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.
In The Presence Of Mirrors
P.M. Dawn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
Which is me, which is me, which is me
Impossible to tell whether he was there,
He went for a trip inside and he liked it there
I wonder if he'll ever be back
(Will he ever come back? )
Impossible sets the world for a man to commute
But from his point of view, it's untrue (so untrue)
A likely story I heard before so I'll paint it black
I read it but it's about as black as white (black as white)
(Face to face)
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
Which is me, which is me, which is me
My first trip inside I met someone I never met before
I enjoyed his company so everyday I'd stop to say hello
One day I took him with me and inside we had a ball
So I asked him if he'd like to come here everyday
(Just to come with me, baby)
The next day I just couldn't find him and I didn't wonder why
Till almost recently I didn't understand
Yesterday waves goodbye but she also likes to stare
Till I passed a mirror I couldn't figure out why
(Oh why oh why oh why? No)
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
Which is me, which is me, which is me
So outside one of us built a window to the other side
Now the flowers get upset when I take the short way
Holiness he holds on to with the holdest tightest love
So I wonder how he gets to ride my butterfly
(Butterfly)
But even if he wanted to, as sad as the wind,
So I wonder why his smile is upside down all the time
See horses make me laugh at times as does the wind
But none of them get to see me anymore
(No oh no no no)
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
Which is me, which is me, which is me
The lyrics to P.M. Dawn's song "In The Presence Of Mirrors" are a reflection on the self and others, and how they intertwine through shared experiences. The repeating line "In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you / Which is me, which is me, which is me" highlights the idea that our perception of ourselves is often a reflection of the people we interact with, the environments we find ourselves in, and the experiences we have.
The verses provide a surreal narrative, full of wordplay and abstract imagery. The first verse describes someone going "for a trip inside" and not knowing if they'll ever come back. This could refer to a spiritual journey, a psychedelic experience, or simply a metaphor for introspection. The second verse tells the story of meeting someone new on a trip inside, and enjoying their company so much that the singer brings them back with them. However, this new companion disappears and leaves the singer questioning their own identity.
The chorus ties these ideas together, suggesting that we see ourselves more clearly when we see ourselves reflected in others, whether that be in a physical mirror or through the people we know. The final verse adds another layer, with a mysterious figure holding onto "holiness" with "the holdest tightest love". It's unclear who this figure is or what they represent, but they seem to have access to the singer's inner world, riding their "butterfly" and showing up in mirrors.
Overall, "In The Presence Of Mirrors" invites the listener to reflect on how the people and experiences we encounter shape our sense of self, and how interconnected our inner and outer worlds truly are.
Line by Line Meaning
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
When I look in the mirror, I see myself but also see reflections of you.
Which is me, which is me, which is me
It's hard to tell which reflection is me and which is you.
Impossible to tell whether he was there,
It's unclear if he was really there or just a figment of my imagination.
I can count his days in confusion
I'm unsure of how long he was around or if he even existed.
He went for a trip inside and he liked it there
He went on a journey within himself and enjoyed it.
I wonder if he'll ever be back (Will he ever come back?)
I'm unsure if that version of myself will return.
Impossible sets the world for a man to commute
The world can be confusing and hard to navigate.
But from his point of view, it's untrue (so untrue)
But from his perspective, things may not be as they seem.
A likely story I heard before so I'll paint it black
I've heard this story before so I'm hesitant to believe it.
I read it but it's about as black as white (black as white)
The story remains unclear and doesn't make sense to me.
My first trip inside I met someone I never met before
When I first went on a journey within myself, I met a version of myself that I hadn't met before.
I enjoyed his company so everyday I'd stop to say hello
I liked being around that version of myself and would check in on him daily.
So I asked him if he'd like to come here everyday (Just to come with me, baby)
I asked that version of myself if he wanted to stick around and come with me on my daily journeys within myself.
The next day I just couldn't find him and I didn't wonder why
The next day, that version of myself was gone and I didn't question where he went.
Till almost recently I didn't understand
It took me a while to realize that he was just a part of me and not a separate entity.
Yesterday waves goodbye but she also likes to stare
The past is gone but still lingers in my mind.
Till I passed a mirror I couldn't figure out why (Oh why oh why oh why? No)
It wasn't until I looked in the mirror that I understood that version of myself was just a reflection of me.
So outside one of us built a window to the other side
To try to connect with that version of myself, I built a metaphorical window.
Now the flowers get upset when I take the short way
The journey within myself isn't always easy and shortcuts can have consequences.
Holiness he holds on to with the holdest tightest love
That version of myself holds onto his purity and goodness tightly.
So I wonder how he gets to ride my butterfly (Butterfly)
I'm curious how that version of myself is able to ride on my metaphorical butterfly, or journey within myself.
But even if he wanted to, as sad as the wind,
Even if that version of myself wanted to come back, it might not be possible.
So I wonder why his smile is upside down all the time
I'm puzzled by why that version of myself always seems sad.
See horses make me laugh at times as does the wind
Sometimes things in the world can make me happy, like horses or the wind.
But none of them get to see me anymore (No oh no no no)
But that version of myself no longer exists and can't experience these things with me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC.
Written by: ATTRELL STEPHEN JR. CORDES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
mc
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
Which is me, which is me, which is me
Impossible to tell whether he was there,
I can count his days in confusion
He went for a trip inside and he liked it there
I wonder if he'll ever be back
(Will he ever come back? )
Impossible sets the world for a man to commute
But from his point of view, it's untrue (so untrue)
A likely story I heard before so I'll paint it black
I read it but it's about as black as white (black as white)
(Face to face)
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
Which is me, which is me, which is me
My first trip inside I met someone I never met before
I enjoyed his company so everyday I'd stop to say hello
One day I took him with me and inside we had a ball
So I asked him if he'd like to come here everyday
(Just to come with me, baby)
The next day I just couldn't find him and I didn't wonder why
Till almost recently I didn't understand
Yesterday waves goodbye but she also likes to stare
Till I passed a mirror I couldn't figure out why
(Oh why oh why oh why? No)
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
Which is me, which is me, which is me
So outside one of us built a window to the other side
Now the flowers get upset when I take the short way
Holiness he holds on to with the holdest tightest love
So I wonder how he gets to ride my butterfly
(Butterfly)
But even if he wanted to, as sad as the wind,
So I wonder why his smile is upside down all the time
See horses make me laugh at times as does the wind
But none of them get to see me anymore
(No oh no no no)
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
In the presence of mirrors I come face to face with you
Which is me, which is me, which is me.
wolfatnight
never got into much rap/hiphop.... but these guys transcend genres... I'm a 41 year old hard rock/metal guy, and think that these guys are brilliant... music unites
Míchele Cobré
Rap and hip hop are not the same
Victoria Kalumbi
I totally agree with you
RockoJulian
This is one of the few hip hop albums that is strong enough to bring tears with impression. A masterpiece at its time and it's a shame that this album didn't earn the full recognition it deserved.
Sandra Weilbrenner
These gentlemen had spirituality inside them , nobody can ever be them ever. Most important band ever.
herostatus
"In the presence of mirrors, I come face to face with you. Which is me?" That line alone is profound as hell.
Ronnie Gill
I agree! This song always makes me cry& think of my past wen I was happy!!
Benjamin Hall
PM Dawn is one of the most under-rated artists of the 90s!
alanjohn
What an amazing album,still sends shivers up the spine to this day..RIP
Daniel Kamensky
Love the album but this has to be my favourite song, it's a great melody