J.P. (John Paul) Cormier is a Canadian bluegrass singer-songwriter and mult… Read Full Bio ↴J.P. (John Paul) Cormier is a Canadian bluegrass singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in London, Ontario in 1969 and began playing guitar around age 5. As a child he displayed an unusual ability to play a variety of instruments by ear and won a guitar contest at age 9.

Mr. Cormier has stated that he learned to play guitar by listening to such noted country / bluegrass musicians as Chet Atkins and Doc Watson. Other instruments J.P. has played on his albums include fiddle, twelve string guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, drums, percussion, synthesizer, and piano.

By age 16 Cormier had recorded his first album (a collection of bluegrass instrumentals) and he began working the U.S. festival circuit. This led him to move to the United States and to begin working as a session musician. He continued to perform live on the festival circuit and at the Grand Ole Opry with country artists Waylon Jennings, Marty Stuart, Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe and others.

In 1989 he attended the Northeast Mississippi Junior College (now called Northeast Mississippi Community College) in Booneville Mississippi where he majored in Music Education. At the time, Northeast Mississippi Junior College was one of only three colleges in North America that offered a specialty in Bluegrass instruments. During his stay at Northeast he began playing the dobro and piano. It was also during this time he first had the idea for the song "Northwind".

He has won the following awards:

* East Coast Music Award (ECMA) Instrumental Album of the Year - 1991
* East Coast Music Award (ECMA) Roots/Traditional Artist of the Year - 1998
* East Coast Music Award (ECMA) Instrumental Album of the Year - 2000
* East Coast Music Award (ECMA) Instrumental Artist Award - 2003

In addition, he has been nominated for the East Coast Music Award and the Music Industry Association of Nova Scotia (MIANS) Award in various years.

The Letter
J.P. Cormier Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Memories are like a a faded picture
You see the face but you just cant remember
It kinda blows don't it
You worked so hard
Yea you went hard
Just to end up lost
Another broken family
We're lost without your sauce

The devil took your memory
But still the Lord with us
I know you praying everyday
That you remember us
I know it break my sister heart just to see you like this
Pops be saying everyday he wish that we could fight this
But I'm conflicted
No resentment
I don't feel the feeling
My heart still frost from the lack of love that I was given
But I don't blame you tho
Just know that you're forgiven
If you ever need my heart just know that I would give it
Cause you my t lady
I'm forever to baby
(Cause you my t lady I'm forever you baby)

Just need a second chance
Maybe I could make this right
And for the times we'd fight
You should know that you was right
Everything you told me it's done came to light
It seems to be some crooked
Came into my life
Just to take from me all that I had left to give
It left me miserable
Made me have no will to live
They say I get that from your people
Depression it kills
I still got the scars
Man I thought the scars would heal
When I was in the school house you was poppin seals
Didn't know you battled with
The things that I tried hard to kill
Ma I love you
Don't forget
Or ever get it twisted
I'm going hard
Been making money
You know yo son gone get it
Deaths been weighing on me
Heavy lords my only witness
So I be strapped up in the booth
And hard on the fitness

You feeling pain
I'm feeling pain
Guess this a pain song
Them silent cries go unheard
Until that pain gone

Them silent prayers you say at night
Just know he hear you
And when you feel you all alone
Just know I see you
When you think I'm out reach
Just know I feel you
We stay connected
Even though I had to leave you

Cause this my letter to you
This my letter to you
This my letter to you
I hope you hear it
This my letter to you
This my letter to you

This my letter to you
I hope you feel it

Overall Meaning

In J.P. Cormier's song The Letter, the lyrics paint a picture of the harsh realities of life in the streets, particularly in the trenches. The singer acknowledges the struggles of the people in the streets and the sacrifices they make every day. He talks about how money has no heart, and it makes his soul cold, and how he has no heart in his chest, just a block of ice, dead in the daytime but alive at night. He also makes a call to teach the children, citing that it's a game of no winning. The singer has come from the streets and has been there for long, so he puts his pain in his songs. He concludes that people need to focus on themselves and cut off those who seem iffy.

The lyrics of The Letter are powerful and relatable to people who have experienced life in the streets. The song talks about the harsh realities of the streets, such as gun violence, sacrifice, and the struggle to survive. The song is a call for people to stay strong and focus on their goals, despite the obstacles that they may face. J.P. Cormier's song also touches on themes of friendship, loyalty, and betrayal, which are common in the streets.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeah
Expressing acknowledgement and agreement

You feel me like
Do you understand and relate to what I'm saying?

