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.
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How are you
David Usher Lyrics
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How are you
How are you
How are you
Had a dream I could turn back time
Had to stop to rewind my memory
Had a vision of the ruby sky we were riding high
Another day in this fucked up life
Another struggle just to get through nine to five
Maybe it was only ego talking
But I always thought we were innocent
How are you
How are you
Had the answer on my fingertips
'Til I lost it in the wind like a friend I'll never find
Deep in the belly is a love so thick
And I thought I had it but makes me sick now
I'm imagining the fields so green
But I would settle for the the truth in anything
Where I'm floating I can't feel my skin
But I might get home
Hey, I might get back again
How are you
How are you
How are you
How are you
How are you
How are you
Had a dream I could turn back time
Had to stop to rewind my memory
Had a vision of the ruby sky we were riding high
On our own pink elephant
Another day in this fucked up life
Another struggle just to get through nine to five
Where I'm floating I can't feel my skin
But I might get home
I might get back again
How are you
How are you
How are you
How are you
How are you
How are you
The repetition of "How are you" in David Usher's song "How Are You" creates a sense of longing for connection and intimacy between two people. The singer had a dream of turning back time, perhaps to fix a past mistake or to relive a happier moment. However, the memory is lost in the wind like a friend, emphasizing the singer's sense of loss and loneliness. The vision of the ruby sky and riding on a pink elephant is a metaphor for the singer's desire for a carefree life without the weight of daily struggles.
The singer is aware of the reality of their situation, acknowledging the challenges of everyday life and the difficulty in finding truth and meaning. The line "Where I'm floating I can't feel my skin" suggests a dissociation from reality and an existential crisis. The repetition of "How are you" at the end of the song represents the singer's attempt at connection and reaching out to someone who may be able to bring them back to reality.
Line by Line Meaning
How are you
The artist is repeatedly asking someone how they are doing.
Had a dream I could turn back time
The artist had a dream in which they could manipulate time to their advantage.
Had to stop to rewind my memory
The artist had to stop and reflect on their memories to try and figure something out.
Had a vision of the ruby sky we were riding high
The artist had a vivid imagination of a ruby-colored sky and being on an adventure.
On our own pink elephant
The artist and someone else were on their own adventure, symbolized by a pink elephant.
Another day in this fucked up life
The artist is experiencing another day in what they consider to be a messed up life.
Another struggle just to get through nine to five
The artist is having a difficult time getting through the mundane and routine workday.
Maybe it was only ego talking
The artist questions whether their thoughts and beliefs are only based on their ego and not reality.
But I always thought we were innocent
Despite doubts, the artist believes that they and someone else are innocent of something.
Had the answer on my fingertips
The artist felt they had the solution to a problem at their fingertips.
'Til I lost it in the wind like a friend I'll never find
The artist lost their solution and it felt like losing a dear friend they will never see again.
Deep in the belly is a love so thick
The artist has a deep and intense feeling of love inside them.
And I thought I had it but makes me sick now
The artist believed they had this love, but now it makes them feel sick for some reason.
I'm imagining the fields so green
The artist is imagining being in a beautiful green field.
But I would settle for the the truth in anything
The artist would accept the truth in any circumstance, even if it's not their ideal.
Where I'm floating I can't feel my skin
The artist feels like they are floating and disconnected from their body.
But I might get home
The artist hopes to return to a familiar and comforting place.
Hey, I might get back again
The artist is hopeful that they will return to where they once were.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEFFREY HOWARD PEARCE, DAVID USHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind