There are at least two artists named David Wilcox.

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. “I'm grateful to music,” he says. “I 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.”

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 — whether with a major label, an indie company, or his own imprint — 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 “Musical Medicine” song for an audience member in need. In recent years he’s taken that process a step further, carefully writing and recording dozens of his “Custom Songs” 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 “We 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,” he explains. “If 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.”

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 “ongoing musical journey is compelling and richly deserving of a listen.” It's also why Blue Ridge Public Radio has noted that, “The connection people feel with David’s music is also the connection they feel with each other.”

But Wilcox's unique brand of storytelling doesn't come easily. And it doesn't come quickly. “I could always think of a lot of possible ways the song could go, but the trick was recognizing truth amidst all the cleverness,” he confesses. “The 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.”

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, ‘How Did You Find Me Here’, 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.

On A Roll
David Wilcox Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

DAVID WILCOX
BREAKFAST AT THE CIRCUS 1987
ON A ROLL

I woke up this morning the sun was shining
I went, my past in hand behind me
And no more sorrow

No no crying
And no regretting no denying

Hey
I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll
I'm on a good roll

Just relax and state your reason
Honesty always in season
Other people twist and turn you
But you and me will never burn you

Hey
I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll
I'm on a good roll

I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll
Roll roll roll

Skipping school is the only way to get ahead
You might wake up one morning and find yourself dead
Life is too short
To fool around sport
Know what I mean
Yeah
Now what I say is all true
And you better believe it too
Yeah
(yeah)

I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll

I'm on a roll
I'm on a good roll

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of David Wilcox's song "On a Roll" are about feeling positive, empowered and free from regrets. The singer wakes up in the morning feeling the warmth of the sun and ready to leave the past behind. He declares that he has no more sadness or remorse, and he is not looking back. He is on a roll and feels confident and alive. The singer invites someone to share the ride with him, emphasizing the importance of honesty and authenticity in any relationship. He warns against wasting time, emphasizing the brevity of life.

The song's overarching theme is about moving forward with positivity and leaving regrets behind. The singer is in a good mood and wants to share his happiness with someone. He is living without regrets and recognizes the value of honesty, openness and truthfulness in life. The final lines of the song, "I'm on a roll, I'm on a good roll," summarize the singer's optimistic outlook on life and remind the listener of the need to roll with the good times and the bad.

Line by Line Meaning

I woke up this morning the sun was shining
I woke up in a good mood with a positive outlook on life

I went, my past in hand behind me
I accepted and learned from my past mistakes and moved on

And no more sorrow
I am free from sadness and regret

No no crying
I am no longer shedding tears over the past

And no regretting no denying
I have no regrets and will not deny my past experiences

Hey
Expression of excitement or enthusiasm

I'm on a roll
I am experiencing a string of positive events or good luck

I'm on a good roll
I am experiencing a string of positive events or good luck

Just relax and state your reason
Stay calm and explain your reasoning for your actions

Honesty always in season
Being truthful is always the best policy

Other people twist and turn you
Others may try to manipulate or influence you