After recording their debut single "Ode to a Forgetful Mind" in 1988, P.M. Dawn released their first album Of the Heart, of the Soul and of the Cross: The Utopian Experience in 1991 to critical acclaim. It achieved immediate commercial success because of its single "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss". Their 1993 follow-up The Bliss Album...? was also praised by critics and featured the hit singles "I'd Die Without You" and "Looking Through Patient Eyes". P.M. Dawn continued to receive strong reviews, but sold poorly with their subsequent albums Jesus Wept (1995) and Dearest Christian, I'm So Very Sorry for Bringing You Here. Love, Dad (1998).
The Cordes brothers' father died of pneumonia when they were children. Further family tragedy occurred when their baby brother, Duncan, drowned at the age of two. The two elder brothers were raised by their mother and their stepfather George Brown, a founding member of Kool & the Gang.
Prince Be began DJing parties and composing songs in ninth grade. Within a few years, he had determined to make a demo tape of some of those pieces with the $600 he had set aside from his after school job as a security guard at a homeless shelter. By then, he and his brother were putting in studio time as P.M. Dawn.
They first approached Tommy Boy Records, the rap music subsidiary of Warner Brothers, with their demo, but they were told that they were too much like alternative hip-hoppers De La Soul, and not hardcore or ghetto, and were turned away. Eventually, Warlock, an independent record label, issued a debut single, "Ode to a Forgetful Mind", in 1989, but it went unnoticed.
The record label that released the single in the United Kingdom, Gee Street Records, found greater success. Gee Street mixed and marketed the song so that it earned considerable attention from music reviewers, and P.M. Dawn found themselves courted not just by Gee Street's head, Jon Baker, but also by most of the major UK record labels. Gee Street brought the brothers to London in 1990 to record tracks for an album; however, the label found itself facing bankruptcy during the recording. The entire Gee Street operation, along with P.M. Dawn's recording contract, was sold to the highest bidder, Island Records. Island issued a few more singles in the United Kingdom before releasing their debut album, Of the Heart, of the Soul and of the Cross: The Utopian Experience.
Of the Heart, of the Soul and of the Cross featured the international hit "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss", which sampled the Spandau Ballet song "True", and featured a cameo by Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley in the music video of the song. "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" hit #1 the week of November 30, 1991, and holds the distinction of being the first #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart following the introduction of Nielsen SoundScan to the chart. The song also reached #3 in the United Kingdom. "Paper Doll", which was one of the early singles Island released in the United Kingdom, was released in the US as a follow-up to "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss", and peaked at #28 in early 1992. "Paper Doll" is said well over 100 times in the song, which makes it second only to MC Hammer's "Pray", which holds the record for the most times a title is repeated in a US Top 40 hit (147).
With the success of their debut album, the band parted company with their manager Nick Hemmings and embarked on a world tour. During this world tour, a statement Prince Be made in Details magazine led Boogie Down Productions' KRS-One and his crew to storm the stage during a P.M. Dawn concert, forcing the group off the stage and performing three BDP classics. To warrant this reaction from KRS-One, Prince B had asked, "KRS-One wants to be a teacher, but a teacher of what?" Defending his motives to USA Today's James T. Jones IV, KRS-One remarked, "I answered his question. 'A teacher of what?' I'm a teacher of respect."
In 1992, P.M. Dawn appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD Red Hot + Dance, contributing the Richie Rich Mix of "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss". The album, featuring George Michael and Madonna among others, was meant to raise money and awareness in support of the AIDS epidemic.
Before releasing their follow-up album, The Bliss Album…? (Vibrations of Love and Anger and the Ponderance of Life and Existence), P.M. Dawn contributed the single "I'd Die Without You" to the 1992 Eddie Murphy comedy Boomerang and its soundtrack. This #2 pop hit was also included on The Bliss Album…?, as was the Billboard #2 pop hit "Looking Through Patient Eyes".
