Wavin' Flag

"When I get older I will be stronger They'll call me 'Freedom' just like a wavin' flag and then it goes back, and then it goes back and then it goes back, and then it goes . . ."

Generally a waving flag is a symbol of freedom. It does give the impression of something powerful, free, relentless, the movements don't stop, it goes back and forth over and over again. You also can't have your flag waving freely without having the political and physical freedom to do so.

But ironically a flag is bound to the pole, it's not really going anywhere ever. Still, as the song say this is his home, it's all he has ever known. Perhaps being free doesn't mean flying away from the land, but to have the power to stand right there, proud and strong and above many struggles, overcoming them.

I don't really understand the part "And then it goes back"... what is he trying to say with that? Maybe something like, when he's older and stronger, it'll affect other people and change history?

and then it goes back, and then it goes back and then it goes back, and then it goes . . .

I'm inclined to agree with TheStealth regarding "and then it goes back." ... nothing is changing. The last stanza (But look how they treat us/Make us believers/We fight their battles/Then they deceive us) seems to reinforce that interpretation.

If there's a positive spin to put on this wonderful song, it would have to be that the human spirit keeps struggling, individuals grow older, get stronger, move forward -- but we're not "free" i.e. living in peace without hunger -- not yet, so for NOW we say, "when I grow older" -- maybe in the future.

Amazing song.

When I get older, I will be stronger.

The version I heard had many other singers in it.

At the end with Justin Bieber, I think they used his young voice for a reason. He sounds very young and child-like, so I think they used that to sort of create a certain feeling of a young child caring. Somewhere along the lines of that. I most certainly cannot articulate my thoughts at the moment, so I would love to see some replies to this.

When I get older I will be stronger (A reference to his childhood, during the South African apartheid and a lot of racism will still be around)

They'll call me 'Freedom' just like a wavin' flag (He dreams of a day when blacks and whites can co-exist together in freedom, just like a waving flag, united under one banner)

and then it goes back, and then it goes back and then it goes back, and then it goes . . . (His dreams are shattered, nothing is changing, we're going backwards)

Born to a throne, stronger than Rome (He considers himself well known among the black populations. Together, the blacks (and the whites) are stronger than Rome, and can change things forever (like the Romans did), but the strength of 'Rome' is being used against itself in these ghettos)

but violent-prone, poor people zone, But it's my home, all I have known, where I got grown, streets we would roam (Generally, there is a higher than average % of black people living in Ghettos. They are violent prone, poor, but it's his home and all he's known. He's saying that if blacks want to be equal they have to prove they are just the same as us)

Out of the darkness, I came the farthest out of the hardest survival Learn from these streets, it can be bleak, accept no defeat, surrender retreat (These ghettos can change people, make people violent prone, he's encouraging people to stay strong united in a common cause working for the good of everyone)

So we strugglin' fightin' to eat and we wonderin' when we'll be free so we patiently wait for that fateful day it's not far away, but for now we say: (People may think that with such awful things happening in the world, nothing will ever get fixed, but he's encouraging them to stay faithful, and although governments around the world are against racism, mental scars and mindsets between races still exist, which will take some time, but not as much time as we would think ;) )

chorus

So many wars, settlin' scores, bringing us promises, leaving us poor, (I'm not sure how this links into racism, perhaps the war between Somalia (K'naan's home country) and the USA? And how the Somalia warlords left the population poor for their own benefit)

I heard them say, love is the way love is the answer, that's what they say (Again, governments and famous people say that love is the way and we're all equal)

But look how they treat us, make us believers we fight their battles, then they deceive us (But the Somalian warlords (could also be a reference to South African apartheid) use them, manipulate them away from love and towards hatred)

try to control us, they couldn't hold us 'cause we just move forward like Buffalo soldiers (But united together they can make a stand against racism and wars, together, blacks can unite as 'buffalo soldiers' to move forward and help spread peace in Africa)

Beautiful song..

I just kinda had an epiphany about the chorus of this song. It's JUST LIKE the end of The Great Gatsby. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." Mankind is always struggling for progress. To reach a greater state of being. But we always fall back. Relentlessly. But despite this all, we're strong. We persevere. It's kinda an awesome image.

I'm really surprised theres only 5 comments on this amazing song, but after the World Cup this year this song will BLOW UP!

when i get older, i will be stronger! they'll call me FREEDOM, just like a waving flag!

The chorus actually goes:

When I get older I will be stronger They'll call me 'Freedon' just like a wavin' flag so wave your flag, now wave your flag... (and so on)

awesome song though :)