At the time of their 1990 debut, the kind of rock & roll the Black Crowes specialize in was out of style. Only Guns N' Roses came close to approximating a vintage Stones-style raunch, but they were too angry and jagged to pull it off completely. The Black Crowes replicated that Stonesy swagger and Faces boogie perfectly. Vocalist Chris Robinson appropriated the sound and style of vintage Rod Stewart while guitarist Rich Robinson fused Keith Richards' lean attack with Ron Wood's messy rhythmic sense. At their best, the Black Crowes echo classic rock without slavishly imitating their influences.
The Robinson brothers originally formed the Black Crowes in Georgia in 1984. By the time of their 1990 debut, Shake Your Money Maker, the group comprised Chris Robinson (vocals), Rich Robinson (guitar), Johnny Colt (bass), Jeff Cease (guitar), and Steve Gorman (drums). "Jealous Again," the first single from Shake Your Money Maker, was a moderate hit but it was the band's cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle" that made the group a multi-platinum success. "Hard to Handle" climbed its way into the Top 40, propelling the album into the Top Ten. The acoustic ballad "She Talks to Angels" became the band's second Top 40 hit in the spring of 1991. Shake Your Money Maker would eventually sell over three million copies.
The Black Crowes delivered their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, in the spring of 1992, adding new lead guitarist Marc Ford and keyboardist Eddie Harsch. It entered the charts at number one, but it didn't have as many hit singles as the debut; none of the singles cracked the Top 40 and only "Remedy" and "Thorn in My Pride" made the Top 100. Nevertheless, the band established themselves as a popular concert attraction that summer, selling out theaters across America. The Black Crowes' third album, Amorica, arrived in late 1994. Amorica debuted in the Top Ten, but none of the singles from the album made the charts; even though the record went gold, it slipped off the charts in early 1995.
Three Snakes & One Charm, the group's fourth album, was released in July of 1996. The album entered the charts at number 15, but it quickly slipped out of the Top 50. Nevertheless, the album received the best reviews of any Crowes album since The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Guitarist Marc Ford was fired from the Black Crowes in August, 1997; two years later, the group returned with By Your Side. In mid-2000, the band collaborated with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page on the double-disc Live at the Greek, an eclectic mix of newly recorded Zeppelin covers and additional classic blues cuts. A Tribute to a Work in Progress: Greatest Hits 1990-1999, a 16-track best-of compilation was also released in mid-2000. The Don Was-produced Lions appeared in spring 2001, and a summer tour with Oasis -- the Tour of Brotherly Love -- followed in June. But all was apparently not well with the group, in January of 2002 the band announced that they were on hiatus. Drummer Steve Gorman was fired from the band, and Chris Robinson announced his intentions for a solo career.
The Black Crowes have since reunited. All members circa 1992 are back, with the addition of one of their previous bassists, Sven Pipien, and harmony singers Mona Lisa Young and Charity White. They are enjoying a renaissance within the group as well as with their longtime fan base and have been consistently touring since formally reuniting in March 2005. In November of 2007, it was announced that North Mississippi Allstar guitarist Luther Dickinson formally joined the band, replacing Paul Stacey. He appears throughout the Crowes' album Warpaint, which was released in March of 2008.
In late 2019, during an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Chris and Rich Robinson announced that they had resolved their differences (the brothers hadn't spoken in the years since the band's 2015 split). Besides the Robinson brothers, the reunited lineup featured an entirely new backing band including guitarist Isiah Mitchell (from the bands Earthless and Golden Void), bassist Tim Lefebvre (formerly of the Tedeschi Trucks Band), keyboardist Joel Robinow, and drummer Raj Ojha. This line-up premiered at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City on November 11, 2019 where they played the entire Shake Your Money Maker album.
Thorn In My Pride
The Black Crowes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
show me how the sun shines
tell me 'bout your heartache, who could be so unkind
do you dream to touch me?
and smile down deep inside...
or could you just kill me?
hey..it's hard to make up your mind sometimes
my angels, my devils...thorn in my pride
are you wanting inspiration?
you spill your secrets on me
then you tell me with a whisper..of things that will never be
do you hear me breathing?
does it make you want to scream..
did you ever like a bad dream?
yeah...sometimes life is obscene
my angels, my devils, thorn in my pride (X4)
lover, cover me with your sleep
let your love light shine, let it shine
lover, cover me with a good dream
oh let your love light...let your love light shine
oh oh....
all I wanna know...do you ever want to let it shine
do you ever want to let it shine
your love light...your love light...now listen
lover, cover me with your sleep
let your love light shine, let it shine...(repeat)
The Black Crowes's song Thorn In My Pride is a beautiful and introspective track filled with questions, doubts, and hopes. The song opens with the singer asking to be woken up when the day breaks, showing him how the sun shines, and telling him about their heartache. The lines, "Do you dream to touch me? And smile down deep inside... or could you just kill me? Hey...it's hard to make up your mind sometimes," convey a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty about the singer's relationship with the other person.