"Looking Through Patient Eyes" featured backing vocals by Cathy Dennis and sampled George Michael's hit "Father Figure". The music video for the song was shot in a church, and featured Christian images throughout — most notably, Prince Be wore a T-shirt with "Thank you, Jesus" written across it in black lettering.
The Bliss Album…? featured the Boy George duet "More Than Likely" and a cover of The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)". The album also included "So On and So On," which led to a 1999 sampling lawsuit. In the lawsuit Batiste v. Island Records, Inc., Paul and Michael Batiste claimed that P.M. Dawn's song "So On and So On" used unauthorized samples from David Batiste & The Gladiators' "Funky Soul". The fifth Circuit Federal Appellate Court found that the Batistes point to no evidence in the record demonstrating that consumers were confused or deceived by either the use of a digital sample of "Funky Soul" in "So On and So On", or the attribution to David Batiste as a co-author of the track. The Batistes' claim that Paul and Michael Batiste were improperly excluded from the liner notes accompanying the album also failed to suggest that consumers were confused, especially because the liner notes do credit the name of the band in which both Paul and Michael Batiste performed. Though Island Records won the lawsuit, the song was removed from subsequent releases of The Bliss Album and is no longer available for purchase in their publishing catalog.
P.M. Dawn contributed a cover of "You Got Me Floatin'" to the 1993 compilation album Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix. Artists ranging from Pat Metheny to Eric Clapton to Ice-T's Body Count were included.
Their 1995 album Jesus Wept was unable to attain the success of their first two albums. The album's highest charting single was "Downtown Venus", which contained a sample of Deep Purple's "Hush", and reached #48 on the Billboard chart. Also, in 1995, P.M. Dawn was credited with the remix of White Zombie's "Blood, Milk and Sky" (Miss September Mix) on the Supersexy Swingin' Sounds compilation album. In 1996, P.M. Dawn contributed "Non-Fiction Burning" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio produced by the Red Hot Organization. In 1998, Prince Be contributed the tracks "Perfect for You" and "Gotta Be...Movin' on Up" to the Marlon Wayans and David Spade comedy Senseless, followed later in the year by P.M. Dawn's fourth album, Dearest Christian, I'm So Very Sorry for Bringing You Here. Love, Dad. It was less successful again, with the album's single, "Being So Not for You (I Had No Right)" being a minor chart hit.
In the same year, Jarret Cordes (DJ Minutemix) was accused of sexually abusing a 14-year old relative and was subsequently arrested in Burlington County. The girl is said to have been a "close relative".
In 2000, they released the compilation, The Best of P.M. Dawn. Through their website, they also began selling a mail-order-only album called Fucked Music on December 1, 2000. This was paired with a bonus CD, Unreleased Vol. 1, and a T-shirt.
Prince Be suffered a massive stroke in early 2005 that left him paralyzed on the left side of his body. Undeterred, P.M. Dawn appeared on NBC's Hit Me, Baby, One More Time, performing "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss", and covered Puddle of Mudd's "Blurry". Despite the fact that Prince Be was still suffering the effects of this stroke, they beat Animotion, Missing Persons, Juice Newton and Shannon to claim the $20,000 charitable prize, which they contributed to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, as Prince Be was a diabetic.
Following their appearance on Hit Me, Baby, One More Time, Minutemix was terminated for misconduct. This led to the introduction of the Cordes brothers' paternal first cousin, Gregory Lewis Carr II, known by his stage name Doc. G (also known as 'Dr. Giggles' or 'Blissboy #2'.)
On May 15, 2010, Prince Be's 40th birthday, Doc. G performed in Manila before an audience of 50,000 people and dedicated the performance to Guru of Gang Starr and Francis M.
On June 17, 2016, Prince Be died of renal disease at the age of 46.
Doc. G continues to perform and record music under the P.M. Dawn name. On April 6, 2018, Doc.G announced K-R.O.K. as a new member of P.M. Dawn.
