I was having a conversation with the tall one this evening...a stupid girl conversation. He's so great with them, in fact he's so great with all my little girl faults. Every pout, frustration, anger, sickness and grumpiness is met with an "aww, you're so cute" from him. It's un-nerving...and I love it. I can't break him, he takes everything I dish out and then hugs me and gives me kisses at the end. I never met anyone like him and I can't thank him enough.
I checked facebook this evening and I noticed Casey had made a mention of a Wings song and for some reason it linked a David Gray song. I'm assuming it's because it was recorded at Abbey Road but nonetheless it began an evening of listening to his music so loud that I received a knock on my door just a minute ago telling me to turn it down. Although she said "can you turn down the Van Morrison" which I thought was kinda cute because David Gray really is the Van Morrison for my generation, just not as recognized, which is so frustrating to me.
I made a quick mention to the tall one while we were having dinner tonight about Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog receiving an Emmy. Which is cool because it's Joss Whedon, who hasn't won an Emmy ever, and it was completely viral: not released on television at all, only online. He wasn't impressed. In fact he made an infuriating argument about how the Emmy voters are older and don't spend time on caring about story when it comes to voting, thus something like Buffy never won. He's not a fan anyway, and I'm going to save a blog post on why I love Buffy, Angel and Whedon and why they are completely relevant for another time. Instead I'm going to devote this time to David Gray, which perhaps sounds totally irrelevant but for me makes sense as there is so much music and pop culture that I totally adore but he doesn't like at all so I'm hoping I can have a series of posts that explain why I love these things and he can either take it or leave it. But hopefully he'll come out of it with a bit of knowledge on why it moves me so much.
About a month ago David Gray played at Marymoor Park for The Mountain's music fest. Last year for the Flight of the Concords I had my good friend at the time drive me out to the parking lot at Marymoor and sit there in his convertible listening to the music float over us on the breeze. It reminded me of the time I would drag Bill up to the parking lot at the Greek Theater in LA to listen to the bands I loved but couldn't afford to go in and see. I was so excited to try it up here and when the day came I ended up sleeping it away. I was angry at myself, to say the least.
I had an argument with Bill about music lyrics being poetry. I had never thought about them as such until I saw a documentary on David Gray's "Live at the Point" DVD. David Gray is Welsh, but the Irish community has embraced him as one of their own. His shows in Dublin sell out, he can't walk the streets he's such a celebrity. But still he was dropped from his label after 3 albums. His forth album was picked up by ATO records (which yes is owned by Dave Matthews but has nothing to do with my love for David Gray) and the released "Babylon" which was his one and only major hit. In any case there was a section of the documentary devoted to David Gray's lyrics as poetry from a local poet in Dublin and when you read his lyrics it's hard to argue:
I know it would be outrageous
To come on all courageous
And offer you my hand
To pull you up on to dry land
When all I got is sinking sand
The trick aint worth the time it buys
Im sick of hearing my own lies
And loves a raven when it flies
For all that we struggle
For all we pretend
It dont come down to nothing
Except love in the end
And ours is a road
That is strewn with goodbyes
But as it unfolds
As it all unwinds
Remember your soul is the one thing
You cant compromise
Take my hand
Were gonna go where we can shine
oh my golly I love "Shine"
Drag a salted kiss
From this cup of bliss
Watch a new lie twist on the breeze
You can paint it red
Or Leave it all for dead
But it’s in my head always
Feel the touch of grief
You stand in disbelief
Can steal the earth from right beneath you
And falling in so far
They know just where you are
Yeah but there ain't no way to reach you
Time out on the running boards
We're running
Through a world that lost it's meaning
Trying to find a way to love
This running
Ain't no kind of freedom
Moon and stars above me
Mingle with the blood
Inside my vein
These empty arms
That should be
Holding you close
Through nights of winter rain
I'm trying to spell
What only the wind can explain
It's colder than ever
Coming down
Ah, coming down kills me every time...
Not much is known about his personal life, but he's gone through a lot and this year completely replaced his band which is a huge change for an artist. The latest music that I've heard is so fresh and open that I think it was the right move for him.
