He has played and toured with Shovels & Rope, Jonny Corndawg, Caitlin Rose, Houndmouth, Robert Ellis, and Jason Isbell.
Following the success of the 2010 EP Tennessee Time, Coin Records released the 7-inch single “Big Bad Love” in May 2012 and Combs’ debut full-length album, Worried Man, on October 30, 2012. The album was co-produced by Mike Odmark and features guest appearances from Caitlin Rose and Nikki Lane, along with the core band of Jeremy Fetzer, Spencer Cullum, Jr., Michael Rinne, Micah Hulscher, and Jon Radford.
PEARL
Andrew Combs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Passed out in a ball at your feet
Did you know he's got a song to sing
And he plays a mean guitar
I met a whore on the corner
Barely sixteen soon to be a mother
While raising her two younger brothers
The pearl in the rubble
A rainbow from a puddle
A calm in the storm
Every rose has it's thorns
A touch of sun in the rain
Beauty of a different shade
Bless the hands that made everyone of them
A junky kid in his car
Drilling holes with a needle in his arm
Bet you he didn't know he's a star
Just hit the game winning run
Prisoner one-two-five-o
Picking up trash on the side of the road
Yeah he's carrying a heavy load
Took the blame so his brother could run
The pearl in the rubble
A rainbow from a puddle
A calm in the storm
Every rose has it's thorns
A touch of sun in the rain
Beauty of a different shade
Bless the hands that made everyone of them
That's somebodys darling
An angel who seems to have fallen
Slowly but surely crawling
To the edge of the Brooklyn bridge
A dirty cop on the beat
More than a few bad reps on his sheet
But he just so happens to be the one
To keep her from falling in
The pearl in the rubble
A rainbow from a puddle
A calm in the storm
Every rose has it's thorns
A touch of sun in the rain
Beauty of a different shade
Bless the hand that made everyone of them
The song "Pearl" by Andrew Combs, contains several vignettes that depict people that society has deemed to have fallen, people who are outliers, ignored, marginalized or judged, for reasons that could be perceived as negative. The first verses describe a man who is passed out on the street due to possibly excessive drinking, but he is also portrayed as someone who has musical talent and might surprise people with his artistry. A young woman who is also a sex worker and mother of two, is depicted as downtrodden, yet caring and responsible enough to take care of her siblings. These characters have beauty, talent, goodness and light despite their unfavorable circumstances and are symbols of hope and resilience.
The title "Pearl" carries a symbolic meaning, pearls are often associated with beauty, purity, and value. They are formed in an unnatural way, inside an oyster; it is a product of irritation yet the result is precious. The chorus "the pearl in the rubble, a rainbow from a puddle," reinforces the idea that there is something beautiful, valuable or hopeful amidst the chaos, the dirt, the darkness. The song has a message of inclusivity, empathy, and recognition of the humanity of people who are often neglected or misunderstood.
Line by Line Meaning
Dead drunk on the street
A man who is heavily intoxicated and lying on the street.
Passed out in a ball at your feet
The man is curled up in a fetal position and unconscious.
Did you know he's got a song to sing
Despite his current state, the man has musical talent.
And he plays a mean guitar
He is skilled at playing the guitar and can produce great music.
I met a whore on the corner
The singer encountered a prostitute on the street corner.
Barely sixteen soon to be a mother
The woman is still very young and pregnant with her first child.
While raising her two younger brothers
She is also responsible for taking care of her siblings.
Leaning on a long black car
The woman is using a car for support.
The pearl in the rubble
The people mentioned in the song are like pearls in the midst of difficult or unpleasant circumstances.
A rainbow from a puddle
They bring beauty and hope in a situation that might seem bleak.
A calm in the storm
Their presence is a source of peace in the midst of chaos.
Every rose has it's thorns
Even people who seem perfect have their own struggles and flaws.
A touch of sun in the rain
They bring positivity and brightness in difficult situations.
Beauty of a different shade
The beauty of these people is unique and comes in different forms.
Bless the hands that made everyone of them
The singer recognizes and appreciates the creators of the people mentioned in the song.
A junky kid in his car
A young drug addict inside his car.
Drilling holes with a needle in his arm
He is injecting himself with drugs, making use of a needle.
Bet you he didn't know he's a star
Despite his addiction, he is special in his own way and has potential.
Just hit the game winning run
He could still turn his life around and achieve great things.
Prisoner one-two-five-o
A prisoner identified by the numeric code 1250.
Picking up trash on the side of the road
He has a job within the prison of cleaning up litter alongside the road.
Yeah he's carrying a heavy load
He has a challenging life in prison that weighs on him.
Took the blame so his brother could run
He took the fall for a crime his brother committed in order to protect him.
That's somebodys darling
The woman mentioned earlier is someone's beloved daughter.
An angel who seems to have fallen
Despite her current circumstances, the woman seems to be a good person at heart.
Slowly but surely crawling
She is struggling and taking her time to make progress.
To the edge of the Brooklyn bridge
She is heading toward a dangerous situation at the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.
A dirty cop on the beat
A police officer who is corrupt and often behaves inappropriately.
More than a few bad reps on his sheet
He has a record of misconduct and negative behavior.
But he just so happens to be the one
Despite his faults, he is in the right place at the right time.
To keep her from falling in
He prevents the woman from jumping off the bridge and committing suicide.
Writer(s): Andrew Combs
Contributed by Joseph L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.