Elevate
P.M. Dawn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On my grind each and everyday
Woah woah woah
I've been
On my grind each and everyday
Watch me
Level up yeah I elevate
Like it is not what it ain't
I'm on
Cloud nine I'm in outer space
I've been
On my grind each and everyday
Watch me
Level up yeah I elevate
Tell me
Like it is not what it ain't
I'm on
Cloud nine I'm in outer space
I've been
On my grind each and everyday
Watch me
Level up yeah I elevate
Tell me
Like it is not what it ain't
I'm on
Cloud nine I'm in outer space
We going on a plane
She wanna smoke on her pen
I wanna be your mans
Want to be more than friends
Shorty on the go
She wanna take a lil trip
Wasn't moving right
Started moving left
To see how I live
Yeah look through the lense
They wanna see me fail
What plotting revenge
I wanna see my aunty
In a brand new Benz
You got me fucked up
Yeah pardon my French
I'm scoring lights out
For time spent on the bench
Murder on my mind
All I see is red
Never looking back
Is how I stay ahead
That boy sweet
Like he ginger bread
Take it to the heart
Yeah he tender head
Started from the basement
I want everything
Only if she loyal
She get diamond rings
When I know it's real
She get the last name
I've been
On my grind each and everyday
Watch me
Level up yeah I elevate
Tell me
Like it is not what it ain't
I'm on
Cloud nine I'm in outer space
I've been
On my grind each and everyday
Watch me
Level up yeah I elevate
Tell me
Like it is not what it ain't
I'm on
Cloud nine I'm in outer space
She sipping the D'ussé (Yeah)
And I'm off the Rémy
She roll the weed up (Yeah)
And I'm counting money
We in the back of the back
What she giving me skully
We in the back of the back
Yeah I'm eating her yummy
Two things for certain my nigga
Yeah one thing fasho
I'm a 90's baby
It feel incredible
Negotiating comas
From these decimals
Smoking on gelato
You smoking Reginald
I had dreams of breaking the bank
Still got dreams of making it big
Securing the bag
Putting that bitch right in a safe
You should of fucked with me then
My nigga now it's too late
My niggas moving that weight
Just like a lake
I'm hitting maneuvers
When I see you fake
I'm mowing the grass
If I see a snake
I'm going bananas
I'm going gorrilla
I'm going all ape (Woah)
Yeah I do the dash
Then I do the race
My goons masking up
Yeah they rubbing paint
Donny where you from
21st mayne
I've been
On my grind each and everyday
Watch me
Level up yeah I elevate
Tell me
Like it is not what it ain't
I'm on
Cloud nine I'm in outer space
I've been
On my grind each and everyday
Watch me
Level up yeah I elevate
Tell me
Like it is not what it ain't
I'm on
Cloud nine I'm in outer space
The lyrics to "Elevate" by P.M. Dawn speak to the artist's determination and drive to succeed. Throughout the song, the artist emphasizes their dedication to their grind and their pursuit of success. They express a sense of ambition and confidence in their abilities, stating that they are constantly working hard and striving to reach new heights.
The phrase "on my grind each and everyday" emphasizes the artist's commitment to their craft. They are dedicated to putting in the effort and time necessary to achieve their goals. They also mention "leveling up" and "elevating," indicating their desire to continually improve and reach new levels of success. The artist acknowledges that they may face obstacles or people who doubt them, but they remain focused on their journey and refuse to be held back.
The second verse introduces a romantic interest who wants to embark on an adventure with the artist. The artist reflects on the importance of loyalty and genuine connections, hinting that if someone proves their loyalty, they could be the one to share in their success. They mention their dreams of breaking the bank and making it big, illustrating their aspirations for financial stability and recognition. The lyrics also suggest a sense of resilience and determination, not allowing past mistakes or setbacks to hinder their progress.