I can't fully explain in words what I love so much about this artist. I think the best way I can explain it is in lyrics and music. Tall one, I don't know if I've helped you to like him or to appreciate him but I hope at least you'll come with me to see him so you can at least appropriate the smile on my face.
I checked facebook this evening and I noticed Casey had made a mention of a Wings song and for some reason it linked a David Gray song. I'm assuming it's because it was recorded at Abbey Road but nonetheless it began an evening of listening to his music so loud that I received a knock on my door just a minute ago telling me to turn it down. Although she said "can you turn down the Van Morrison" which I thought was kinda cute because David Gray really is the Van Morrison for my generation, just not as recognized, which is so frustrating to me.
I made a quick mention to the tall one while we were having dinner tonight about Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog receiving an Emmy. Which is cool because it's Joss Whedon, who hasn't won an Emmy ever, and it was completely viral: not released on television at all, only online. He wasn't impressed. In fact he made an infuriating argument about how the Emmy voters are older and don't spend time on caring about story when it comes to voting, thus something like Buffy never won. He's not a fan anyway, and I'm going to save a blog post on why I love Buffy, Angel and Whedon and why they are completely relevant for another time. Instead I'm going to devote this time to David Gray, which perhaps sounds totally irrelevant but for me makes sense as there is so much music and pop culture that I totally adore but he doesn't like at all so I'm hoping I can have a series of posts that explain why I love these things and he can either take it or leave it. But hopefully he'll come out of it with a bit of knowledge on why it moves me so much.
About a month ago David Gray played at Marymoor Park for The Mountain's music fest. Last year for the Flight of the Concords I had my good friend at the time drive me out to the parking lot at Marymoor and sit there in his convertible listening to the music float over us on the breeze. It reminded me of the time I would drag Bill up to the parking lot at the Greek Theater in LA to listen to the bands I loved but couldn't afford to go in and see. I was so excited to try it up here and when the day came I ended up sleeping it away. I was angry at myself, to say the least.
I had an argument with Bill about music lyrics being poetry. I had never thought about them as such until I saw a documentary on David Gray's "Live at the Point" DVD. David Gray is Welsh, but the Irish community has embraced him as one of their own. His shows in Dublin sell out, he can't walk the streets he's such a celebrity. But still he was dropped from his label after 3 albums. His forth album was picked up by ATO records (which yes is owned by Dave Matthews but has nothing to do with my love for David Gray) and the released "Babylon" which was his one and only major hit. In any case there was a section of the documentary devoted to David Gray's lyrics as poetry from a local poet in Dublin and when you read his lyrics it's hard to argue:
I know it would be outrageous
To come on all courageous
And offer you my hand
To pull you up on to dry land
When all I got is sinking sand
The trick aint worth the time it buys
Im sick of hearing my own lies
And loves a raven when it flies
For all that we struggle
For all we pretend
It dont come down to nothing
Except love in the end
And ours is a road
That is strewn with goodbyes
But as it unfolds
As it all unwinds
Remember your soul is the one thing
You cant compromise
Take my hand
Were gonna go where we can shine
oh my golly I love "Shine"
Drag a salted kiss
From this cup of bliss
Watch a new lie twist on the breeze
You can paint it red
Or Leave it all for dead
But it’s in my head always
Feel the touch of grief
You stand in disbelief
Can steal the earth from right beneath you
And falling in so far
They know just where you are
Yeah but there ain't no way to reach you
Time out on the running boards
We're running
Through a world that lost it's meaning
Trying to find a way to love
This running
Ain't no kind of freedom
Moon and stars above me
Mingle with the blood
Inside my vein
These empty arms
That should be
Holding you close
Through nights of winter rain
I'm trying to spell
What only the wind can explain
It's colder than ever
Coming down
Ah, coming down kills me every time...
Not much is known about his personal life, but he's gone through a lot and this year completely replaced his band which is a huge change for an artist. The latest music that I've heard is so fresh and open that I think it was the right move for him.
I can't fully explain in words what I love so much about this artist. I think the best way I can explain it is in lyrics and music. Tall one, I don't know if I've helped you to like him or to appreciate him but I hope at least you'll come with me to see him so you can at least appropriate the smile on my face.
Comments