… Read Full Bio ↴*Please note that Alexipharmic now makes music under the name Bodi*
Please check these links for the appropriate information:
http://www.last.fm/music/Bodi
http://bodi.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/thisisbodi
http://www.elephantmemories.com
You can still download any of Alexipharmic's old material here:
http://alexipharmic.bandcamp.com
Much of Alexipharmic’s label debut, American Beauty, was written while on a 30 state, 10,000-mile road trip. Throughout the trek he carried a digital voice recorder, which he used to interview countless men, women, and children of all walks of life at each stop. Throughout the album’s 14 tracks, Alexipharmic weaves the broad spectrum of the stories he recorded on the road with his own, uniquely personal experiences. In addition, topics that are uncomfortable or taboo are constantly addressed, simply in an effort to encourage a more open dialogue. The result is an album that breathes with energy and ambition, and reflects the hopes, broken dreams, unity, division, optimism and voice of our current society through the eyes of the 24 year-old Pacific Northwest native.
Born and raised in Port Angeles, WA, before moving to Los Angeles, Alexipharmic immersed himself in the world of hip hop via YO! MTV Raps and cassettes of 2Pac, Nas, and Biggie, before picking up the pen at 13 and working to forge his own path. That journey has led him to slam poetry showcases at the famous Project Blowed, performances with musical icons Jurassic 5, Visionaries, One.Be.Lo, Sleep, Sweatshop Union, C-Rayz Walz, Vakill, and Grayskull, among others, and spearheading the national Save Darfur Tour. Behind all of the musical aspirations is a compulsion to use the music as something greater: to give back to the interwoven human condition. To that end, Alexipharmic has donated 50% of his musical proceeds to charity. To date, thousands have been raised for many worthy causes.
American Beauty marks the beginning of a movement. The album includes guest features from P.O.S. of Rhymesayers & Doomtree, Braille, Grynch, and Cas One, as well as immaculate production from MGI, Budo, Elliot B, DJ Figure, and Infekt. The album’s cover is a mosaic of indelible black and white pictures of homeless men and women from all across the country, joining together to make the face of America.
Summer
Alexipharmic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It captures men's hearts - proof life ends happily ever after
And at eight years old, in the sunshine, a princess
Held access to the fairy tale to be her sole witness
Hop scotch on the block in the hot Chicago sun
Double Dutch, selling lemonade til the day was done
Summer's world shone bright, despite never knowing her biological
Parents that placed her in a dumpster near the hospital
For a woman of sixty-five that had her own life's obstacles
Provided all she could afford, "a Ford" pickup and a tenement
Clean clothes, food, medicine, all bought for Summer's betterment
Hesitant to let her out on the sidewalk alone
For fear of what was on the corner a few steps from home
But seasons change and it seems to have shown
She couldn't protect Summer when she was full grown
Summer breathed Winter in the chasms of her nose
Spring up for passing seconds, Fall down from an overdose
Sixteen, prom queen, pristine, stayed clean
Never mixing with the vagabonds that rolled with dope fiends
But the winds of autumn came, and like the colors that changed
Summer's interests, hobbies, and priorities re-arranged
Peer pressure never phased, but validation was a problem
In order to stay on top she had to go to the bottom
To compromising situations, giving body and soul
For the goal of keeping Nurse Jones warm in the cold
After six months of fighting, Miss Jones moved on
Took a deep breath, winked at Summer, closed her eyes, and was gone
And Summer tried to stay strong, stayed in school, fixed her focus
But unpaid bills culminated to an eviction notice
Now homeless and hopeless, wandered - darkness on the streets
Looking desperate for a job to get her back on her feet
But no one hired a 16-year old dropout with a halo
So she continued the march with the other broken-winged angels
Summer breathed Winter in the chasms of her nose
Spring up for passing seconds, Fall down from an overdose
Now Summer's slowly dying - see Summer's soul was trying
To break out of the bonds, become a sun again, shining
21, collapsed veins, powdered bloody nose, a shattered frame
The remnants of her memories keep her mildly sane
Summer's pastime was passin time by talking to herself
Amidst the heckles of the passers-by , her muffled cries for help
Fell onto deaf ears, out of the mouth of babes
Came the echoed only, lonely cries no one wanted to save
Though Summer's stomach showed no signs of having amniotic fluid
Third trimester rolled around, and through it all she was clueless
Until she woke up in the same hospital she was abandoned
Being told "Push" by doctor's and the voice in her head that demanded
She make it through to see the splinter in the dark
A new start, new purpose, new woman, same heart
And through her next 50 years of life, 'til her eventual death
There was never a sound sweeter than her child's first breath
And the Fall of Summer into Winter's darkest of days
Ended when Summer realized the Spring's sun-rays
The song "Summer" by Alexipharmic is a poignant and heart-wrenching story of a young girl's life journey. The opening verse speaks of the purity and sweetness of children's laughter which has the ability to capture people's hearts. The singer of the song, Summer, is introduced as an eight-year-old girl living in Chicago, with Nurse Jones as her guardian. The narrative paints a bright image of her childhood, with games like hopscotch and double Dutch in the sunshine, and the occasional lemonade sale. However, this idyllic description is juxtaposed with the heartbreaking backstory of Summer's abandonment as a newborn by her biological parents in a dumpster.
