Coming together in 1991, during the No More Tours supposed-retirement tour for Ozzy's No More Tears, the band was originally named Lynyrd Skynhead and included the former White Lion rhythm section of bassist James LoMenzo and drummer Greg D'Angelo alongside Wylde. Although credited solely as 'Zakk Wylde' solo tracks, this line-up actually released two individual recordings; a raucous Southern instrumental entitled "Farm Fiddlin'" on a compilation called Guitars That Rule the World (1991) and a cover of the blues-standard "Baby Please Don't Go" on the first L.A. Blues Authority compilation (1992).
In early 1994 D'Angelo was replaced by Brian Tichy, this was at the same time that the band changed their name to Pride & Glory, and by May released their self-titled debut - and only - album, on Geffen Records. In June of that year, the band performed as a main stage act at the Donington Monsters of Rock Festival in England. In November 1994 LoMenzo left after their tour of Japan, 3 days before the beginning of their US Tour. Zakk managed to find a replacement for James in his long time friend John 'J.D.' DeServio (Drill). The band played their last show on December 10th 1994 in Los Angeles in which Slash, guitarist of popular rock band Guns N' Roses (also signed to Geffen Records) played the songs Voodoo Child and Red House with the band. On January 31, 1998, the original Pride & Glory band reunited for a one-off reunion show at the Whiskey in Hollywood, CA. This momentous occasion was believed to be bootlegged, but no video has turned up anywhere.
Torn & Tattered
Pride & Glory Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a listen child, if you can
Gonna tell you a story now about a broken man
He done built his walls, in time they all caved in
He done lost what he loved, son
Done killed him in the end...
Lord, I'll take it here to heaven
Feelin' like you don't belong
Lord if life was music, yours would be,
One torn & tattered song, oh yeah
A whole lot of hurtin' child, a whole lot of pain
If you could do it all over, son
Tell me, would it end the same?
A never ending feeling, forever sinkin' low
I lost the light in your tunnel, child
You lost which way to go...
[Chorus]
[Chorus] ...Oh, yeah now
...One torn & tattered song, hey, yeah now
...Lord, one torn & tattered song now
...Lord, one torn & tattered song
The song "Torn & Tattered" by Pride & Glory is a poignant story about a broken man who has lost everything he loved and is now struggling to find his place in the world. The song starts with an invitation to listen to this story about the broken man who has built walls around him, only to see them all crumble and fall, ultimately leading to the loss of everything he held dear. The chorus speaks to the feeling of being lost and not belonging, likens life to music, and describes the man's life as "one torn & tattered song."
The second verse alludes to the regrets and wishes for do-overs that we all have. The man in the song is overwhelmed with feelings of hurt and pain and wonders if he had a chance to do it all over again, would he make the same choices? The song acknowledges how draining it can be to live in a state of perpetual hopelessness. The man is constantly at a low point, and the tunnel he looks to for light has lost its shine, leaving him with nothing to guide him in the right direction.
In conclusion, the song is a beautiful and powerful lament about the struggles of life, the choices we make, and the consequences that haunt us. It is a story of a man who has lost everything he loved, but who still searches for a way to find meaning and purpose in his torn and tattered life.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a listen child, if you can
Listen to this story, if you are able
Gonna tell you a story now about a broken man
I will tell you a story about a man who is broken
He done built his walls, in time they all caved in
He built his defenses, but eventually they crumbled
He done lost what he loved, son
He lost the one he loved, my child
Done killed him in the end...
Which ultimately caused his demise
Lord, I'll take it here to heaven
Lord, I will accept this pain in heaven
Feelin' like you don't belong
Feeling like you do not fit in
Lord if life was music, yours would be,
If life was like a song, yours would be,
One torn & tattered song, oh yeah
A song that is torn and tattered, oh yeah
A whole lot of hurtin' child, a whole lot of pain
A lot of pain and suffering, my child
If you could do it all over, son
If you had the chance to do it again, my son
Tell me, would it end the same?
Would it conclude in the same way?
A never ending feeling, forever sinkin' low
A feeling that never ends, continuously sinking lower
I lost the light in your tunnel, child
I lost hope in your future, my child
You lost which way to go...
You are unsure of which direction to take
Lord, one torn & tattered song now
A song that is torn and tattered, Lord
Contributed by Daniel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.