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.
Plastic
P.M. Dawn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Instead I put pressure on the whole damn place,
I never liked running through the crowd with no proof,
So now I gotta flex in the steps of the truth,
Forever hearing Prince has to stick to his kind,
Prince make a love song about a tech 9,
I thought Prince Be had to be Prince Be
Yet they wanna riff when they find I disagree
Even if I'm steppin' on your frame of mind
You can ring things where the ringin' things at.
But Prince Be thinks its widdack
So now I'm accused of spikin' the punch
And I'll be the scapegoat for fakin' the funk
But when they set up another prince time beef
What's hard at first, but melts in the heat, they call that Plastic
[Chorus]
What, plastic ya'll , plastic, what plastic ya'll
( repeat )
Shake it up over here
Lord, what they wanna serve me now
A cup of dried rainbows and a dark cloud
You wanna picture me as you well, no way.
See I'm into innovations OK
Don't you know they itchy itchy me
When they itchy itchy you
Passin' off the mic through the kissy kissy crew
What else can display through a mind that's foul.
Can the politics show you how, come on now
I refused to be used as an under cover clone
Or even bad to the bone
Nocturna caps an "Uh oh" persona
That calculate traits that do what you wanna what
Tic toc me for the crazy fliz
Do you really want to know what a sellout is
Did you ever see a feather that could break a nut
They melt every time you heat 'em up
Because they're
[Chorus]
I don't know hip hop, what's this?
What's this? See what I'm sayin
Save the snakes because you can't find me.
You treat me right I'll be good to you
Whatever's clever for the scapegoat's toys
The most superficial, sacrificial, interincarnational costume ever
And that's called plastic
And that's foul
I'll be the sellout, and that's foul
I'll be the wick wick wack, and that's foul
In P.M. Dawn's "Plastic," the lyrics speak to the idea of being true to oneself and not conforming to what others expect from you. The opening lines mention Prince, who was known for his unique style and music. The singer then asserts that they refuse to run with the crowd without evidence, instead opting to acknowledge the truth. The stress of fitting in persists throughout the song, with several references to the pressures of conformity. The chorus repeats the word "plastic," representing the superficiality of those who seek to control others.
The second verse mentions how the singer refuses to be a clone or a sellout, showcasing their individuality. The lines "You wanna picture me as you well, no way" and "I refused to be used as an under cover clone" further highlight the idea of not succumbing to others' expectations. The lyrics also reference "Nocturna caps," which may refer to the character Nocturna from the Batman comics - known for her shape-shifting abilities, mirroring the idea of being able to change and adapt while staying true to oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Prince sing another song, its written on your face,
Prince is expected to sing songs in his usual style, but he wants to try something different
Instead I put pressure on the whole damn place,
He doesn't want to follow the norm and wants to make waves by doing something different
I never liked running through the crowd with no proof,
He doesn't like being judged or accused without evidence
So now I gotta flex in the steps of the truth,
He's going to stick to the truth and won't back down
Forever hearing Prince has to stick to his kind,
People have preconceived notions about the kind of music he makes and want him to stick to that
Prince make a love song about a tech 9,
He's going to make a song that's not in his usual style
I thought Prince Be had to be Prince Be
He's going to remain true to himself and not conform to others' expectations
Yet they wanna riff when they find I disagree
People criticize him when he doesn't do what's expected of him
With that dog eat dog, I'm a get mine
He's going to look out for himself in the competitive music industry
Even if I'm steppin' on your frame of mind
He doesn't care if he offends people with his music
You can ring things where the ringin' things at.
You can do what you want as long as it's positive and doesn't hurt anyone else
But Prince Be thinks its widdack
He thinks some things people do are foolish
So now I'm accused of spikin' the punch
He's being blamed for things he hasn't done
And I'll be the scapegoat for fakin' the funk
He's being blamed for ruining something that he had no part in
But when they set up another prince time beef
When there's a conflict in the music industry, people blame him even if he's not involved
What's hard at first, but melts in the heat, they call that Plastic
When something is difficult to accept at first but becomes socially acceptable, it's called plastic
[Chorus]
Repeating the word 'plastic'
Lord, what they wanna serve me now
Musicians are criticized for experimenting with different styles
A cup of dried rainbows and a dark cloud
People like music that is positive and uplifting
You wanna picture me as you well, no way.
He doesn't want to be stereotyped
See I'm into innovations OK
He likes to try new things musically
Don't you know they itchy itchy me
People annoy him with their judgment
When they itchy itchy you
He doesn't like when people try to force their expectations on others
Passin' off the mic through the kissy kissy crew
People fake friendship to try to get ahead
What else can display through a mind that's foul.
He's frustrated with his thoughts
Can the politics show you how, come on now
He doesn't like the politics involved in the music industry
I refused to be used as an under cover clone
He won't conform to others' expectations
Or even bad to the bone
He won't do things that he feels are wrong
Nocturna caps an "Uh oh" persona
He's warning people of a negative situation
That calculate traits that do what you wanna what
He's warning people that some people will do anything to get ahead
Tic toc me for the crazy fliz
He's challenging people to understand his music
Do you really want to know what a sellout is
He's warning people of the temptation to compromise their values for success
Did you ever see a feather that could break a nut
He's talking about the fragility of certain things or people
They melt every time you heat 'em up
People will compromise their values when pushed
Because they're
Repeating the word 'plastic'
[Chorus]
Repeating the word 'plastic'
I don't know hip hop, what's this?
He's questioning the direction of hip hop music
What's this? See what I'm sayin
He's trying to make a point
Save the snakes because you can't find me.
He's refusing to be fake or deceitful like a snake
You treat me right I'll be good to you
He will be true to those who are true to him
Whatever's clever for the scapegoat's toys
He doesn't want to be used as a tool by others
The most superficial, sacrificial, interincarnational costume ever
He's criticizing people who wear a superficial mask to hide their true selves
And that's called plastic
The superficiality is referred to as 'plastic'
And that's foul
It is wrong
I'll be the sellout, and that's foul
He refuses to compromise his values and be a 'sellout'
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ATTRELL STEPHEN JR. CORDES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
powerlordraider
Use to bump this album all the time
Wrecker '56
Dog eat dog, imma get mine, even if I'm steppin on you! frame of mind....BEST LINE EVER!!
こてまる
今聴いてもカッコええ
J'Brahm snogarD
And I'm from World Form,And we here LIVE with scapegoats anonymous, 2 xperience some vibes........RAWDAAAWWWG!!!
Chris Tracy
Listen how u gunna say tht this man don't knw hip hop?if u listen
To Wht he talks about it SOOOOOO clear to understand unlike others in the rap game may
I not mention any names!(Bdp)
And listen this man CHANGED HIS BEAT UP 4TIMES IN ONE TRACK OK AND EACH TIME HE CHANGED IT,IT GOT BETTER AND BETTER! !
And the dope thing about it he didn't even use non of those beats in his albums tht his just threw to you fool's lol damn this boy is dope!!!
J'Brahm snogarD
the nocturnal chek it out... ALL the lyrics and music hittin' true. Listen 2 All the lyrics-----cold sh*@