Unconditional Love
P.J. Hogan Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah, this one's dedicated, to my grandmother, and your grandmother
It's all love, let's not forget who raised us, word up

Big Mama, my grandmother, my main girl
I love you much more than the scandalous world
As a young boy you gave me whoopings to save my life
Cursed me out, to keep me out the streets at night
'Cause my momma had me when she was young
So you took on the responsibility to raise your grandson
You taught me if a task is once begun, Todd
Never leave it 'til it's done, Todd

Be thy labor great or small Todd
Do it well or not at all, God
Big Mama, my blood is your blood
When the whole world's against me, I know I got your love

If I was in a cell for the rest of my life
I know I'd hear your prayers in the middle of the night
Used to sit me on your lap and teach me mother with
Early Sunday morning for them salmon and grits

I love you baby, you the one and only, that's a fact
'Til death do us part, I'ma always have your back
You beefed 'cause you heard that I was cursin' in my raps
Eighty-six, still you want to run and get the straps

I love you, I promise you I care for you deep
'Cause when I had bronchitis you would rock me to sleep
Rub me down with green alcohol
Little brown-skinned lady bout five feet tall, Big Mama

[Chorus]
Early one Sunday morning
Breakfast was on the table (you gave me unconditional love)
There was no time to eat, she said to me
Boy hurry to Sunday school (you gave me unconditional love)

I remember when you told me certain friends wasn't real
I didn't want to listen, I swore I knew the deal
Come to find out, everything you said was true
Who I end up goin' to for advice? You

I love you, that's why you got nurses and maids
Ever since I got paid, you ain't never been afraid
That's granddaddy wife, she taught me how to think
How to navigate through life, you made the sacrifice

You kept on livin', 'cause when my granddaddy died
It took all your might, but you ain't quit on life
We took trips down South, biscuits and chicken
Me you granddad and Alison, trippin'

Remember, you used to pick me up from junior high
And classmates laughed when the Buick rolled by
Remember, I pulled my privates out in class
And from Farmers to Dunkirk you straight whooped my (woo!)

The best cookin' a man could ever taste
It's written in my heart, it can never be erased
Thank you so much, you taught me well

How to not get souped up, because I'm LL
How to walk the street, and hold my head real high
How to live with Christ and not be afraid to die

We sipped daiquiris, but you never told moms
We even shared beers, Big Mama my dear
A toast to a woman that raised a man
In popular demand all across the land

You're my lawyer, my teacher, my doctor, my friend
My mother, my father, you with me 'til the end
I love you, I mean that from the bottom of my heart
That's the reason why my record's number one on the charts

I'm a tell it like it is, I love you forever
Dead or alive, we'll always be together
Big Mama I love you

[Chorus]

I dedicate this to the Big Mama's everywhere
The ones who raised us, when nobody else was there
The ones who held us and told us it'll be alright
When gunshots was goin' off every night

Taught us how to lock the door and check the peephole
And how to swallow Vicks when we had a chest cold
How to stay proud, and represent hard
Eat plenty baby, but first say grace for God

Big Mama, I'm a miss you
When one of us leave this earth
But baby for what it's worth, I love you since the date of my birth
And if it wasn't for my children, I would want to go first

You're the reason I'm the man I am today
The inspiration, for me to be LL Cool J
When you told me "Knock 'em Out," I brought you home a Grammy
I learned to be tough from Big Mama and Aunt Cammy

A black man that was raised by black women
On tour, sippin your special honey and lemon
You told me, gargle with vinegar water and salt
The concert was hot, thanks to your support

Girl, you're the one I love
Whether right here with me or smilin' from up above
Trouble or no trouble, you always had my back
So I had to let you know your son appreciates that, Big Mama





[Chorus: x2]

Overall Meaning

The song "Unconditional Love" by P.J. Hogan is a touching dedication to the singer's grandmother and all grandmothers who raise their grandchildren. The song portrays the love and appreciation that the artist has for his grandmother, whom he calls "Big Mama." Throughout the lyrics, P.J. expresses his gratitude for the sacrifices that his grandmother made to raise him as her own. He thanks her for whoopings that saved his life and for cursing him out to keep him away from the streets at night. As he reminisces through childhood memories, he tells about how his grandmother taught him to be responsible and never leave a task unfinished.


The chorus of the song recalls early Sunday mornings when Big Mama would prepare breakfast, but there was no time to eat as P.J. had to hurry to Sunday school. The song tells about the unconditional love that his grandmother had for him, which he promises to repay by standing by her side no matter what. The song is a heartwarming tribute to grandmothers who take on the responsibility of raising their grandchildren and dedicating their lives to their family's well-being.


