David Usher was born in Oxford to an ethnic Thai Buddhist, artist Samphan Usher and a Jewish Montrealer, Dan Usher, who is an economist at Queen's University.[1] He has relocated to Malaysia, New York, California and Thailand since early childhood before his family settled in Kingston, Ontario. He attended high school at Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute.
Attending university at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Usher joined Moist in 1993 and their 1994 debut release, Silver, went quadruple platinum in Canada. As the lead singer of the band, he shot to stardom with his soulful voice and vaguely exotic good looks.
After Moist's multi-platinum follow-up, Creature, was released in 1996, David took some time during the band's hiatus to record his debut solo album, Little Songs, released in 1998. That same year he married photographer and actress Sabrina Reeves, with whom he is still living. Together they have a daughter, Coco, who was born on January 12, 2003.
After recording the album Mercedes 5 and Dime with Moist, he revived his solo career again, releasing the highly successful Morning Orbit in the summer 2001. It contains the hit single "Black Black Heart". In 2003, he released another solo album entitled Hallucinations, which matched the amount of major label albums he had recorded with Moist.
In 2005, he surpassed that number with the release of If God Had Curves. The album had a resemblance to his first solo effort Little Songs, as it is dominantly an acoustic album. This album also featured a collaboration with Tegan Quin, on the track "Hey Kids".
2007 David and family have moved back to Montreal, Canada and David's embarking on a tour in September/October and November 2007.
http://www.davidusher.com
http://myspace.com/davidushermusic
Forestfire
David Usher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still can't see the forest fire beyond the trees
Now I'm standing in a field of green
The colours burning far as I can see
What do you see?
On my tongue, the galaxies so small
Here I'll drink it down and watch the world dissolve
Through the endless stream of time
What would you find?
And I'm flying, floating on the wind again
Hoping it will drag me in
Can't you see I'm laughing?
Laughing at the consequence
Laughing at this circumstance
Don't you know by now?
Wave at all the faces; they go by
Faster that we live, the more we die
Now I'm crashing through the open door
And smiling in a most peculiar way
What would you say?
And I'm falling faster than the waterfall
Opened up and after all
Can't you see I'm drowning
Right here in the open air?
Wishing I could still go clear
Don't you know by now?
Don't you know by now
This is what we are?
This is what we are
Don't you know by now?
Don't you know by now
This is what we are?
This is what we are
Flying, floating on the wind again
I'm wishing that you'd drag me in
Can't you see I'm hoping
Wishing I could see myself
Wishing I was someone else?
But don't you know by now?
Don't you know by now
This is what we are?
This is what we are
Don't you know by now?
Don't you know by now
This is what we are?
This is what we are
This is what we are
This is what we are
This is what we are
This is what we are
This is what we are
This is what we are
The lyrics of David Usher's "Forestfire" explore the idea of perception and the limits of our understanding of reality. The opening lines "What if I were you and you were me / Still can't see the forest fire beyond the trees" suggest a deep sense of longing to see beyond the present moment and understand the world from a different perspective. The idea of a forest fire is used here as a metaphor for the bigger picture and perhaps the potential for destruction that we may not even be aware of. The following lines "Now I'm standing in a field of green / The colours burning far as I can see / What do you see?" suggest a realization that not everyone may perceive the same reality, and we can only see what we are able to comprehend.
The second half of the song moves towards a more personal reflection. The lines "On my tongue, the galaxies so small / Here I'll drink it down and watch the world dissolve" evoke a sense of awe and wonder at the universe and our place in it. The song then takes a turn towards a more melancholic tone with the lines "And I'm falling faster than the waterfall / Opened up and after all / Can't you see I'm drowning / Right here in the open air?" suggesting a sense of feeling overwhelmed and helpless, despite the beauty and vastness of the world around us. The song ends with the repetition of the line "Don't you know by now? / This is what we are" suggesting a sense of acceptance and resignation to our limitations and imperfections as human beings.
Line by Line Meaning
What if I were you and you were me
Imagining what it would be like to switch perspectives
Still can't see the forest fire beyond the trees
Being unable to see the bigger picture
Now I'm standing in a field of green
Being in a moment of peace and tranquility
The colours burning far as I can see
Feeling overwhelmed by intensity
What do you see?
