'Perfect Man' by Gavin Adcock – Lyrics & Meaning

Not long after the release of his latest studio effort, Own Worst Enemy, raucous hitmaker Gavin Adcock has returned with yet another offering. This time around, however, he's dropped a song with far less gusto than his trademark party anthems and rowdy ballads.

'Perfect Man' is probably one of the artist's most exposing tunes to date. Throughout the sparse number, fans get a brief glimpse inside Adcock and, in turn, a cursory look at his values and beliefs.

"I’m blessed beyond belief," the artist shared on social media upon the song's release. "I’ve got a good job, a good family, good friends, and a life worth living. But I would be nothing without God."

'Perfect Man' is an exercise in humility, a tune about what it means to fall short and still find salvation on the other side.

There's not much to 'Perfect Man'. The song is carried by a simple strum pattern, and the occasional whimper of far-off steel and peppering of smooth bass texture the scarce tune.

This all builds into an impassioned chorus, where a sure rhythm joins in, but other than that, the arrangement remains steady and consistent throughout. It's a composition that enables Adcock's message to strike true and ring clear.

"My best foot forward is stumble at best
Don’t hold the cards too close to the vest
I’ll take the high road even if it ain’t that cool"

Right off the bat, 'Perfect Man' finds Adcock getting personal and fessing up to the fact that he struggles, sometimes, with doing what's right.

Sure, he knows when to open up and how to take the high road, but those are the least of his problems. He's had a tough time getting right with the Man upstairs, and that's what is driving this introspection.

He sings about avoiding church and running away from the values that, at one point, guided him through life. "Dodged a few Sundays and that offering plate," he admits. "By the time I get to sorry, it’s a little too late / Learned more from my mistakes than I did in school."

"But I know I don’t when I oughta give a damn
And I show up with only half a plan
There's who I ain’t, there's who I am
But there’s only ever been one perfect man"

Convicted by the Christian beliefs of his upbringing, the artist understands the path he needs to be taking. It seems he always looks to these values as guard rails through life, and still, he falls short. He finds comfort, however, in knowing that even though he's not perfect, his Savior is.

"I’ve ruffled up some feathers, thrown a few birds
I’ve missed the mark on a couple red words
I’ve cussed, I’ve prayed, I’ve walked, I’ve stayed
But one thing’s for certain at the end of the day"

Adcock has been in the media lately – not for his music, but for his penchant for stirring the pot. He's had beef with many a fellow country act and has no qualms with getting under other artists' skins, so when he sings, "I’ve ruffled up some feathers, thrown a few birds," he's not lying.

This verse appears to address the drama that tends to follow him, the entire song seeming to be a turning of the page for the young star. Whether or not that will be reflected in his antics on social media is yet to be seen, but with this song, it seems he's extending a little grace to himself and others.

Because, at the end of the day, Adcock believes that no one is perfect, except for his God. "The more I live, the more I wanna be," the artist sings in closing, "A little more like Him and less like me."

My best foot forward is stumble at best
Don’t hold the cards too close to the vest
I’ll take the high road even if it ain’t that cool

Dodged a few Sundays and that offering plate
By the time I get to sorry, it’s a little too late
Learned more from my mistakes than I did in school

And I’ve gambled it all a thousand times and often come up short

But I know I don’t when I oughta give a damn
And I show up with only half a plan
There's who I ain’t, there's who I am
But there’s only ever been one perfect man

I’ve ruffled up some feathers, thrown a few birds
I’ve missed the mark on a couple red words
I’ve cussed, I’ve prayed, I’ve walked, I’ve stayed
But one thing’s for certain at the end of the day

But I know I don’t when I oughta give a damn
And I show up with only half a plan
There's who I ain’t, there's who I am
But there’s only ever been one perfect man

The more I live, the more I wanna be
A little more like Him and less like me

But I know I don’t when I oughta give a damn
And I show up with only half a plan
There's who I ain’t, there's who I am
But there’s only ever been one perfect man
Perfect man

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For more on Gavin Adcock, see below:

Gavin Adcock

Artist