David Gray

Hi, I'm in an English class in college and am putting together a journal entry on war poems, particularly anti-war poems about the Vietnam era and afterwards.  I want to include this one because of the wonderful imagery and have to analyze the lines (mostly for symbolism and allegory).  But I an curious about this stanza:

Don't see Elysium
Don't see no fiery hell
Just the lights up bright baby
In the bay hotel
Next wave coming in
Like an ocean roar
Won't you take my hand darling
On that old dancefloor 

The line that stymies me - and maybe I am reading too much into it - is "Just the bright lights baby In the bay hotel" 

I am not sure if the narrator is referring to the helicopter lights finding him as he lays dying but if so, what is the bay hotel - is it really a hotel or is this a war reference, maybe a reference to a MASH unit or the military hospital in the nearest city?  Again, I am probably reading too much into it and the narrator is just remembering a time when he and his love went dancing in a hotel by the bay.  But if anyone out there reads this and is a vet and recognizes the "bay hotel" as a reference to something else, please respond.  Thank you!

Hi Wendilee!

     I believe I have heard that Mr. Gray either saw or heard stories about WWII soldiers and thought about what they must think as they lay dieing in the midst of all that strife. While I don't believe he has every said what he means by all the lines. I Always imagine a soldier who has been shot in the middle of a battlefield. Both side shooting each other over his head. As he lay there dieing, he begins to think about the sweetheart he left at home as the battle unfolds.

     As to the lines you quote, once again, to me, it represents the time where he is slipping away. Not seeing the Elysium fields, not seeing a fiery hell. But seeing the bright lights of a local, or hometown, hotel, where he used to take her. As the either, next volley of fire shoot across him, or the next ( and final ) wave of pain goes by, he dies going to his personal heaven, dancing with his love.

    And yes there is a Bay Hotel...Cornwall I think?

A good place to start is the video David made for the song...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDksW4HUpJw