Asking someone else for their perspective
On my tongue, the galaxies so small
Feeling insignificant in comparison to the vastness of the universe
Here I'll drink it down and watch the world dissolve
Accepting the transience of life and enjoying the moment
Now I'm pouring through the universe and slipping
Feeling like a small part of a larger cosmic order
Through the endless stream of time
Experiencing the eternity of existence
What would you find?
Wondering what others would discover in the same situation
And I'm flying, floating on the wind again
Feeling free and unencumbered
Hoping it will drag me in
Desiring to be involved in something exciting
Can't you see I'm laughing?
Expressing joy and happiness
Laughing at the consequence
Accepting the outcome of actions and finding humor in it
Laughing at this circumstance
Finding irony or absurdity in a situation
Don't you know by now?
Asking someone else if they have learned from experience
Wave at all the faces; they go by
Feeling disconnected or isolated in a crowd
Faster that we live, the more we die
Reflecting on the fleeting nature of life
Now I'm crashing through the open door
Seizing an opportunity without hesitation
And smiling in a most peculiar way
Experiencing a sense of amusement or satisfaction in an unusual manner
What would you say?
Asking what someone else's reaction would be in the same situation
And I'm falling faster than the waterfall
Feeling out of control and overwhelmed
Opened up and after all
Becoming vulnerable and exposed
Can't you see I'm drowning
Struggling or suffering despite appearance
Right here in the open air?
Being vulnerable and exposed in public
Wishing I could still go clear
Desiring a simpler or easier time
Don't you know by now?
Asking if someone else has learned this lesson before
This is what we are?
Reflecting on the human experience
This is what we are
Accepting and embracing humanity
Flying, floating on the wind again
Feeling free and unencumbered, once again
I'm wishing that you'd drag me in
Desiring to be involved with someone else
Can't you see I'm hoping
Expressing a sense of optimism or positivity
Wishing I could see myself
Desiring to understand oneself better
Wishing I was someone else?
Feeling inadequate or dissatisfied with oneself
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID USHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@a.marvellehoneyman4560
What if I were you and you were me
Still can't see the forest fire beyond the trees
Now I'm standing in a field of green
The colours burning far as I can see
What do you see?
On my tongue, the galaxies so small
Here I'll drink it down and watch the world dissolve
Now I'm pouring through the universe and slipping
Through the endless stream of time
What would you find?
And I'm flying, floating on the wind again
Hoping it will drag me in
Can't you see I'm laughing?
Laughing at the consequence
Laughing at this circumstance
Don't you know by now?
Wave at all the faces; they go by
Faster that we live, the more we die
Now I'm crashing through the open door
And smiling in a most peculiar way
What would you say?
And I'm falling faster than the waterfall
Opened up and after all
Can't you see I'm drowning
Right here in the open air?
Wishing I could still go clear
Don't you know by now?
Don't you know by now
This is what we are?
This is what we are
Don't you know by now?
Don't you know by now
This is what we are?
This is what we are
Flying, floating on the wind again
I'm wishing that you'd drag me in
Can't you see I'm hoping
Wishing I could see myself
Wishing I was someone else?
But don't you know by now?
Don't you know by now
This is what we are?
This is what we are
Don't you know by now?
Don't you know by now
This is what we are?
This is what we are
This is what we are
This is what we are
This is what we are
This is what we are
This is what we are
This is what we are
@tonylandolfi8618
This song still holds up even after all these years.
@antonboludo8886
Yes it does.
@punchdrunkassassin
Can confirm
@jessicaritchie882
Wow, I used to love this song and randomly heard standing in the grocery store. Takes me back. So good, glad I found it again!
@antonboludo8886
It is still great.
@agentadvocate
This has been one of my favourite songs since I was 10. An unforgettable album from my favourite Canadian artist. Thanks for the memories x
@giovannicatamo6348
Same.
@antonboludo8886
Absolutely. The sound and the video go hand in hand with each other.
@antonboludo8886
What is this song about, though?
@adrianalimalima
love love love... at first sight and hearing. he's such a fine man, one of the finest I've ever come across. the fact that he's still living with his wife of many years makes him even more precious and desirable. and surely he's becoming more and more handsome every year. best of luck to you, David, at work and in life. xx