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.
That's What The Lonely Is For
David Wilcox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The height of your wishes
The length of your vision to see
The hope of your heart is much bigger than this
For it's made out of what might be
Now picture your hope, your heart's desire,
As a castle that you must keep
This heart is too hard to heat
When I get lonely, that's only a sign
Some room is empty, but that room is there by design
If I feel hollow, that's just my proof that there's more
For me to follow
That's what the lonely is for
Is it a curse or a blessing, this palace of promise
When the empty chill makes you weep?
With only the thin fire of romance to warm you
These halls are too tall and deep
When I get lonely, that's only a sign
Some room is empty, but that room is there by design
If I feel hollow, that's just my proof that there's more
For me to follow
That's what the lonely is for
You can seal up the pain, build walls in the hallways
Close off a small room to live in
But those walls remain, and keep you there always
And you'll never know why you were given
Why you were given the lonely
Some room is empty...
If you feel hollow, that's just your proof there's more you need to follow
The depth of your dreams
The height of your wishes
The length of your vision to see
The hope of your heart is much bigger than this
For it's made out of what might be
When I get lonely, that's only a sign
Some room is empty, but that room is there by design
If I feel hollow, that's just my proof that there's more
For me to follow
That's what the lonely is for
When I get lonely...
Some room is empty...
If I feel hollow, that's just my proof that there's more for me to follow
That's what the lonely is for
...for me to follow, that's what the lonely is for
...for me to follow, that's what the lonely is for
The song "That's What The Lonely Is For" by David Wilcox is a beautiful and profound exploration of the human experience of loneliness. The lyrics describe the ways in which we often try to guard ourselves from loneliness, building walls and sealing off parts of ourselves, but ultimately recognizing that loneliness is an inherent part of the human condition, and can serve as a signal to us that there is more to our lives and ourselves than we may realize.
The first stanza describes the vastness of the human heart and its potential for hope and vision. The metaphor of a castle is used to illustrate the grandeur of our dreams and desires, but also the way in which that grandeur can be isolating and difficult to sustain. The second stanza continues this metaphor, noting that the "palace of promise" can also be a curse when it feels empty and lonely. The chorus ties these ideas together, acknowledging that loneliness is a natural part of life and serves as a signal to us that there is more to explore and discover about ourselves and our world.
The final stanza speaks to the ways in which we often try to avoid loneliness by building walls or closing off parts of our hearts, but ultimately recognizing that this only keeps us trapped within ourselves. The song ends with a reprise of the chorus, emphasizing the idea that loneliness can be a catalyst for growth and insight.
Overall, Wilcox's lyrics offer a beautiful and compassionate perspective on the experience of loneliness, encouraging us to embrace this feeling as an opportunity for self-discovery and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
The depth of your dreams
The intensity and vastness of your aspirations and desires
The height of your wishes
The scope and magnitude of your wants and hopes
The length of your vision to see
The breadth and depth of your ability to perceive and comprehend things
The hope of your heart is much bigger than this
Your heart's desire and optimism encompasses more than what is currently in front of you
For it's made out of what might be
Your hope is based on what could be possible, not just what already exists
Now picture your hope, your heart's desire,
Imagine the thing that you are longing for and hoping to achieve
As a castle that you must keep
See this desire as something you need to protect and care for, like a castle
In all of its splendor, it's drafty with lonely
Even with all its beauty and majesty, your dream can still come with a sense of loneliness and isolation
This heart is too hard to heat
It is difficult to warm and comfort yourself when feeling lonely or disconnected from others
When I get lonely, that's only a sign
Feeling lonely is not a negative thing, but rather an indication that there is an unfulfilled space in your life that needs attention
Some room is empty, but that room is there by design
There is a reason for the emptiness one feels, and it is part of a larger plan
If I feel hollow, that's just my proof that there's more
For me to follow
Feeling a sense of emptiness or lack in your life is evidence that there is more room for growth and your journey is ongoing
That's what the lonely is for
Being lonely serves a purpose in pushing you to discover what is missing and to find ways to fill that void
Is it a curse or a blessing, this palace of promise
Questioning if your hope and dreams are a gift or a struggle
When the empty chill makes you weep?
When the loneliness and isolation become overwhelming and cause distress
With only the thin fire of romance to warm you
Relying on love and passion as the source of comfort and solace when feeling lonely and disconnected
These halls are too tall and deep
The emotional depths and complexities of the situation can feel overwhelming and insurmountable
You can seal up the pain, build walls in the hallways
Trying to avoid or hide from the pain of loneliness by creating barriers or shutting down emotionally
Close off a small room to live in
Limiting yourself to a small, safe space rather than venturing out to new experiences or connections
But those walls remain, and keep you there always
The emotional barriers that are created can become permanent and prevent personal growth or progress
And you'll never know why you were given
The reason for the pain or loneliness may remain unclear, but it is still a part of your journey
Why you were given the lonely
The purpose or cause of the loneliness or isolation you feel
...for me to follow, that's what the lonely is for
The emptiness or loneliness is a catalyst for personal growth and discovery
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID PATRICK WILCOX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind