Young Forever

Let us dance in style let us dance for a while Heaven can wait, we are only watching the sky Hoping for the best but expecting the worst, are you gonna drop the bomb or not? Let us die young or let us live for ever we don't have the power but we never say never setting in a sand pit life is a short trip the music for the sad man

These words begin this song and set the tone and the meaning of the entire song. The song is about capturing the essence of youth and what youth means. Those who are forever young, like jay z claims have lived life to the fullest without regret. He will die someday, but his legacy will never die, and therefore when the director yells cut, he will be fine.
But what he is saying is more to the youth of the ghettos who may feel trapped by their circumstances. Life is short so grab it and take control. I think Jay z wants people to be able to strike a balance between enjoying today and preparing a legacy for tomorrow, which he feels like he has done.
Some have commented that is may be about dying young. Life in the ghetto is hard and many young black men die young, so he may be have thought in the past that he would die young, and thus reflected upon his life in pictures in order to maintain those memories. When my Mother was in her thirties, she use to say to me that she didn't want to live to be real old. She wanted to die before she reached her old age. She passed away at 51 of cancer, and when I hear his song I think of her. I think that she no longer wanted to live when she could not live and experience everything life had to offer and participate fully in the beauty of life and youth. So let us die young or let us live forever. The essence of youth is what he speaks of, and balancing passion for the here today, and the legacy of tomorrow that you will leave behind. That is what he believes make you forever young.

I decided I would do something to contribute to this website because I think it really needs it. There is so much meaning in most of these tracks J

[Jay-Z]

So we livin' life like a video, where the sun is always out and you never get old, and the champagne's always cold, and the music's always good, and the pretty girls just happen to stop by in the hood, and they hop their pretty ass up on the hood of that pretty ass car, without in a wrinkle in today, because there is no tomorrow, just a picture perfect day that lasts a whole lifetime, and it never ends because all we have to do is hit rewind,

So let's stay in the moment, smoke some week, drink some wine, reminisce, talk some shit, forever young is in your mind, leave a mark that can’t erase - neither space nor time so when the director yells cut I'll be fine, i'm forever young...

[chorus]

Fear not when, fear not why, fear not much while were alive, life is for living not living up tight, see its somewhere up in the sky, fear not die, i’ll be alive for a million years, bye bye, so not for legends, I’m forever young my name shall survive through the darkest blocks, over kitchen stoves, over Pyrex pots, my name shall be passed down to generations while debating up in barber shops, young slung, hung here, shorty, the nigga from here with a little ambition just what we can become here, and as the father passed his story down to his sons ears, young’ll get, younger every year, yeah so if you love me baby this is how you let me know. don’t ever let me go, thats how you let me know, baby,

[chorus]

[Jay-Z] Slamming Bentley doors, hopping out of Porsche’s, popping up on Forbes lists, Gorgeous, hold up, niggas thought i lost it, they be talking bullshit i be talking more shit they nauseous, hold up, I'll be here forever you know, i’m on my fall shit, and I aint with foreclosure, I will never forfeit, less than four bars, Guru bring the chorus in, did you get the picture yet, I’m painting you a portrait of young…

Anyways, I wanted to contribute because most responses are so empty. I'm gonna break down a track:

Rated 0 rate down rate up [Jay-Z]

So we livin' life like a video, (We're supposed to be living our lives the same way we view people in a movie or in a music video) where the sun is always out and you never get old, (because this is the way we view those movies/music videos, and is the way we should live our lives) and the champagne's always cold, and the music's always good, and the pretty girls just happen to stop by in the hood, and they hop their pretty ass up on the hood of that pretty ass car, (more dialogue based on previous explanation) without in a wrinkle in today, because there is no tomorrow, (based on teachings of Eckhart Tolle, and many Buddhist/zen masters, our focus and concentration should always be in the present moment, since the past and future and purely concepts, and all that we ever actually have is the now, or today. We shouldn't have any worry about tomorrow.) just a picture perfect day that lasts a whole lifetime, (this follows the same teachings, that a lifetime happens in the blink of an eye, and if we want our lives to be well spent, we shouldn't waste our time and should be doing what essentially makes us happy--what we have historically done when we are/were young) and it never ends because all we have to do is hit rewind, (this specific moment doesn't end, it will happen over and over billions of times in human evolution, maybe not for each of us specifically, but for human minds over time, it will)

So let's stay in the moment, smoke some week, drink some wine, reminisce, talk some shit, forever young is in your mind, leave a mark that can’t erase - neither space nor time so when the director yells cut I'll be fine, i'm forever young... (he's talking about the legacy/mark he leaves on the rest of the world, the director yelling cut refers to when he dies. as long as he has made a lasting mark that means something to people, that's what's important to him and dying is only an issue if he hasn't achieved that goal) [chorus]

