North Philadelphia
Chris Jaiden Lyrics
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The road to darkness
Somewhat wasted to disguise my conscience
Rain is falling
My stomachs turning
Chemicals are, my God, I'm almost there
In North Philadelphia, I lost my head
Sirens blazing
Walking zombies
Down the way I can forget my problems
Crackling, Burning
It hits me so good
No more feelings, a lonely cold wind blows
Whoa, whoa, under the L alone
Whoa, whoa, I've got nowhere to go
In North Philadelphia, I lost my head
In North Philadelphia, my soul was sold
In North Philadelphia, down on 5th & O
Morning Sunshine
My heart's awakened
Down in Venice it's a full moon rising
Peace within me
The love of my life
Count my blessings, I live within the light now
In North Philadelphia, I lost my home
In North Philadelphia, my soul was sold
In North Philadelphia, down on 5th & O
But in North Philadelphia, huh, I found California
The lyrics of Chris Jaiden's song "North Philadelphia" tell a story of losing oneself and finding redemption. The singer describes walking down Allegheny, a road that leads to darkness and symbolizes his inner turmoil. He admits feeling wasted, trying to numb his conscience with chemicals. The rain is falling, and he's physically and emotionally sick.
The chorus reveals his state of mind: he lost his head and soul in North Philadelphia, where sirens are blazing, and walking zombies populate the streets. The feeling of loneliness and desperation is palpable as he sings, "I've got nowhere to go."
Then, the song takes a turn. In the bridge, he sings about "morning sunshine" and "peace within me." He found a new beginning down in Venice, where the full moon is rising. He counts his blessings and reflects on his journey. Finally, he concludes that in North Philadelphia, he lost his home and soul, but he also found California, which is a metaphor for his rebirth.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on addiction, despair, and the human capacity for resilience. It speaks to anyone who has struggled to find their way back to the light.
Line by Line Meaning
Allegheny
I'm on the road to darkness
The road to darkness
I'm lost and don't know where I'm going
Somewhat wasted to disguise my conscience
I'm using drugs to hide from my true thoughts and feelings
Rain is falling
The world around me is dark and gloomy
My stomachs turning
I feel physically sick and mentally unstable
Chemicals are, my God, I'm almost there
I'm getting high on drugs and I'm almost completely gone
In North Philadelphia, I lost my head
My mind and sense of self were destroyed in North Philadelphia
In North Philadelphia, my soul erodes away, away, away, away
My soul is slowly disappearing and I'm losing my sense of self
Sirens blazing
The world around me is chaotic and dangerous
Walking zombies
People around me are also struggling with addiction and seem lifeless
Down the way I can forget my problems
I can escape reality if I keep walking down this road
Crackling, Burning
I'm smoking drugs and feeling the effects quickly
It hits me so good
The drugs I'm taking are making me feel good and forget my problems
No more feelings, a lonely cold wind blows
I'm numb to the world and feeling isolated and alone
Whoa, whoa, under the L alone
I'm alone and vulnerable under the train tracks
Whoa, whoa, I've got nowhere to go
I feel lost and trapped with no escape
In North Philadelphia, my soul was sold
I gave in to addiction and lost my sense of self and morals
In North Philadelphia, down on 5th & O
The specific location where I lost myself
Morning Sunshine
A new day is starting and things are looking brighter
My heart's awakened
I feel hopeful and alive again
Down in Venice it's a full moon rising
I'm in a new place and feeling connected to the world around me
Peace within me
I feel calm and content with myself and my surroundings
The love of my life
Someone special is in my life and bringing me joy
Count my blessings, I live within the light now
I'm grateful for what I have and have left the darkness behind
In North Philadelphia, I lost my home
I lost my sense of belonging and stability in North Philadelphia
But in North Philadelphia, huh, I found California
Although I lost a part of myself in North Philadelphia, I found a new home in California
Writer(s): Joseph John Hernandez, Christopher Jeremy Degorski
Contributed by Maria D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.