Line by Line Meaning

Yeah, this one's dedicated, to my grandmother, and your grandmother
This song is dedicated to all grandmothers, including mine and yours


It's all love, let's not forget who raised us, word up
We should always remember and appreciate the love and care our grandmothers gave us as they played a significant role in raising us


Big Mama, my grandmother, my main girl
My grandmother, affectionately called Big Mama, is my most important and beloved person


I love you much more than the scandalous world
I love my grandmother more than anything else in this chaotic and troublesome world


As a young boy you gave me whoopings to save my life
When I was a young boy, you disciplined me strictly to protect me and guide me onto the right path


Cursed me out, to keep me out the streets at night
You scolded me harshly to make sure I stayed away from the dangerous streets at night


'Cause my momma had me when she was young
Because my mother became a parent at a young age


So you took on the responsibility to raise your grandson
You willingly accepted the responsibility of raising your grandson


You taught me if a task is once begun, Todd
You taught me the importance of completing any task once it has been started, Todd being my name


Never leave it 'til it's done, Todd
Never abandon a task until it is finished, Todd


Be thy labor great or small Todd
Whether the task is significant or insignificant, Todd


Do it well or not at all, God
Do the task with excellence or avoid doing it altogether, God being a metaphor for higher standards


Big Mama, my blood is your blood
My grandmother, our bond runs deep and strong


When the whole world's against me, I know I got your love
Even when the entire world seems to be against me, I can always rely on your unwavering love and support


If I was in a cell for the rest of my life
Even if I were imprisoned for the rest of my life


I know I'd hear your prayers in the middle of the night
I am certain that I would hear your prayers for me in the darkest hours of the night


Used to sit me on your lap and teach me mother with
You used to hold me on your lap and instruct me on how to act like a respectable and nurturing mother


Early Sunday morning for them salmon and grits
On early Sunday mornings, you would prepare salmon and grits for us to enjoy together


I love you baby, you the one and only, that's a fact
I love you, my dear grandmother, you are the only one for me, and that's an undisputed fact


'Til death do us part, I'ma always have your back
I will always support and protect you until the day we part due to death


You beefed 'cause you heard that I was cursin' in my raps
You became upset when you heard that I used curse words in my music


Eighty-six, still you want to run and get the straps
Even at the age of 86, you were still ready to confront and discipline me for my actions


I love you, I promise you I care for you deep
I genuinely love you, and I promise that my feelings for you run deep


'Cause when I had bronchitis you would rock me to sleep
When I was suffering from bronchitis, you would gently rock me to sleep, providing comfort and care


Rub me down with green alcohol
You would apply soothing green alcohol on my body to alleviate discomfort or illness


Little brown-skinned lady bout five feet tall, Big Mama
My beloved grandmother, who is of small stature with brown skin, affectionately called Big Mama


Early one Sunday morning
On a Sunday morning, very early


Breakfast was on the table (you gave me unconditional love)
You had prepared breakfast with love and care for me, symbolizing your unconditional love


There was no time to eat, she said to me
We did not have time to sit down and eat because my grandmother had something important to say to me


Boy hurry to Sunday school (you gave me unconditional love)
I was urged to hurry to Sunday school, knowing that my grandmother's love and support will always be with me


I remember when you told me certain friends wasn't real
I recall the time when you warned me that some of my friends were not trustworthy


I didn't want to listen, I swore I knew the deal
I was stubborn and refused to listen, foolishly believing that I understood everything


Come to find out, everything you said was true
Later, I realized that every word you spoke was true


Who I end up goin' to for advice? You
In the end, I turned to you for guidance and advice


I love you, that's why you got nurses and maids
My love for you is why you have caregivers and helpers to attend to your needs


Ever since I got paid, you ain't never been afraid
Since I achieved financial success, you have never hesitated to rely on me for support


That's granddaddy's wife, she taught me how to think
You, granddaddy's wife, instilled in me the ability to think critically and independently


How to navigate through life, you made the sacrifice
You made sacrifices to teach me how to maneuver through the challenges of life


You kept on livin', 'cause when my granddaddy died
Despite the devastating loss of my granddaddy, you found the strength to keep living


It took all your might, but you ain't quit on life
You summoned all your strength to persevere and never gave up on life


We took trips down South, biscuits and chicken
We embarked on journeys to the southern states and enjoyed southern cuisine, including biscuits and chicken


Me, you, granddad and Alison, trippin'
We, along with my granddad and Alison, would have memorable trips and adventures together


Remember, you used to pick me up from junior high
I have fond memories of you picking me up from junior high school


And classmates laughed when the Buick rolled by
My classmates would laugh when they saw us in the Buick car