I just had to take some time to talk to the streets
I needed to speak to those from my community

Talk to the trenches
Speak to those who are struggling and fighting to survive

Rapping about all the other shit is cool
Talking about other things is fine and all, but not what's most important

But I like speak in a Niggas who can relate to me
I prefer to speak to those who can understand and connect with me

Shout out all my niggas stuck up in the trenches
Acknowledging and praising those who are fighting and surviving in difficult situations

You never thought it would be your dog
You never expected your close friend to be the one to betray or deceive you

When they describe the witness
When they identify the person who witnessed a crime or incident

Niggas fronting they got the bag
People falsely claiming to have financial success

But They ain’t pop up with it
But they never showed any actual sign of their supposed success

And niggas say they yo dog
People who claim to be your friend or ally

But ain’t there to the ending
But don't come through when you need them the most

I know I know
I understand fully

I know that I’m on my own
I am aware that I need to depend and rely on myself

I know that I’m probably better allow
I am aware that I need to be prepared to face challenges alone

So it’s big middle fingers to all of my rivals
I am showing my defiance and competition towards those who try to bring me down

Wrote this letter to the trenches baby
I am writing this message to those struggling in the community

Yeah I’m hoping that they read it baby
I am hopeful that my message is received and understood

Because I swear that I need them baby
I am expressing my need and dependence on my community

I’ve been out here like a demon baby
I have been grinding, working and fighting relentlessly

You ever seen ya brother
Have you ever witnessed your close friend or family member

Risk his life for the dough?
Putting themselves in harm's way to make money?

Money don’t got no heart that’s
Money doesn't have emotions or empathy

Why my soul so cold
Hence, it makes me emotionally numb and cold

Ain’t no heart in my chest
I don't feel emotions or empathy

Just a block of ice
I am emotionally frozen and disconnected

Dead in the daytime but I’m alive at night
I feel alive during the night when I can be myself and express through music

Sacrifices and wishes
Things that were given up and hopes that were lost

look at the life we living
Consider the harsh reality of the situation we're currently in

Our brothers keep on dying, we losing all our women
People from the community keep passing away, specifically, losing women to societal pressures and systematic stereotypes

Now who’s gone teach the children
Questions the impact of losing role models in the community

This a game of no winning
The circumstances are rigged, with no success in sight

The struggle I’ve been in it
I've been involved in the struggle my whole life

But my kids gone grow up different
I hope that my children will be exposed to better circumstances and lead different lives than I have

I come from the streets I’ve been here so long
I have been part of this community and struggled for a long time

That’s why I put this pain in all my songs
This is why my music is filled with my struggles and experiences

Put the pen to the paper let my mind drift off
I find solace in writing, letting my mind escape to find some relief

My lyrics from my Søul I can’t lie at all
My lyrics come from my heart and soul, I can't fake or lie about them

I don’t even pray no more
I don't have hope to believe in anymore

I just pray for my city
I hope and wish for change and improved circumstances for my community

Keep my head up
I try to stay positive and hopeful despite the struggles around me

I can’t worry about niggas coming to get me
I can't let the fear of betrayal or harm from others consume me

And if that’s your dog got a watch each other back
If someone is really your friend, you both should look out and protect each other

You got to keep it 50-50
It should be a fair and equal partnership

Them bullets was spraying that night
There was gunfire that evening

I prayed to God they didn’t hit me
I was afraid of getting shot and hoped to remain unharmed

And I swear I’m not no killer
I am not a violent person who seeks to harm others

But nigga please don’t tempt me
However, don't push me to my limits to have to defend myself

You don’t got to worry about me
Don't worry or stress about me, focus on yourself

You got to worry about them Niggas with me
However, be mindful of those around me who may cause harm

Word of advice
Allow me to give you some guidance

Cut the niggas off if you think they iffy
Remove those people from your life who you think might be deceitful

And you Gotta keep your head up
Stay positive and resilient

You can’t never be out here just slipping
You always need to be mindful and cautious of your surroundings and circumstances

And never worry about these other Niggas in your way
Don't trouble yourself with those who try to bring you down or obstruct your success

Get your bread and your paper and just stay up out the way
Focus on making money and achieving success while staying out of the drama and trouble

You got his focus on yourself
You need to prioritize and focus on yourself

Them other niggas don’t mean a shade
Don't let others matter or influence you

And when you worry about yourself
And when you focus only on yourself

Them other Niggas gonna be ashamed
Other people will be ashamed and embarrassed of how they treated you or tried to bring you down

Yeah letter to the trenches nigga
Closing statement, addressing the message to those in the community who are fighting and surviving

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Earl Holley, New Waterford

Love having the lyrics to sing along to... Any chance you could produce "My Highland Dreams" as well. It's the first J.P. song (among many others) that I wanted to learn.

just now