I. David Wilcox i… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists named David Wilcox.
I. David Wilcox is a Canadian rock and blues musician.
II. David Wilcox is an American folk musician and singer-songwriter guitarist.
I. More than three decades into his career, singer/songwriter David Wilcox continues to push himself, just as he always has. Wilcox, by so many measures, is a quintessential folk singer, telling stories full of heart, humor, and hope, substance, searching, and style. His innate sense of adventure and authenticity is why critics and colleagues, alike, have always praised not just his artistry, but his humanity, as well.
That's not by accident; it's very much by design. It's the result of a man giving himself over in gratitude and service to something bigger than himself. âI'm grateful to music,â he says. âI have a life that feels deeply good, but when I started playing music, nothing in my life felt that good. I started to write songs because I wanted to find a way to make my life feel as good as I felt when I heard a great song. I don't think I'd be alive now if it had not been for music.â
An early '80s move to Warren Wilson College in North Carolina set his wheels in motion, as he started playing guitar and writing songs, processing his own inner workings and accessing his own inner wisdom. In 1987, within a couple of years of graduating, Wilcox had released his first independent album, The Nightshift Watchman. A year later, he won the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Award and, in 1989, he signed with A&M Records, selling more than 100,000 copies of his A&M debut, How Did You Find Me Here.
In the 30 years and more than 20 records since â whether with a major label, an indie company, or his own imprint â Wilcox has continued to hone his craft, pairing thoughtful insights with his warm baritone, open tunings, and deft technique. He's also kept up a brisk and thorough tour itinerary, performing 80 to 100 shows a year throughout the U.S., and regularly deploying his talents by improvising a âMusical Medicineâ song for an audience member in need. In recent years heâs taken that process a step further, carefully writing and recording dozens of his âCustom Songsâ for long-time fans who seek his help in commemorating and explaining the key milestones in their lives.
Lest anyone think that he's lost his touch, Wilcox pulled no punches on his most recent release, 2018's The View From the Edge. Not only does the song cycle find him delving into mental health, family legacies, spiritual contemplations, and topical concerns, the song âWe Make the Way By Walking" also won him the Grand Prize in the 2018 USA Songwriting Contest.
"I think the coolest thing about this kind of music is that, if you listen to a night's worth of music, you should know that person,â he explains. âIf you're hearing a performer sing all these songs, you should know not only where he gets his joy and what he loves, but you should know what pisses him off and what frightens him and what runs him off the rails, what takes him apart and what puts him back together.â
To attain that level of revelatory honesty, Wilcox follows a song to its deepest truth, even when it haunts him, a practice which demands the strength of vulnerability that he has sought since his teen years. That honesty is why Rolling Stone has written that his âongoing musical journey is compelling and richly deserving of a listen.â It's also why Blue Ridge Public Radio has noted that, âThe connection people feel with Davidâs music is also the connection they feel with each other.â
But Wilcox's unique brand of storytelling doesn't come easily. And it doesn't come quickly. âI could always think of a lot of possible ways the song could go, but the trick was recognizing truth amidst all the cleverness,â he confesses. âThe more time I took, the more my deep heart could speak to me through the process of songwriting. I could gradually craft a song that felt like it was coming from the place I was going. If you decide to trust heart over cleverness, you not only get a song that moves you, you get a song that moves you toward being who you want to be. The time you spend immersed in the emotion of a song changes you. The song shows you the world through a particular point of view. Once you have seen the world that way, you can't un-see it.â
Website: David Wilcox
II. The American David Wilcox was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His work features lyrical insight, asmooth baritone voice, virtuosic guitar chops, and creative open tunings. He released an independent album in 1987, won the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk award in 1988, and by 1989 he had signed with A&M Records. His first release on the label, âHow Did You Find Me Hereâ, sold over 100,000 copies its first year. 17 albums later his songs have been covered by artists such as k.d. lang and many others.
Coming Alive
David Wilcox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They can't see the water
They don't even know why they fly
Coming alive
Caught on a hook, held in the air
Starving for breath
Finally aware of the tide
Our plans will fail
Our dreams will shatter
Like crashing waves upon the beach
And what remains is all that matters
The lonely wave
Becomes the sea
Coming alive
The burden we bear
Is to have to compare
The life that we live to the hope
Waiting there inside that's coming alive
The comfort we find
With our bodies entwined
Opens the soul to the touch
Of a love that's divine that's coming alive
The gift of life can see her breathing
Sweet release upon her face
And as she sighs she is receiving
The falling star, the spark of grace
Coming alive
Slowly coming alive
To the wide eyed life
Open heart, open eye
Open mind
The glimmer of stars that reflects in her eyes
How many million of light years it took to arrive
Coming alive
At the edge of what's known and the top of the veil
The place where a soul to be born
Has been waiting to fly
We're coming alive
Where we've been we don't remember
As we fall into this storm
We're taken in as we surrender to the death of being born
Coming alive
David Wilcox's "Coming Alive" begins with imagery of beings opening their eyes in the ocean below, struggling to breathe, but not quite aware of their predicament. However, as they slowly come to grips with their reality, they start to take flight, finally aware of the tide and coming alive. Wilcox uses this metaphor to illustrate how necessary struggle and adversity are for growth and life, and how it's often only through facing challenges that we can truly discover ourselves and come into our own.
