Diamond Rio released their debut, Diamond Rio, in 1991. It spawned five Top 10 Country hits, including the #1 hit "Meet in the Middle", and went platinum. Their second album, Close to the Edge, released the following year, had three Top 10 singles and went gold. In 1994, their third album was released. Love a Little Stronger wasn't very successful commercially, but did produce another Top 5 single in the title track.
The mid-90's marked both a low point in album-naming creativity and a high point in chart success. Their fourth album, innovatively titled IV and released in 1996, spun off three Top 5 singles. (One of these, "It's All In Your Head", featured a video with Martin Sheen as a fiery preacher engaged in snake handling, mirroring the lyrics of the song.) In 1997, Diamond Rio released its first greatest hits album, entitled Greatest Hits. The album had two brand-new songs: "How Your Love Makes Me Feel" hit #1, and "Imagine That" became yet another top 5 hit. In 1998, Unbelievable was released, giving the band two more top 5 singles. The title track also reached the top 40 on the Pop charts. In 2001, the band released One More Day, whose title track became another chart-topper. The following year, the band released Completely, whose lead track, "Beautiful Mess", became their 4th #1 hit. The album also spawned another #1 single in "I Believe". December 30th, 2005 found Diamond Rio playing their new single In God we Still Trust during halftime of the Vitalis Sun Bowl between UCLA and Northwestern University in El Paso, Texas. Their second Greatest Hits album is scheduled to be released May 9th, 2006.
Demons And Angels
Diamond Rio Lyrics
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And all in his past
A few hours later
His hand's 'round a glass
A voice on the left says,
"There's peace in the wine"
From the right a voice whispers,
"Don't do it this time"
Down in his heart
Demons and angels
Tear him apart
She calls his name softly
As she lies in their bed
Listens for footsteps
And prays for the best
She knows that he loves her
Knows that he tries
But if he comes home drinking
She'll leave him tonight
She waits for the answer and
Cries in the dark
While demons and angels
Tear him apart
For so long they've fought for his soul
The whiskey and the woman at home
And they all know he must choose
The winner alone
There's not much that's sweeter
Than a new life begun
Ain't much that's sadder
Than a promise undone
He stares at the bottle,
Longs for her arms
While demons and angels
Tear him apart
When he looks for the answer
Down in his heart
There's demons and angels
That tear him apart
The song "Demons and Angels" by Diamond Rio is a heartfelt ballad that speaks about the inner turmoil faced by an individual struggling with addiction. The lyrics depict a man who appears to have overcome his addiction and drinking problems, yet still succumbs to temptation. At the same time, his partner is at home, hoping and praying that he will return sober. The lyrics paint a picture of the intense struggle between good and evil that the man faces as he grapples with his inner demons.
The first verse describes the man's struggle with temptation as he tries to quit drinking. The voices in his head represent the struggle between the "demons" and the "angels" that he constantly wrestles with. The second verse depicts his partner's perspective and her struggle to deal with the uncertainty of whether he will come home sober or not. The final verse highlights the gravity of the situation - that the man must choose between his addiction and his partner.
The lyrics of "Demons and Angels" are a poignant reminder of the destructive nature of addiction and the inner turmoil that individuals struggle with as they try to overcome it. The song does a great job of capturing the intensity of the internal conflict that individuals face when they are trying to overcome addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
He swore it was over
He promised himself that he will quit drinking
And all in his past
He left behind all his misdeeds
A few hours later
Just a few hours passed
His hand's 'round a glass
He's holding a glass of whiskey
A voice on the left says,
One part of him tells him
"There's peace in the wine"
"Drinking whiskey will make you feel at peace"
From the right a voice whispers,
Another part of him whispers
"Don't do it this time"
"Don't drink this time, please"
When he looks for the answer
As he searches for what to do
Down in his heart
Within himself
Demons and angels
His past misdeeds and conscience are fighting
Tear him apart
It's causing him emotional turmoil
She calls his name softly
His partner calls him gently
As she lies in their bed
As she's in their shared bed
Listens for footsteps
She listens for the sound of his approach
And prays for the best
While hoping for a positive outcome
She knows that he loves her
She's aware of his love for her
Knows that he tries
She acknowledges that he's making an effort
But if he comes home drinking
But if he arrives drunk
She'll leave him tonight
She will depart from him tonight
She waits for the answer and
She awaits his decision and
Cries in the dark
She weeps silently in the darkness
While demons and angels
As his conscience fights
Tear him apart
He feels emotionally divided
For so long they've fought for his soul
His conscience and his addiction had been in conflict for a while
The whiskey and the woman at home
He's addicted to whiskey and has a partner waiting for him at home
And they all know he must choose
The addiction and his relationship both know that he has to pick a side
The winner alone
The only judgment he has to make is which he values more
There's not much that's sweeter
Nothing else is as beautiful as
Than a new life begun
Starting afresh, turning over a new leaf
Ain't much that's sadder
Nothing is as miserable as
Than a promise undone
Failing to keep your word
He stares at the bottle,
He gazes at the whiskey bottle
Longs for her arms
He yearns for his partner's embrace
While demons and angels
While his addiction and morals
Tear him apart
Are making it emotionally difficult for him to decide what to do
When he looks for the answer
As he tries to figure out what is the right choice to make
Down in his heart
Inside him
There's demons and angels
His addiction/whiskey and the kindness/love for his partner
That tear him apart
Are battling, making it difficult for him to make a decision
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JUDY RODMAN, RONNIE SAMOSET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind