Once An Addict (Interlude)

Album: KOD (2018)
Charted: 47
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Jermaine Cole's mum, Kay, is a white European American who worked as a postal worker for the United States Postal Service. Kay struggled with drinking and drugs after Cole's stepfather, Edward, left in 2003, before eventually getting clean and sober. Here, Cole flips Micha? Urbaniak's 1978 track "A Day in the Park" to highlight his mother's struggles with drug and alcohol addiction.

    Hate how she slurrin' her words
    Soundin' so f---in' absurd
    This ain't the woman I know, why I just sit and observe?
    Why don't I say how I feel?
    When I do, she's defensive for real
    Well maybe things get better with time, I heard it heals
    Little did I know how deep her sadness would go
    Lookin' back, I wish I woulda did more instead of runnin'


    Cole unravels his feelings as a child of an addict observing his parent abuse drugs and alcohol.
  • So how does Cole's mom view her son detailing her addictive behavior in song. "For him to tell it - does it hurt, it is a bit embarrassing? Yes," Kay told Vulture. "But Jermaine was given a gift. Certainly he's talented, intelligent, he's a hard worker and perseveres. He was also given this gift of compassion. And patience. And unconditional love. Humans have been self-medicating since the beginning of time, but let's talk why."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.

Brian Kehew: The Man Behind The Remasters

Brian Kehew: The Man Behind The RemastersSong Writing

Brian has unearthed outtakes by Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello and hundreds of other artists for reissues. Here's how he does it.

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.

British Invasion

British InvasionFact or Fiction

Go beyond The Beatles to see what you know about the British Invasion.

Chris Rea

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.