Now and Always (2005) – David Gray

I was first introduced to David Gray’s music by a friend during a car trip to Hanging Rock, just outside Melbourne, around 2007. Man, do I owe that person a high five – and on the flip side – because the more I explore Gray’s music, the deeper my appreciation becomes. He’s still going strong too. At the time of writing this, David is about to embark on a two-night stint (9th and 10th of November) in Melbourne for his Past & Present Tour (both shows sold out) at the Palais Theatre – a venue I hold close to my heart. I’d have seen that show in a heartbeat if I still lived in my favourite city.

You can tell from his live performance of Now and Always in London what makes him such a special artist. The song is instrumentally rich, layered, and atmospheric – and his voice, as always, feels as comfortable as a well-worn jacket. His music resonates across generations too – from young dreamers to older romantics – anyone really who’s ever been touched by love. All in all – David Gray is the gift that keeps on giving: a consummate artist who keeps chiselling away at his craft.

As alluded to, ‘Love’ is often at the heart of Gray’s songwriting, and in Now and Always he delves deep into what it means to surrender completely to another person – to love without half measures. It’s about the willingness to lose oneself in a relationship, to give all you have even when it feels risky:

Hey, easy boy, giving it all away
And nothing left for your own protection

Here he reflects on how love can turn shadowy – how devotion can blur into vulnerability when we face our inner demons. Would that these demons would let me rest / They’re with me Lord ’til the day that I die. The immersion can feel like wading through once-clear waters that have grown murky, a love that once gleamed like a treasure chest but now shows its rust and wear. Yet it’s precisely this stirring, scarred love that gives his music its haunting power – that paradox of feeling both lost and found, of surrendering completely despite the fear:

The swans are ghosts on the jet-black water…
We’ll glide like ghosts on the starry water

Now and Always appears on Gray’s seventh studio album, Life in Slow Motion, released on 12 September 2005. The album marked something of a return to form, recalling the emotional depth and melodic brilliance that brought him international acclaim with White Ladder. It debuted at No. 1 on the UK and Irish album charts, later reaching No. 16 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and No. 8 in Australia.

You’re in my mind, baby, now and always
You’re in my mind, baby, now and always
The road I’m walking might fall away
You’re in my mind, baby, now and always

A bonfire smoking into a low sky
The sparks they fly up into a low sky
Would that these demons would let me rest
They’re with me Lord ’til the day that I die

Feast my eyes on sacred lies

Ill wind that blows from all directions
Ill wind that blows in from all directions
Hey, easy boy giving it all away
And nothing left for your own protection

You’re in my mind, baby, now and always
You’re in my mind, baby, now and always
The ground I’m walking might fall away
You’re in my mind, baby, now and always

Feast my eyes on sacred lies

The swans are ghosts on the jet black water
The swans like ghosts on the jet black water
Hey, little baby, I’ll hold you close
We’ll glide like ghosts on the starry water (Yeah)

The dogs are running wild (Na-na-na-na-na-na…)
The dogs are running wild (Na-na-na-na-na-na…)
The dogs are running wild (Na-na-na-na-na-na…)
The dogs are running wild (Na-na-na-na-na-na…)
The dogs are running
Dogs are running wild

References:
1. Life in Slow Motion – Wikipedia