Remember, I pulled my privates out in class
I recall the embarrassing incident when I exposed my private parts in front of my classmates


And from Farmers to Dunkirk you straight whooped my (woo!)
From the Farmers housing projects to Dunkirk, you would sternly discipline me, leaving a lasting impact


The best cookin' a man could ever taste
The food you prepared was the most delicious and satisfying a person could ever experience


It's written in my heart, it can never be erased
The love and appreciation I have for you are deeply rooted in my heart and can never be eradicated


Thank you so much, you taught me well
I am immensely grateful to you for teaching and guiding me so effectively


How to not get souped up, because I'm LL
You taught me how to remain humble and grounded, even though I am successful and famous like LL Cool J


How to walk the street, and hold my head real high
You showed me how to carry myself with confidence and pride while navigating through life


How to live with Christ and not be afraid to die
You instilled in me the values of living a life guided by faith in God and the courage to face death without fear


We sipped daiquiris, but you never told moms
We would enjoy sipping daiquiris together, but you kept it a secret from my mother


We even shared beers, Big Mama my dear
We even shared beers together, my dear Big Mama


A toast to a woman that raised a man
Let's raise a glass in honor of the extraordinary woman who raised me into the man I am today


In popular demand all across the land
I am highly sought after and admired nationwide


You're my lawyer, my teacher, my doctor, my friend
You fulfill the roles of my lawyer, my teacher, my doctor, and my friend


My mother, my father, you with me 'til the end
You are not only my grandmother but also my mother and father figure, and you will be by my side until the end


I love you, I mean that from the bottom of my heart
I truly and sincerely love you, with all my heart


That's the reason why my record's number one on the charts
My love for you is the driving force behind my record's success, making it reach the top of the charts


I'm a tell it like it is, I love you forever
I always speak honestly, and forever will I love you


Dead or alive, we'll always be together
Whether you are alive or have passed away, we will forever remain united


Big Mama I love you
I love you dearly, Big Mama


I dedicate this to the Big Mama's everywhere
This song is dedicated to all the grandmothers, referred to as Big Mamas, around the world


The ones who raised us, when nobody else was there
These are the nurturing figures who raised us when no one else was present or available


The ones who held us and told us it'll be alright
They are the ones who comforted us and reassured us that everything would be fine


When gunshots was goin' off every night
During episodes of frequent gunshots and violence occurring every night


Taught us how to lock the door and check the peephole
They taught us the importance of securing and monitoring our surroundings by locking the door and checking the peephole


And how to swallow Vicks when we had a chest cold
They taught us the remedy of swallowing Vicks vapor rub when we had chest congestion


How to stay proud, and represent hard
They instilled in us the value of maintaining pride and representing ourselves and our community with strength and determination


Eat plenty baby, but first say grace for God
They encouraged us to enjoy our meals but reminded us to always say a prayer of gratitude to God before eating


Big Mama, I'm a miss you
Big Mama, I will miss you dearly


When one of us leave this earth
When one of us passes away


But baby for what it's worth, I love you since the date of my birth
Regardless, I want you to know that I have loved you ever since the day I was born


And if it wasn't for my children, I would want to go first
If it weren't for my children, I would prefer to leave this world before you


You're the reason I'm the man I am today
You are the driving force behind the person I have become today


The inspiration, for me to be LL Cool J
You have inspired me to strive to become a successful figure like LL Cool J


When you told me 'Knock 'em Out,' I brought you home a Grammy
When you advised me to 'Knock 'em Out,' I won a Grammy and dedicated it to you


I learned to be tough from Big Mama and Aunt Cammy
You and Aunt Cammy taught me how to be resilient and strong


A black man that was raised by black women
My identity as a black man has been shaped by the influence and guidance of black women


On tour, sippin your special honey and lemon
While on tour, I would indulge in the special honey and lemon concoction made for me by you


You told me, gargle with vinegar water and salt
You advised me to gargle vinegar water and salt for soothing relief


The concert was hot, thanks to your support
Thanks to your unwavering support, the concert was an incredible success


Girl, you're the one I love
Grandmother, you are the woman I deeply love


Whether right here with me or smilin' from up above
Whether you are physically present with me or watching over me from heaven, your smile brightens my life


Trouble or no trouble, you always had my back
You have consistently supported and protected me, whether I faced trouble or not


So I had to let you know your son appreciates that, Big Mama
I want you to know, Big Mama, that your son deeply appreciates all that you have done for him


[Chorus: x2]
Refrain from the chorus:




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

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Comments from YouTube:

@lysiannereulasheard2973

8

@judylmb8254

I am so glad I did not purchase this.

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