Lyricism: PJ's "Rock Bottom Again"

Lyrics say a lot about life, love, and what’s going on in someone’s life. Pigeon John is an artist who often wears his heart on his sleeve. Here are the lyrics to “Rock Bottom Again” from his most recent album, Dragon Slayer.

Well, I was 12 in Inglewood when I first heard your voice,
Like a Dad I never knew, and I knew I had no choice.
So, you’re the voice I always heard when the silence got loud
And you’re the artist behind all the animals and the clouds.
You’ve been walking right beside me all my life.
You say you love and adore me and I’m your delight.
Well I’ve been frozen in the Green Room, high on the floor,
It’s so loud, I can’t hear you no more.

Well, you always have been my best friend.
I always mess it up in the end.
I think I’m hitting rock bottom again.
I’m hitting rock bottom again.

With all the girls and all the drugs, well I’m a rap cliché.
I was convinced I’d never be one, would have sworn on my grave.
I’d never stooped that low until it was in front of my face.
No one was looking and I took it, and it quickly replaced
The things I stood for when I was in LA Symphony.
Me, Cook, Uno, Flynn, bTwice, Sharlok, Joey, and Great J,
I mean, we have the same, we got a gleem of sweat on our face,
I’m coming down, I need just one more taste.

Well, you always have been my best friend.
I always mess it up in the end.
I’m hitting rock bottom again.
I think I’m hitting rock bottom again.

You always have been my best friend.
I always mess it up in the end.
I’m hitting rock bottom again.
I’m gonna hit rock bottom again.

Where did all my friends go?
Where did they all go?
God, damn, I miss my friends.
God, damn, I miss my friends.

Help me.
Please help me, Daddy.

A man I respect a great deal, Pigeon has lost none of my respect, but one can’t help but feel that this track is both a prayer and a cry for help. If anyone read my previous (now, deleted) presumptive post about John’s struggles, they’d know that there are many on the Internet that are either concerned with John’s current lifestyle choices and/or quick to jump down the throat of a brother in need. It is not my intention to being one of these people.

Rather, I present these lyrics with little of my own insight and allow you to read into them yourselves. If you are a friend of John’s, it’s hard to ignore his pleas. If not, perhaps prayer for the man is in order.

However, what is certain here is the Pigeon John continues to seek God even when life is tough. Sometimes we make our lives tougher than they need to be, sometimes we are our own distractions, but if we seek God, He’ll make sure we find him. It’s hard not to relate to John’s struggles, especially as a Believer who backslides, but keeps trying to stay on track.

John, keep the faith brother… and keep up the honest, straight-forward songs. Your talent, love, and struggles make for amazing art.

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~ by thepaintedman on January 31, 2011.