Jerry is a prolific songwriter and excellent guitarist. He's got a very rec… Read Full Bio ↴Jerry is a prolific songwriter and excellent guitarist. He's got a very recognizable gravelly voice, and sings with it amazingly well. He plays in bands and solo. His style started as reggae-tinged rock, evolved into straight-ahead rock. His acoustic side is folk. Lyrics very well-written and introspective.

Short history:
mid-80s to 1993: Leader of band Little Women
Several short-lived bands
1995-on: Leader of The Jackmormons
2001-on: Leader of Stockholm Syndrome
In addition to releases with these bands, he's released several solo albums and joint efforts with some of his band mates.

He's been playing live since he was a kid, and still tours constantly.

www.jerryjoseph.com

note: they used the opening to Back in the Hole during the playoffs and the World Series

Apollo
Jerry Joseph Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Harlem.new.york.2007

Sitting around my apartment on 127th st... my wife was out of town... i had a pile of drugs and nowhere to be... we were around the corner from the apollo theater... and i was doing a lot of late night walking... babbling to bodega workers and unbelievably not getting killed.

My good friends lex and joey had come over to install ceiling fans as i was finishing the song, so... what else to rhyme with malcom x, but lex? you can't take a subway to arthur ave in the bronx, but the bus ride's worth it for the mexican guys selling raw cherry stones on the half shell in front of the fish markets... a friend laughed and said this is my redemption song... he was probably high.

Three in the morning
Think I'll walk down to Marcus Garvey and get some air

Shake off the warning
A couple of ghosts we could rustle and wake 'round here

Kissing the goodnight
In my blood red cowboy shirt, my medicine
Whisper the bright lights
Chi Lites, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson

When my day's begun
I ride my chariot around the sun
Like Apollo

Made a decision
A cold bodega tall boy on Malcom X
Sharing the vision
A dimebag disaster with my friend Lex

Love out of danger
My baby rides from Arthur Avenue
Swap it with strangers
Smack that wall child proving you are through

When my day's begun
I ride my chariot around the sun

With the damage done
I ride my chariot around the sun

When the song is sung
I swing my baby's love around the sun
Like Apollo

Wake up
To the rays of love
Get up
To the rays of love
Stand up
To the rays of love
Get up
To the rays of love

Like Apollo

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jerry Joseph's song "Apollo" capture his experience living in Harlem in 2007. The opening lines describe a state of drug-induced isolation in his apartment, with his wife out of town and no plans for the evening. He lives close to the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem and admits to being out and about at late hours. The mention of Malcolm X, after whom Malcolm X Boulevard is named, is notable as it was during that period when gentrification had not yet fully transformed the character of Harlem.

As the night wears on, Jerry Joseph decides to take a walk down to Marcus Garvey Park. There he seems to find some solace and relief from the isolation and boredom he earlier felt. The lyrics suggest that the neighborhood has an almost spiritual significance to him, with the "couple of ghosts we could rustle and wake 'round here." Joseph also shares his affinity for music in the song, citing Chi Lites, Four Tops, and Smokey Robinson. The lyrics suggest that Joseph finds a temporary reprieve from his troubles and loneliness in the embrace of loved ones and nourishing relationships.

The refrain of the song sees Jerry Joseph evoking the image of the Greek god Apollo, riding his chariot around the sun. The metaphor here is powerful as it suggests Joseph's own sense of agency and control over his life. The message is one of hope, that no matter what happens, Joseph feels he can steer his own course and emerge victorious.

Line by Line Meaning

Harlem.new.york.2007
This song is set in 2007 in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.

Sitting around my apartment on 127th st... my wife was out of town... i had a pile of drugs and nowhere to be... we were around the corner from the apollo theater... and i was doing a lot of late night walking... babbling to bodega workers and unbelievably not getting killed.
The singer is sitting in his apartment on 127th street with nothing to do except take drugs. He walks around the neighborhood at night and talks to workers in bodegas, and he's surprised that he hasn't gotten hurt.

My good friends lex and joey had come over to install ceiling fans as i was finishing the song, so... what else to rhyme with malcom x, but lex? you can't take a subway to arthur ave in the bronx, but the bus ride's worth it for the mexican guys selling raw cherry stones on the half shell in front of the fish markets... a friend laughed and said this is my redemption song... he was probably high.
The singer's friends came over to install ceiling fans as he finished writing the song. He mentions his friend Lex because it rhymes with Malcolm X. He talks about a trip to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx where there are Mexican guys selling raw cherry stones. A friend laughs and says this is his redemption song, but he's probably high.

Three in the morning Think I'll walk down to Marcus Garvey and get some air Shake off the warning A couple of ghosts we could rustle and wake 'round here
It's 3 AM and the singer decides to walk to Marcus Garvey to get some fresh air. He thinks about waking up a couple of ghosts that might be around.

Kissing the goodnight In my blood red cowboy shirt, my medicine Whisper the bright lights Chi Lites, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson
The singer kisses goodnight in his cowboy shirt, which might be his good luck charm. He wants to whisper the names of bright lights, including Chi Lites, Four Tops, and Smokey Robinson.

When my day's begun I ride my chariot around the sun Like Apollo
The singer feels like he's riding his chariot around the sun like the Greek god Apollo.

Made a decision A cold bodega tall boy on Malcom X Sharing the vision A dimebag disaster with my friend Lex
The singer decides to have a cold beer from the bodega. He shares his vision with his friend Lex and has a small package of drugs.

Love out of danger My baby rides from Arthur Avenue Swap it with strangers Smack that wall child proving you are through
The singer's baby tackles the danger by riding from Arthur Avenue. He also mentions swapping items with strangers and hitting the wall.

With the damage done I ride my chariot around the sun
After all the damage that's been done, the singer keeps riding his chariot around the sun.

When the song is sung I swing my baby's love around the sun Like Apollo
When the song is over, the singer feels like he's swinging his baby's love around the sun like Apollo.

Wake up To the rays of love Get up To the rays of love Stand up To the rays of love Get up To the rays of love
The singer is encouraging the listener to wake up, get up, stand up, and feel the rays of love.

Like Apollo
This line is repeated throughout the song to depict the singer's feeling of being powerful like Apollo.

Writer(s): Jerry Wayne Joseph

Contributed by Hudson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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