The lyrics take on a more introspective tone in the following verse, where the burden of comparison is explored. The need to compare ourselves to others or to some idealized version of ourselves only leads to disappointment and the feeling that we're not enough. Instead, the song suggests that we find comfort in the moment and the relationships that we have, and in doing so, we open ourselves up to the divine love that's always present and coming alive in our lives.
In the final verse, Wilcox brings everything together, painting a picture of rebirth and renewal. The image of falling into a storm and surrendering to the death of being born is a powerful one, representing the transformative power of change and growth. Out of this chaos, we can discover new aspects of ourselves and come alive to the wide-eyed wonder of life.
Line by Line Meaning
They open their eyes in the ocean below
They begin to experience something new
They can't see the water
They are unaware of what is happening around them
They don't even know why they fly
They are unaware of why things are happening the way they are
Coming alive
They are beginning to feel alive
Caught on a hook, held in the air
Feeling trapped and needing air
Starving for breath
Desperately needing oxygen
Finally aware of the tide
Finally realizing what is happening and the consequences of their actions
Coming alive
Overcoming their struggles and feeling alive
Our plans will fail
Our expectations and plans may not go as planned
Our dreams will shatter
Our aspirations may be unachievable
Like crashing waves upon the beach
Like the waves crashing on the shore, our dreams may not be pleasant
And what remains is all that matters
What matters is what we have left after our dreams and plans have failed
The lonely wave
The wave alone, left to its fate
Becomes the sea
Transforms and is part of something bigger
Coming alive
Embracing a greater whole and feeling alive
The burden we bear
The weight of our responsibility
Is to have to compare
Our task is to assess and judge ourselves against our hopes and desires
The life that we live to the hope
Our current reality against what we dream or wish for
Waiting there inside that's coming alive
Our inner hopes and desires are awakening
The comfort we find
The solace we feel
With our bodies entwined
Through physical intimacy
Opens the soul to the touch
It opens our being to spiritual growth
Of a love that's divine that's coming alive
A love that is pure and powerful is awakening
The gift of life can see her breathing
An appreciation of life
Sweet release upon her face
A beautiful expression of joy
And as she sighs she is receiving
Through breathing she is being nourished
The falling star, the spark of grace
A moment of beautiful surprise
Slowly coming alive
Gradually awakening
To the wide eyed life
To the wonder and beauty of life
Open heart, open eye
An open, receptive nature
Open mind
An open, accepting perspective
The glimmer of stars that reflects in her eyes
The beauty of the stars reflecting in her eyes
How many million of light years it took to arrive
The vastness of time and distance to reach this point
At the edge of what's known and the top of the veil
At the boundary of what is familiar and the unknown
The place where a soul to be born
The place where new life is created
Has been waiting to fly
Waiting for the right time to be born and to take flight in life
Where we've been we don't remember
We forget where we've come from as we move forward in life
As we fall into this storm
As we face challenges and difficulties
We're taken in as we surrender to the death of being born
Through surrender, we are reborn and embrace new life
Coming alive
Finding vitality and new hope in the midst of challenges
Contributed by Claire E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Charles Stone
Man I love this guy, invariably he will leave me in tears with with chills running up and down my shoulders arms and spine ,the first time I heard Language Of The Heart I couldn't stop crying . The heart of a poet wno writes so eloquently about the human condition. And his guitar playing which is another page altogether
Joe and Carolyn Isaacs
Amazing fingers playing guitar chords, vocal cords hitting perfect notes, and all of that is blown away by the dexterity of his mind.
Julie Galvin
I've been a fan for twenty years; seen him in concert twice. Always soothing, inspiring, humorous, philosophical... even the humor is philosophical. He's a keeper.
Pete Kevin
Having had the chance to see David in Katy, Texas many years ago, is still fresh in my memory. But, the best part was when he let me play the guitar he's playing in this concert. Thanks David. I'm still trying to figure out tunings. Best journey, still arriving, constantly. Love you Brother.
Andrea E. Bacchi
Amazing artist. Just can't get enough of David's music.
M Walker
Wow, your awesome. Like a modern Arlo Guthrie. I'm playing this while working on my hobby, guitars. Thank you sir.
Donn La Rossa
EXCELLENT DAVID! As usual! Loved seeing in in Malibu's Pepperdine College.
Stuart bowen jr
Spontaneous Spirit-led song at 1:14:12 is spectacular! It's what the best songcreating is all about. A true troubadour.
Jeffrey C. McAndrew
What a genius performer!
Glenn Brace
I would love to sit in with this man, and play some wonderful music. Its a dream I have. I love what he does. Kindest regards David, your friend Glenn.