PawPaw Rod – When I Get Home [Single]

The first time I heard “When I Get Home,” from PawPaw Rod recently dropped Doobie Mouth project, I felt like the beat was doing all the heavy lifting. That doesn’t mean that it wasn’t good…because it’s good y’all. But by the end I realized that I couldn’t even say what the song was even talking about. So, I hit replay (because, honestly, who can resist more of that bass line?), and this time, I paid closer attention to the lyrics. And it was absolutely worth it!

The words brought to mind a conversation between James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni (seriously, watch THIS then look up the whole convo – it’s worth your time). They were talking about how people often fake happiness at work or in public, and Giovanni argued that you should bring that same energy home, even if it’s not entirely genuine. But PawPaw takes a kinder approach. He’s not asking you to fake it; instead, he’s reminding you to save some of that energy for when you get home. The line “When the world gets the best of you/ and I get the rest of it/ Yeah Im your peace/ But please see me,” sums it up perfectly.

No doubt it’s okay to share the pain and anxiety, and turmoil you face outside with your partner. After all, a burden shared is a burdened halved. But if that’s all you ever give to your relationship it’s going to wear things down over time until something eventually breaks.

Although the thought-provoking ideas heard in the Baldwin/Giovanni interview are softened here on “When I Get Home“, the gist is the same: don’t give all your joy to the world. Save some for home.  And seriously, that beat? Chef’s kiss.

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