Fear not when, fear not why, fear not much while were alive, life is for living not living up tight, (dont worry about the way things work or if they don't work out, just make sure you live in the moment, don't fall into the trap of worrying about future/past because those are directly related with living uptight, i.e. caring what other people think about what you do) see its somewhere up in the sky, fear not die, i’ll be alive for a million years, bye bye, so not for legends, I’m forever young my name shall survive (because he has created his legend he will live on for many years in his music because it will be re-played for many years to come by people yet to be born) through the darkest blocks, over kitchen stoves, over Pyrex pots, my name shall be passed down to generations while debating up in barber shops, (talking about where and how these debates about the greatest began and where they will continue to take place) young slung, hung here, (young=jay-z slung = sold drugs, hung = big dick) shorty, the nigga from here with a little ambition just what we can become here, (if you have a purpose in life he's claiming you can do what he can, though I think 99.9% of us weren't born w/ the talent and genius he was given, so I doubt it) and as the father passed his story down to his sons ears, young’ll get, younger every year, yeah (these lines are actually even more reflecting of Eckhart Tolle's teaching since he talks about how as these types of stories --- stories similar to his -- are told, more people will understand the way to enlightenment and reach it sooner. Since becoming younger every year is akin to reaching enlightenment sooner. Being in the now = there is no perception of time and the years begin to blur because we are so focused in the now) so if you love me baby this is how you let me know. don’t ever let me go, thats how you let me know, baby, (kinda just his claim to say don't forget "me" specifically, but i think the same concept applies in general that "me" here is more just a reference toward anyone like him who has reached enlightenment.) [chorus]

[Jay-Z] Slamming Bentley doors, hopping out of Porsche’s, popping up on Forbes lists, Gorgeous, hold up, niggas thought i lost it, they be talking bullshit i be talking more shit they nauseous, hold up, I'll be here forever you know, i’m on my fall shit, and I aint with foreclosure, I will never forfeit, less than four bars, Guru bring the chorus in, did you get the picture yet, I’m painting you a portrait of young…

"May the best of your todays, be the worst of your tomorrows, but we ain't even thinking that far, you know what I mean?" Is what he says about one minute into the song.

It means "may every day be better than the one before, but tomorrow isn't even important in the big scheme of things"

My friend showed me this song, I'm so glad that he did =)

This song is about Jay-Z and his legacy. He's nearly 40 years old he isn't going to be "young forever"; at some point the younger generation is gonna phase him out.

Z did it again. I think it is the greatest song ever written, and some of the most inspiring lyrics of all time. I think they are so inspiring, because at least three times a day i hear about this is how life is supposed to be lived like this, but Jay can organize, and express them in such well written lyrics, that are so soulful, that they must be decoded to figure out, if that made any sense. I think the first verse is about how life should be lived like in a "video" because videos are perfect. I think it also talks about how we can hit "rewind" and our "video" starts over as in no one is every to old to do anything. Thelast part of the verse i feel talks about he doesn't mind, or (care) if he dies because he has made a HUGE impact on not just music but society. He feels life is complete then, which goes against the whole point of the song but it's another good point. He probably meant that being young was important UNTIL he made an impact and now his for lack of a better word role is complete, since he is making society better for the next generation. The second verse is also about being a legend, and changing society. It says in the song fear not die, i'll be alive for a million years, and it also says my name shall survive meaning people will listen to his music for years to come, and he will stay on top. Later in the verse it talks about Jay selling drugs, and hustling. I feel the last verse is about people putting down Shawn Carter/Jay-Z, when it says niggas thought I lost it, they be talking bullshit, they nauseous. When it says I will never forfeit meaning he will never give up no matter what people say. I think this is a very inspirational song.

I LOVE MR HUDSON

oops accidentally clicked add comment without finishing

mf28, I agree with some of your comments, but not with others. My opinions:

So we livin' life like a video,

I dont think hes saying "we're supposed to be living our lives the same way we view people in a movie or in a music video", I think hes just saying he or they are living the good life, the kind of good life that is depicted in music videos or movies.

where the sun is always out and you never get old, and the champagne's always cold, and the music's always good, and the pretty girls just happen to stop by in the hood, and they hop their pretty ass up on the hood of that pretty ass car, (more dialogue based on previous explanation) without in a wrinkle in today, because there is no tomorrow, just a picture perfect day that lasts a whole lifetime,

I think thats all self explanatory. I dont think hes saying "because this is the way we view those movies/music videos, and is the way we should live our live". hes just describing the perfect worry free life everyone dreams about.

and it never ends because all we have to do is hit rewind,

I dont know if hes talking about human evolution. I think he is still describing this perfect life where we dont age, can press rewind whenever we want...etc etc. That sentance goes with whats above.

So let's stay in the moment, smoke some week, drink some wine, reminisce, talk some shit, forever young is in your mind,

You dont mention anything about this part, but its important. I think he is saying you have the ability to be forever young, its in your mind.

leave a mark that can’t erase - neither space nor time so when the director yells cut I'll be fine,

I agree with your comments on this part.

Fear not when, fear not why, fear not much while were alive, life is for living not living up tight,

I dont think hes focusing on future/past like you said, but I do agree hes saying dont worry and just live.

see its somewhere up in the sky, fear not die, i’ll be alive for a million years, bye bye, so not for legends, I’m forever young my name shall survive

I would assume hes referencing heaven and I agree he is talking about his music/name living on.

through the darkest blocks, over kitchen stoves, over Pyrex pots, my name shall be passed down to generations while debating up in barber shops,

People talking about him and I agree with you, debating the best.

young slung, hung here,

um i disagree. He is not talking about the size of his penis.

shorty, the nigga from here with a little ambition just what we can become here,

no, hes not talking about purpose and hes not saying we all have his level or talent or that we all geniuses, he is saying he is saying with a little desire and effort you can become something here.

and as the father passed his story down to his sons ears, young’ll get, younger every year, yeah

you may be correct with your interperptation of those lines, but I took them as you become older, the younger get younger every year. maybe you are reading to far into it.

PEOPLE. It's smoke some WEED, not week. Everyone who's posted the lyrics has made that mistake.