Nurse Jones is portrayed as a savior who provided Summer with all the necessities of life and much more. She even bought a truck and rented a home for them. Despite her best efforts, Nurse Jones cannot protect Summer from the harsh realities of life when she grows up. The winds of autumn came and Summer's priorities shift for her to stay on top. She starts indulging in risky behavior to gain validation from her peers. This leads to a downward spiral of drug addiction and homelessness, culminating in her becoming pregnant at the age of 21.
The lyrics take a hopeful turn in the final verse when Summer is in labor and is taken to the same hospital where she was abandoned as a baby. The voice in her head urges her to push and make it through to see the "splinter in the dark". This is a symbolic representation of her hope of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. She gives birth to her child, and from that moment onwards, Summer's life transforms. She finds a new purpose and becomes a new woman with the same heart. The final line of the song, "And through her next 50 years of life, 'til her eventual death, there was never a sound sweeter than her child's first breath" is a powerful testament to the redemptive power of motherhood and the strength of the human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
They say there's fewer sounds sweeter than the tone of children's laughter
Children's laughter is a powerful and joyful sound that can bring happiness to anyone who hears it.
It captures men's hearts - proof life ends happily ever after
The sound of children's laughter is so powerful that it can make people believe that life always has a happy ending.
And at eight years old, in the sunshine, a princess
At a young age, Summer felt like royalty in the bright and warm sun.
Held access to the fairy tale to be her sole witness
Her imagination allowed her to believe in fairy tales and imagine a happy ending for herself even when things were tough.
Summer's world shone bright, despite never knowing her biological
Summer's life was full of light and happiness, despite the fact that she did not know her biological parents.
Parents that placed her in a dumpster near the hospital
Summer was abandoned by her biological parents and left to be found in a dumpster near a hospital.
Nurse Jones raised her right, and did all that was possible
Nurse Jones took care of Summer and did everything in her power to raise her properly, despite her own struggles.
Hesitant to let her out on the sidewalk alone
Nurse Jones was scared to let Summer go out alone, fearing for her safety.
For fear of what was on the corner a few steps from home
Nurse Jones was afraid of the dangers that lurked around the corner from their home.
Summer breathed Winter in the chasms of her nose
Summer was battling addiction and the cold seasons of her life were taking a toll on her.
Sixteen, prom queen, pristine, stayed clean
Summer was popular in high school, but avoided drugs and other negative influences.
But the winds of autumn came, and like the colors that changed
As she got older, Summer's interests and priorities changed with the seasons and the passage of time.
Summer's interests, hobbies, and priorities re-arranged
Summer's old priorities shifted and changed as she grew up, leading to changes in her attitude and behaviors.
Peer pressure never phased, but validation was a problem
Peer pressure didn't really affect her, but she had trouble feeling validated and accepted by the people around her.
For the goal of keeping Nurse Jones warm in the cold
Summer began engaging in questionable activities in order to provide for and take care of Nurse Jones.
After six months of fighting, Miss Jones moved on
Nurse Jones eventually passed away, leaving Summer alone to face her problems without her guidance.
No one hired a 16-year-old dropout with a halo
Summer had trouble finding work due to her lack of education and the stigma associated with her past.
Summer breathed Winter in the chasms of her nose
Summer grew more and more addicted to drugs as she fell deeper into despair.
Now Summer's slowly dying - see Summer's soul was trying
Summer began to feel like she was dying on the inside and her soul was trying to break free from her demons.
21, collapsed veins, powdered bloody nose, a shattered frame
Summer's drug use had taken a heavy toll on her health, both mentally and physically.
And through her next 50 years of life, 'til her eventual death
Despite her struggles, Summer continued to live a long life and eventually passed away of old age.
There was never a sound sweeter than her child's first breath
Despite everything, the sound of her child's first breath was the happiest and most beautiful moment of Summer's life.
And the Fall of Summer into Winter's darkest of days
Summer's life fell into a dark and difficult period, much like the fall and winter seasons.
Ended when Summer realized the Spring's sun-rays
Summer was eventually able to find hope and happiness again, just like the coming of spring after a long winter.
Contributed by Gavin W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.