The lyrics then move on to talk about the singer's angels and devils, representing the conflicting emotions that they feel about the relationship. The chorus of "Thorn in my pride" repeats throughout the song, describing how this person who they love is also causing them pain and frustration. The second verse continues with the same tone, questioning whether the other person wants inspiration and asking if they hear the singer's breathing, making them want to scream. The lines, "Did you ever like a bad dream? Yeah...sometimes life is obscene," show that the singer recognizes the difficulties in life as well as the good.
The final section of the song takes a more positive tone, with the singer asking the other person to cover them with their sleep and let their love light shine. Overall, the song is a beautiful and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of human relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake me when the day breaks
I am lost and tired, and I want someone to make me feel alive again
show me how the sun shines
I want to feel the beauty of life and experience new things
tell me 'bout your heartache, who could be so unkind
I want to understand your pain and share your burden
do you dream to touch me?
Are you longing for physical closeness and intimacy?
and smile down deep inside...
Are you genuinely happy, or are you just pretending?
or could you just kill me?
Are you capable of love, or do you just want to hurt me?
hey..it's hard to make up your mind sometimes
I understand that making decisions is difficult, and I am here to support you
my angels, my devils...thorn in my pride
I have both good and bad qualities that make me who I am, and they can be both a blessing and a curse
are you wanting inspiration?
Are you looking for something that will ignite your creative spark?
you spill your secrets on me
You confide in me because you trust me and want to share your innermost thoughts
then you tell me with a whisper..of things that will never be
You share your deepest desires with me, even though they may never be realized
do you hear me breathing?
Do you feel connected to me on a primal level?
does it make you want to scream..
Are you overwhelmed by the intensity of our physical and emotional connection?
did you ever like a bad dream?
Have you ever experienced something so surreal and terrifying that it felt like a nightmare?
yeah...sometimes life is obscene
Life can be cruel and unfair, and we must find ways to cope with its challenges
lover, cover me with your sleep
I want to feel safe and protected in your arms, like I am in a peaceful slumber
let your love light shine, let it shine
Let your love radiate and illuminate the darkness in my life
all I wanna know...do you ever want to let it shine
Do you ever feel passionate and alive, and want to share that feeling with me?
your love light...your love light...now listen
Your love is a beacon that guides me through life, and I am all ears
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alexharris3773
Shh
Wake me when the day breaks
Show me how the sun shine
Tell me about your heartache
Who could be so unkind?
Do you dream to touch me?
And smile down deep inside
Or could you just kill me?
Hey, it's hard to make up your mind sometimes
My angels, my devils, a thorn in my pride
My angels, my devils, a thorn in my pride
Are you wanting inspiration?
You spill your secrets on me
Then you tell me with a whisper
Of things that'll never be
Do you hear me breathing?
Doesn't it make you want to scream?
Did you ever like a bad dream?
Yeah, sometimes life is obscene
My angels, my devils, a thorn in my pride
My angels, my devils, thorn in my pride
Lover, cover me with your sleep
Let your love light shine, let it shine
Lover, cover me with a good dream
Oh, let your love light
Oh, let your love light shine
Oh, mmm
All I wanna know, do you ever wanna let it shine?
Do you ever wanna let it shine, baby?
Your love light huh, your love light
Listen, lover, cover me with your sleep
(Let your love light shine, let it shine)
Let your love light shine, let it shine
(Lover, cover me with a dream)
Lover, cover me with a dream
(Let your love light shine, let it shine)
Let your love light shine, let it shine
(Lover, cover me with your sleep)
Lover, cover me with your sleep
(Let your love light shine, let it shine)
Oh, let your love light shine, let it shine, uh huh
(Let your love light shine, let it shine)
My angels, my devils, and my thorn in my pride, yeah
(Let your love light shine, let it shine)
Angels baby, devils baby, thorn in my pride
(Let your love light shine, let it shine)
My angels, my devils, my thorn in my pride
(Let your love light shine, let it shine)
My my angels yeah, devils and thorn in my pride
Thorn in my pride
Oh
https://www.facebook.com/lvngubrthlss
@ThePhototroon
For me the Black Crowes are one of the best bands ever to come out of America.
@deancampbell5091
I agree bud
@michaelbreed4277
From Atlanta and just saw em live. Go see them if you haven't live they're one of the best live bands ever too
@paulbrown9311
Totally agree, they are in my top 5 ever hands down. Nobody touches me emotionally like they do.
@ashrickley3168
I totally agree! Was blessed to see them play a couple of times back in the day. It's great to see that they got back together and maybe made amends.
@Dreamersroc
Whiskey and t
@jamesjordan-davies2704
This is one of the most wonderfully put together songs, the layers, the swell of the guitars coming in, the soulful vocals, the guitar solo duel, so much going on and then those backing vocals and piano and organ, and you can hear every note! It is so beautifully produced, performed and arranged
@noneya3137
Amen.
@j.simbulan4699
Yeah, it even sounds great on my laptop's tin sounding speakers.
@MOLTEN_IMP
The fuckin blues is strong with this one