Overall, "Elevate" conveys a message of perseverance, dedication, and the pursuit of success despite obstacles. It serves as an anthem for those who are focused on their dreams and are willing to work hard to achieve them.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been
I have been
On my grind each and everyday
Working hard every single day
Watch me
Pay attention to me
Level up yeah I elevate
I am improving and rising higher
Tell me
Communicate to me
Like it is not what it ain't
Speak the truth, not falsehoods
I'm on
I am
Cloud nine I'm in outer space
I am extremely happy and feeling extraordinary
We going on a plane
We are traveling on an airplane
She wanna smoke on her pen
She wants to smoke from her pen-shaped device
I wanna be your mans
I want to be your partner
Want to be more than friends
Desire a romantic relationship
Shorty on the go
A girl who is always busy
She wanna take a lil trip
She wants to go on a small vacation
Wasn't moving right
Wasn't behaving correctly
Started moving left
Changed direction and behavior
To see how I live
To understand my lifestyle
Yeah look through the lense
Observe with a different perspective
They wanna see me fail
They desire to witness my failure
What plotting revenge
Planning to seek revenge
I wanna see my aunty
I want to visit my aunt
In a brand new Benz
Driving a new Mercedes-Benz car
You got me fucked up
You have confused me or misunderstood
Yeah pardon my French
Apologies for my swear word
I'm scoring lights out
I am performing exceptionally well
For time spent on the bench
After waiting a long time for an opportunity
Murder on my mind
Having thoughts of violence
All I see is red
Feeling anger and aggression
Never looking back
Not dwelling on the past
Is how I stay ahead
Helps me maintain success
That boy sweet
That guy is kind or nice
Like he ginger bread
Similar to gingerbread
Take it to the heart
Accept it sincerely
Yeah he tender head
Yeah, he is sensitive
Started from the basement
Began from a low point
I want everything
Desire to have it all
Only if she loyal
Only if she is faithful
She get diamond rings
She receives expensive jewelry
When I know it's real
When I am certain it is genuine
She get the last name
She becomes my wife and takes my surname
She sipping the D'ussé (Yeah)
She is drinking D'ussé liquor
And I'm off the Rémy
And I am drinking Rémy Martin cognac
She roll the weed up (Yeah)
She rolls the marijuana joint
And I'm counting money
And I am tallying my cash
We in the back of the back
We are in the rear seat of a luxury car
What she giving me skully
What she is doing to please me
Yeah I'm eating her yummy
Yeah, I am enjoying her company
Two things for certain my nigga
There are two things I am sure about, my friend
Yeah one thing fasho
Yeah, one thing for sure
I'm a 90's baby
I was born in the 1990s
It feel incredible
It feels amazing
Negotiating comas
Handling difficult situations
From these decimals
From the numbers and calculations
Smoking on gelato
Smoking Gelato cannabis strain
You smoking Reginald
You are smoking low-quality marijuana
I had dreams of breaking the bank
I had dreams of becoming extremely wealthy
Still got dreams of making it big
Still have aspirations of achieving great success
Securing the bag
Obtaining money and financial stability
Putting that bitch right in a safe
Keeping that valuable item secure
You should of fucked with me then
You should have associated with me in the past
My nigga now it's too late
My friend, now it is too late
My niggas moving that weight
My friends are involved in heavy illicit activities
Just like a lake
In a similar fashion as a lake
I'm hitting maneuvers
I am executing tactical moves
When I see you fake
When I encounter someone who is being deceitful
I'm mowing the grass
I am eliminating the obstacles
If I see a snake
If I notice someone who is treacherous
I'm going bananas
I am becoming extremely excited
I'm going gorilla
I am becoming aggressive and wild
I'm going all ape (Woah)
I am behaving in a frenzied manner (Wow)
Yeah I do the dash
Yeah, I drive quickly
Then I do the race
Then I participate in a competition
My goons masking up
My associates are covering their faces
Yeah they rubbing paint
Yeah, they are applying camouflage
Donny where you from
Donny, what is your place of origin
21st mayne
Representing the 21st Street
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Seandean Mbire
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind