Craig Ashley David MBE (born 5 May 1981) is a British singer, songwriter, r… Read Full Bio ↴Craig Ashley David MBE (born 5 May 1981) is a British singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ and record producer who rose to fame in 1999, featuring on the single "Re-Rewind" by Artful Dodger. David's debut studio album, Born to Do It, was released in 2000, after which he has released a further five studio albums and worked with a variety of artists such as Sting, Tinchy Stryder, Big Narstie, Kano and Jay Sean. David has 20 UK Top 40 singles, and seven UK Top 40 albums, selling over 15,000,000 records worldwide as a solo artist.

David has been nominated for fourteen Brit Awards: five times for Best British Male, and twice receiving a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

David was born in Southampton, Hampshire, the son of Tina (née Loftus), a retail assistant at Superdrug, and George David, a carpenter, and grew up in the Holyrood estate. David's father is Afro-Grenadian and David's mother is Anglo-Jewish and related to the founders of the Accurist watch-making company; David's maternal grandfather was an Orthodox Jew and his maternal grandmother a convert to Judaism. David's parents separated when he was eight and he was brought up by his mother. He attended Bellemoor School and Southampton City College.

David was bullied by other students at school. He wrote and released the song "Johnny" in 2005 about his sad memories of being bullied.

David's father played bass in a reggae band called Ebony Rockers. As a teen, David began accompanying his father to local dance clubs, where DJs let him take the microphone.

On 9 September 2020, David signed a global publishing deal with New York-based Round Hill Music. The agreement includes all of David's music catalogue to date, and also includes a futures agreement that will see all of his new music administered by the company.

On 30th December 2020, David was announced on the Queen’s New Year Honours List to receive an MBE in recognition of his services to music. His manager Colin Lester was also awarded an OBE in recognition of his services to the music industry and to charity.

Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Craig David Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was the third of September.
That day I'll always remember, yes I will.
Cause that was the day that my daddy died.
I never got a chance to see him.
Never heard nothing but bad things about him.
Mama, I'm depending on you, tell me the truth.

And Mama just hung her head and said,

"Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was alone."
"Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was alone."

Well, well.

Hey Mama, is it true what they say,
That Papa never worked a day in his life?
And Mama, bad talk going around town
Saying that Papa had three outside children and another wife.
And that ain't right.
Heard talk about Papa doing some store front preaching.
Talkin' about saving souls and all the time leeching.
Dealing in debt and stealing in the name of the Lord.

Mama just hung her head and said,
"Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was alone."
Come on come on come on yeah
"Hey, Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was alone."

Uh!

Hey Mama, I heard Papa call himself a jack of all trade.
Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave?
Folk say Papa would beg, borrow, steal to pay his bill.
Hey Mama, folk say that Papa was never much on thinking.
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking.
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth.

Mama looked up with a tear in her eye and said,
Papa was a rolling stone. (Well, well, well, well)
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was alone."
"Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was alone."

"I said, Papa was a rolling stone.

Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was alone."

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Craig David's song "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" are a reflection on the complicated relationship between a son and his deceased father. The opening lines set the tone for the song, with David singing "It was the third of September, that day I'll always remember, yes I will" to convey the momentousness of the occasion. He goes on to explain that this was the day his father passed away, and he never had a chance to meet him in person. Throughout the song, David grapples with the many rumors he's heard about his father, including that he had multiple mistresses and children outside of his mother's marriage.

David's mother is a central figure in the song, as he turns to her for answers about his father's life. When he asks if it's true that his father never worked a day in his life, his mother only responds with, "Papa was a rolling stone, wherever he laid his hat was his home." This line serves as a metaphor for his father's wandering lifestyle, which prevented him from putting down roots and providing for his family in a traditional sense. In fact, when he passed away, all he left behind was the legacy of his absence.

Line by Line Meaning

It was the third of September.
The date of September 3rd is significant and unforgettable.

That day I'll always remember, yes I will.
The singer will never forget the day his father died.

Cause that was the day that my daddy died.
The singer's father passed away on September 3rd.

I never got a chance to see him.
The artist did not get to say goodbye to his father.

Never heard nothing but bad things about him.
The artist only heard negative things about his father.

Mama, I'm depending on you, tell me the truth.
The singer turns to his mother for answers about his father.

"Papa was a rolling stone.
The singer's father was always on the move and never stayed in one place for long.

Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
The father had no permanent residence.

(And when he died) All he left us was alone."
The father's absence left the family feeling abandoned after his death.

"Hey Mama, is it true what they say,
The artist asks his mother about rumors he's heard regarding his father.

That Papa never worked a day in his life?
The rumors suggest that the singer's father was never employed.

And Mama, bad talk going around town
Negative gossip is spreading about the father in the community.

Saying that Papa had three outside children and another wife.
The rumors suggest that the father had multiple extramarital affairs and children outside of his marriage.

And that ain't right.
The singer acknowledges that the rumors, if true, are morally wrong.

Heard talk about Papa doing some store front preaching.
The father was rumored to have preached in public, without formal credentials from religious institutions.

Talkin' about saving souls and all the time leeching.
The father preached about salvation but was accused of taking advantage of people in order to gain personal benefit.

Dealing in debt and stealing in the name of the Lord.
The father was accused of performing illegal or unethical actions, while invoking religious beliefs as justification.

"Hey, Papa was a rolling stone.
The singer's mother reiterates that the father never stayed in one place.

Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
The father did not have a permanent place of residence.

(And when he died) All he left us was alone."
The artist's father didn't leave behind anything for his family except for abandonment.

Hey Mama, I heard Papa call himself a jack of all trade.
The father referred to himself as skilled in multiple occupations.

Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave?
The artist questions whether his father's lack of focus led to his premature death.

Folk say Papa would beg, borrow, steal to pay his bill.
The father was rumored to have resorted to desperate measures in order to pay debts.

Hey Mama, folk say that Papa was never much on thinking.
The father was rumored to not be contemplative or reflective in his actions.

Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking.
The father was accused of prioritizing romantic pursuits and alcohol consumption over his family or responsibilities.

Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth.
The singer is seeking honesty and clarification from his mother.

Papa was a rolling stone. (Well, well, well, well)
The father was a nomadic, transient figure.

Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
The father had no fixed place of residence.

(And when he died) All he left us was alone."
The father's death left the family feeling abandoned and isolated.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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