Fugitive released in 2009, is the third song to appear here from British singer-songwriter David Gray. I was introduced to his music by a friend on a road trip to Hanging Rock in Victoria, Australia – not long before I came to Colombia. I like the repetitive – stompy piano chords in this, as well as Gray’s usual gritty voice. It is the first single of his eighth album Draw The Line.
Gray stated in an interview that the title and lyrics of the track were inspired by an image he had of Saddam Hussein being pulled out of his spider hole, but he also said the song was “about hiding from life, from yourself. It’s saying don’t forsake it all because there’s something keeping you upright and keeping you walking down the street.”
Is the answer none of the above
Crouched in a whole like a mud-streaked fugitive
And everyday a different version of
Pourin’ it away like a water through a sieve
Hey better realize my friend
Love in the end now you can’t take it well
Gotta live
This single failed to crack the top 100 in the UK within 2 weeks after its release and only entered the Swiss charts at 84 charting for only one week. Gray recorded the album while unsigned to a record label in his own studio – The Church Studios since he had parted with long time collaborator Craig McClune. Gray told the Irish Times, “It’s the end of one thing and the start of another. Because there was a chapter and it’s ended and now there’s a new one. But also it’s like, ‘don’t cross this line!’ It’s confrontational, which is intentional. That’s how I feel.”
Gray was born in Cheshire, England, but his family moved to Wales where his parents took over a gift shop and started a clothing business. “I had an amazing time growing up there … My imagination could run wild … It was that which gave me the kind of insane self-belief I have, and had even then, that I could do something as unlikely as play music for a living.”
After hanging in folk-rock circles in the 1990’s, his first two albums achieved no commercial success. It wasn’t until his release of White Ladder in 2000 that brought him critical and commercial success.
References:
1. Fugitive (song) – wikipedia
2. Draw The Line – wikipedia
3. David Gray – wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
I don’t believe I’ve previously heard of David Gray, but this is a nice song.
There are better from him like ‘Be Mine’ (reviewed here) and ‘Kathleen’ to name but a few, but this is unnasumming and typical Gray. Thanks for commenting.