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.
On A Clear Day
P.M. Dawn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Find a sight to see
Find a place that I belong to
Wandering aimlessly
But I know where I can go
Somewhere across from me,
I now realize
On a clear day, I can see
If only I could hear you
If only you could hear me
On a clear day, baby, I can see
Everything that's cosmic, but you, baby
Oh, maybe I'm just another something new
Maybe on a clear day I see you
Maybe I'm just another something new
Maybe on a clear day I see you, baby
I see you baby
I see you baby
I see you baby
I see you baby
When you open up your eyes
What's in front of you,
Is what's supposed to be there,
Oh really?
Ask me who I am.
Ask me what you are.
One nation under god,
I'm smiling
On a clear day, baby
I can see, if only I could find you
If only you could find me(find me baby)
On a clear day, baby
I can see, only God knows where you're going
Open up your hearts
Open up your minds
Baby how do you feel?
Are you cold here?
Kiss me everyday,
I find another way
Brings me in the sky,
I don't know you
On a clear day, baby
I can see if only I could see you
If only you could see me
On a clear day, baby, I can see
Forever behind the horizon line
Oh, maybe I'm just another something new
Maybe on a clear day I see you
Maybe I'm just another something new
Maybe on a clear day I see you, baby
I see you baby
I see you baby
I see you baby
I see you baby
Oh, where was I before?
It doesn't matter now
Maybe it does sometimes
I don't know
What do ya think of me?
What do ya think of life?
Hold me in my arms
I love you
On a clear day, baby
I can see everyone that loves you,
Everyone that loves me
On a clear day, baby, I can see
Whatever's in front of my eyes
Oh, maybe I'm just another something new
Maybe on a clear day I see you
Maybe I'm just another something new
Maybe on a clear day I see you
Maybe I'm just another something new
Maybe on a clear day I see you
Maybe I'm just another something new
Maybe on a clear day I see you, baby
I see you baby
I see you baby
I see you baby
I see you baby
In "On A Clear Day," P.M. Dawn's lyrics describe a search for purpose and belonging. The singer expresses a desire to find a better way and a place to call home, wandering aimlessly but knowing that there is somewhere out there for them. The lyrics touch on themes of identity and perception, with lines like "ask me who I am" and "what do ya think of me?" suggesting a quest for self-understanding and acceptance. The song also contains references to spirituality, with the repeated mention of "one nation under God" and the suggestion that there are cosmic forces at play that the singer is struggling to comprehend.
Beyond the search for meaning, the lyrics also convey a sense of longing and connection. The chorus expresses a desire to see and be seen, with the singer wishing they could hear and be heard by someone else. There is a focus on love and relationships, with lines like "kiss me every day, I find another way" and "hold me in my arms, I love you" suggesting a deep connection to someone else. The repetition of the phrase "I see you baby" throughout the song reinforces this sense of connection, suggesting that the singer is looking for someone who understands them and sees them for who they truly are.
Overall, "On A Clear Day" is a complex and introspective song that touches on a range of themes and emotions. From the search for purpose and belonging to the desire for connection and understanding, the lyrics offer a glimpse into a deeply personal journey of self-discovery and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Think I could find a better way,
I believe there must be a better way to live and explore.
Find a sight to see
Discover something worth seeing in this world.
Find a place that I belong to
Search for a place or a community where I fit in perfectly.
Wandering aimlessly
Roaming around with no clear direction or purpose.
But I know where I can go
I know there's a destination where I feel content and at peace.
Somewhere across from me,
It's within sight, yet far away from where I stand.
I now realize
I have finally understood or noticed something important.
On a clear day, I can see
When the sky is clear, I am able to perceive my surroundings better.
If only I could hear you
If only I could listen to your words and your heart's desires.
If only you could hear me
If only you could understand my thoughts and feelings.
Everything that's cosmic, but you, baby
I can perceive everything in the universe except for you, my love.
Oh, maybe I'm just another something new
Perhaps I am just another novelty that will eventually fade.
Maybe on a clear day I see you
Perhaps on a clear day, I am able to see your true essence and beauty.
I see you baby
I recognize and admire you, my love.
When you open up your eyes
When you become aware and conscious of your surroundings.
What's in front of you,
What you can perceive with your eyes and senses.
Is what's supposed to be there,
It is what fate or destiny intended to be in that precise moment.
Ask me who I am.
Ask me to reveal my true self and my identity.
Ask me what you are.
Ask me to explain your place and your role in this world.
One nation under god,
We are all united under a higher power or divinity.
I'm smiling
I am happy and content with my life and my surroundings.
Only God knows where you're going
The uncertainty of life's path is known only by a higher power.
Open up your hearts
Allow yourself to be vulnerable and let others in.
Open up your minds
Be receptive to new ideas and perspectives.
Baby how do you feel?
My love, can you express your emotions and let me understand them?
Are you cold here?
Are you distant and unresponsive to my love and affection?
Kiss me everyday,
Demonstrate your love and passion for me on a daily basis.
I find another way
I am constantly searching for new and exciting ways to express my love.
Brings me in the sky,
Elevates me to a state of bliss and joy.
I don't know you
Despite my love and affection, I still feel like I don't completely understand you.
Forever behind the horizon line
The future is unknown and unpredictable, yet filled with endless possibilities.
What do ya think of me?
What is your honest opinion of me and our relationship?
What do ya think of life?
What is your perception of the world and its meaning?
Hold me in my arms
Embrace me affectionately and protectively.
I love you
Expressing my unconditional and everlasting love for you, my darling.
I can see everyone that loves you,
I can sense the love and adoration that surrounds you from others.
Whatever's in front of my eyes
I am present and aware of what is happening around me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ATTRELL STEPHEN JR. CORDES, Attrell Cordes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind