Dave Hemingway

Dave Hemingway (born David Robert Hemingway, 20 September 1960, Hull), is a British musician and songwriter, and was a lead vocalist for the Hull-based band The Beautiful South until they disbanded in 2007. Previously, he had been a member of The Housemartins.

Hemingway was the son of a lorry driver and local comedian on the club circuit, Harry Hemingway and Flo Hemingway who worked in a bar called The Kingfisher. In Hull's Henry Cooper School, Hemingway was in the same class as The Housemartins' future drummer, Hugh Whitaker. The two shared an interest in drumming, and one day, when the class were asked who would like to learn drums, they put their hands up first.^{[citation needed]} Hemingway followed Whitaker into bands, first the Newpolitans with Dave Rotheray on bass, and then the Velvetones.

His break came when he got a call from Rotheray telling him Whitaker had left The Housemartins. Rotheray recommended him to Housemartins guitarist Stan Cullimore, who phoned him. He was working as a purchase ledger clerk at the time for the Crystal Motor Group. Hemingway quit his job on 6 March 1987, and soon found himself in the recording studio, recording the band's second album, The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death.

After the Housemartins disbanded, he and Housemartins founder Paul Heaton put together the Beautiful South from its ashes, featuring roadie and bassist Sean Welch.

Going solo

Hemingway's first solo album, Hello Cruel World, has been released and is available as a download only on iTunes. The album's title was inspired by Hemingway's experience recording in the capital, he found London to be grey and cruel. It used to make him cry. He often found himself walking around at night, seeing the homelessness and it inspired the lyric from the title track of 'Hello Cruel World'. It also inspired the other 11 tracks on the album, and the hidden track, and all the B-sides. He also produced an EP from the album, inspired by the Homelessness he saw in London. This is particularly noticeable in the second track called 'grey and Cruel'.

'Grey and Cruel - by David Hemingway'

(spoken) Grey
Cruel (cruel)
Grey Cruel Cruel (Grey)
Grey Cruel Cruel (Grey)

It's a grey grey cruel world
Walking the streets
seeing the young girl
any change she says?
'No'

They've been cruel to me
so i give it back
don't care about you
i give zero slack

you want my money
you'll have to perform
if i give it away
i'll just feel forlorn

so don't ask me for change
don't ask for any tea
cos it's a grey cruel world
that's how it's made me

Ask me for money
i'll ask you for favours
ask me for a tenner at the bank
i'll ask you to give me a w**k

And i'll walk on by
like a thousand strangers before
'f**k you' i say under my breathe
I don't care if you freeze to death

Come on street child
perform for me
i don't live where you live
Yes it's a cruel world
Yes it's grey

I'm part of that
Don't mistake me for someone who gives a f**k.
Mines a pint
(repeat to fade)

Hello Cruel World - by David Hemingway'

I see you there in the doorway
You're sleeping
Or am I dreaming?
I feel like I am
I'm a shadow of a man

Chorus

Hello Cruel World
Get me out of here!
I'm a celebrity
But you still don't hear!
Call me
Draw me
Make me real
Otherwise I'm just a shadow, in a cruel cruel world

I see you there on the corner
You're working
Or am I dreaming?
I feel like I am
I'm a shadow of a man

So how much then?
For a feel.
a chewed up fiver?
Come on then
make me real.
I hitch you up, gasp on your shoulder
Then walk away, still empty.
It never works
I look at my white hair
my jowels
my own breath knocks me out
Goodbye cruel world

Don't Turn Grey - by David Hemingway'

At the end of the day
All is grey
All is turning to grey.
What's that you say?
No, no change today.
Nowhere to stay?
Alright. Okay
Have fifty pee
Towards a meal deal.
From Boots.
But don't shoot
It up your arm
Or do youself harm
In the nose
With those
Drugs that they do
Just say no
Thankyou.

These upbeat high energy tracks are still available on Itunes for 79p. (each) It features a wide array of styles, from stripped-down acoustic and piano ballads to reggae, to hard rock, to full band workouts and even some more contemporary electronic influences.^{[citation needed]} An official music video to accompany the song "Send It In The Rain" from Hello Cruel World is currently being made by film makers Lee Burrows and Martyn Grey. Hemingway continues to perform as The Beautiful South under the name The South performing some of the well loved classics and also some new material with a brand new line up.

References

• Pattenden, Michael (1999) Last Orders at the Liars Bar. ISBN 0-575-06739-X

Template:The New Beautiful South (Formerly The Beautiful South) Template:The South (Formerly The New Beautiful South) Template:The (Formerly The South)

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Name	Hemingway, Dave
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Date of birth	20 September 1960
Place of birth
Date of death
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