'Black Sheep' by Gavin Adcock – Lyrics & Meaning

Much of Gavin Adcock’s new studio album, Own Worst Enemy, is a proclamation, a proud statement – and a near justification – of his rapscallion ways. Of the collection's 24 tracks, the song, 'Black Sheep', is the one that most obviously makes this decree. He's an outlier, always has been, always will be.

While other tunes on the release, like 'Outside Dog' and 'Hard Headed Heart', make similar declarations, 'Black Sheep' gives an unequivocal answer as to why he is the way he is, summing up and putting into perspective many of the questions that crop up throughout Own Worst Enemy.

Of the album, which arrived on Aug. 15, the artist has shared, "Over the last 4 years I’ve spent my life writing, traveling, and trying to find time to breathe. It doesn’t always add up on paper like it would seem, but through the happiness, hard times and self destruction I’ve found the best part of my job is letting out music for my fans. I can’t thank y’all enough for sticking with me for this long. I’m the furthest thing from perfect and I don’t ever plan to be."

Here, we are diving into the true heart of the rising star's latest release.

'Black Sheep' is a shadowy number, cast in the ghostly groans of distant steel and quaked by the hollow thunder of stern drums. The composition waxes and wanes as it trades out small, sombre movements with big, brutish flourishes come the chorus. Much like the artist himself, this particular number is delicate until it's not, welcoming until it's anything but.

"Think you’re gonna clean me up
Gonna smooth out all my rough
Think you’re gonna drag my ass outta town
Keeping me off the hard stuff
Think you’re gonna dump out my glass
Girl you know me better than that"

Just like in the album's 'Outside Dog', 'Black Sheep' depicts someone attempting to change Adcock, and the artist isn't having any of it.

He describes a lover who is making considerable efforts to try and "fix" him of his ne'er-do-well ways, expecting him to clean up his act and tone down his incessant partying.

Well, he has news for them.

"I've always been a black sheep,
Lord knows I can't change
Baby, I'm a bad dream
Turn the sunshine into rain
You can walk this line and try to mend it
I'll break it again
Baby, I'm a black sheep
You can't fence me in"

In the chorus, he describes himself as a "black sheep", an outsider who is uninterested in sticking to any status quo. He'd rather act out than act like everyone else. He's always been this way and likely always will be.

Others may say he and his life are on a downward trajectory, but he sees it as him just being himself. While romantic partners are welcome to try and change him, try to fence him in and keep him tame, he's letting them know, with this song, that their efforts will prove futile in the end. Each and every time.

"I've always been a black sheep,
Lord knows I can't change
Baby, I'm a bad dream
Turn the sunshine into rain
You can walk this line and try to mend it
I'll break it again
Baby, I'm a black sheep
You can't fence me in"

Think you’re gonna clean me up
Gonna smooth out all my rough
Think you’re gonna drag my ass outta town
Keeping me off the hard stuff
Think you’re gonna dump out my glass
Girl you know me better than that

I've always been a black sheep,
Lord knows I can't change
Baby, I'm a bad dream
Turn the sunshine into rain
You can walk this line and try to mend it
I'll break it again
Baby, I'm a black sheep
You can't fence me in

Say I'm on a downhill slide
Say I’m just a waste of your time
Guess it ain’t my style to walk you down the aisle
Dressed in white

I've always been a black sheep,
Lord knows I can't change
Baby, I'm a bad dream
Turn the sunshine into rain
You can walk this line and try to mend it
I'll break it again
Baby, I'm a black sheep
You can't fence me in

I've always been a black sheep,
Lord knows I can't change
Baby, I'm a bad dream
Turn the sunshine into rain
You can walk this line and try to mend it
I'll break it again
Baby, I'm a black sheep
You can't fence me in

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For more on Gavin Adcock, see below: