.
You sitting there drumming on a dashboard
An image of someone sitting in the car, tapping their fingers on the dashboard, possibly feeling a spark of nostalgia.
Both of us falling like a fickle rain
Referring to a relationship that came and went, akin to the fleeting and unpredictable nature of a rain shower.
She had hair tangled as the kudzu
Describing a woman with wild and tangled hair, like the vines of the kudzu plant.
Legs as long as the trails that cut through those back acres to the river bend
The woman's legs were long and stretched out like the trails that run through the acres to the river bend, indicating beauty and grace.
She had her daddy's temper and her momma's flair
The woman inherited her father's temper and her mother's personality and style.
Made people talk but did not care
Although the woman's behavior may have caused people to gossip, she was not bothered by their opinions.
Try anything once ain't scared of nothing
The woman was willing to try anything once and was not scared of anything, possibly conveying a sense of boldness and fearlessness.
I still ride down those old roads
The singer still remembers and thinks about the old roads they used to drive on, indicating a sense of nostalgia.
Even if it's in my mind
The singer remembers those old roads, even if they are only remembering them in their mind.
Tight blue jeans and winding curves
The artist remembers the winding roads and possibly someone they were with who wore tight blue jeans.
Keep me turning on a dime, yeah, just like the time
The artist is inspired by the memory of those tight curves and that time in their life, similar to turning on a dime, or making a quick, sharp turn.
Oh, we were Cooler than December, hotter than July
Describing the feeling of being young and strong with endless potential, like the contrasting weather in December and July.
Some things aren't meant to last forever
Not everything lasts forever, including relationships and moments in time.
But that don't mean you forget 'em when they're gone
Although things may come to an end, it does not mean that you forget the memories associated with them.
Don't mean you forget 'em
A reminder that it is important to cherish memories and experiences that are gone.
So come on, come on
Encouraging the listener to appreciate the good times and memories of the past.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind