The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
I'm goin' back to the South
I'm goin' back, back, back, back
Where my roots ain't watered down
Growin', growin' like a Baobab tree
Of life on fertile ground, ancestors put me on game
Ankh charm on gold chains, with my Oshun energy, oh
Drip all on me, woo, Ankara Dashiki print
Hol' up, don't I smell like satya, Nag Champa incense?
Yeah, pure ice (ice), ice (ice), buss down
Uh, flooded (flooded), flooded (flooded), on my wrist, ow
Ooh, goin' up, goin' up, motherland, motherland drip on me
Ooh, melanin, melanin, my drip is skin deep, like
Ooh, motherland, motherland, motherland, motherland drip on me
Eeya, I can't forget my history is her story, yeah
Being black, maybe that's the reason why they always mad
Yeah, they always mad, yeah
Been passed 'em, I know that's the reason why they all big mad
And they always have been
Honey, come around my way, around my hive
Whenever momma says so, momma say
Here I come on my throne, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, my parade
Talkin' slick to my folk (my folk), nip that lip like lipo (lipo)
You hear them swarmin', right? Bees is known to bite
Now here we come on our thrones, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, my parade
On fours, all black
All chrome, black-owned
Black tints, matte black
Walked by, my window down, let 'em see who in it
Crack a big smile (ding)
Go figure, me and Jigga, fifty 'leven children
They like, "Chick, how?"
I charge my crystals in a full moon
You could send them missiles, I'ma send my goons
Baby sister reppin' Yemaya (Yemaya)
Trust me, they gon' need an army
Rubber bullets bouncin' off me
Made a picket sign off your picket fence
Take it as a warning
Waist beads from Yoruba (woo)
Four hunnid billi', Mansa Musa (woo)
Stroll line to the barbeque
Put us any damn where, we gon' make it look cute
Pandemic fly on the runway, in my hazmat
Children runnin' through the house and my art, all black
Ancestors on the wall, let the ghosts chit-chat
(Ancestors on the wall, let the ghosts chit-chat)
Hold my hands, we gon' pray together
Lay down, face down in the gravel
We wearin' all attire white to the funeral
Black love, we gon' stay together
Curtis Mayfield on the speaker (woo)
Lil' Malcolm, Martin, mixed with momma Tina (woo)
Need another march, lemme call Tamika (woo)
Need peace and reparation for my people (woo)
Fuck these laid edges, I'ma let it shrivel up (shrivel up)
Fuck this fade and waves, I'ma let it dread all up (dread all up)
Put your fists up in the air, show black love (show black love)
Motherland drip on me, motherland, motherland drip on me
Honey, come around my way, around my hive
Whenever momma says so, momma say
Here I come on my throne, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, my parade
Talkin' slick to my folk (my folk), nip that lip like lipo (lipo)
You hear 'em swarmin', right? Bees is known to bite
Now here we come on our thrones, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, my parade
We got rhythm (we got rhythm), we got pride (we got pride)
We birth kings (we birth kings), we birth tribes (we birth tribes)
Holy river (holy river), holy tongue (holy tongue)
Speak the glory (speak the glory), feel the love (feel the love)
Motherland, motherland drip on me, hey, hey, hey
Motherland, motherland drip on me, hey, hey, hey
I can't forget my history, it's her story
Motherland drip on me, motherland, motherland drip on me
Honey, come around my way, around my hive
Whenever momma says so, momma say
Here I come on my throne, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, my parade
Talkin' slick to my folk (my folk), lift that lip like lipo (lipo)
You hear 'em swarmin', right? Bees is known to bite
Now here we come on our thrones, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, black parade
I'm goin' back, back, back, back
Where my roots ain't watered down
Growin', growin' like a Baobab tree
Of life on fertile ground, ancestors put me on game
Ankh charm on gold chains, with my Oshun energy, oh
Drip all on me, woo, Ankara Dashiki print
Hol' up, don't I smell like satya, Nag Champa incense?
Yeah, pure ice (ice), ice (ice), buss down
Uh, flooded (flooded), flooded (flooded), on my wrist, ow
Ooh, goin' up, goin' up, motherland, motherland drip on me
Ooh, melanin, melanin, my drip is skin deep, like
Ooh, motherland, motherland, motherland, motherland drip on me
Eeya, I can't forget my history is her story, yeah
Being black, maybe that's the reason why they always mad
Yeah, they always mad, yeah
Been passed 'em, I know that's the reason why they all big mad
And they always have been
Honey, come around my way, around my hive
Whenever momma says so, momma say
Here I come on my throne, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, my parade
Talkin' slick to my folk (my folk), nip that lip like lipo (lipo)
You hear them swarmin', right? Bees is known to bite
Now here we come on our thrones, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, my parade
On fours, all black
All chrome, black-owned
Black tints, matte black
Walked by, my window down, let 'em see who in it
Crack a big smile (ding)
Go figure, me and Jigga, fifty 'leven children
They like, "Chick, how?"
I charge my crystals in a full moon
You could send them missiles, I'ma send my goons
Baby sister reppin' Yemaya (Yemaya)
Trust me, they gon' need an army
Rubber bullets bouncin' off me
Made a picket sign off your picket fence
Take it as a warning
Waist beads from Yoruba (woo)
Four hunnid billi', Mansa Musa (woo)
Stroll line to the barbeque
Put us any damn where, we gon' make it look cute
Pandemic fly on the runway, in my hazmat
Children runnin' through the house and my art, all black
Ancestors on the wall, let the ghosts chit-chat
(Ancestors on the wall, let the ghosts chit-chat)
Hold my hands, we gon' pray together
Lay down, face down in the gravel
We wearin' all attire white to the funeral
Black love, we gon' stay together
Curtis Mayfield on the speaker (woo)
Lil' Malcolm, Martin, mixed with momma Tina (woo)
Need another march, lemme call Tamika (woo)
Need peace and reparation for my people (woo)
Fuck these laid edges, I'ma let it shrivel up (shrivel up)
Fuck this fade and waves, I'ma let it dread all up (dread all up)
Put your fists up in the air, show black love (show black love)
Motherland drip on me, motherland, motherland drip on me
Honey, come around my way, around my hive
Whenever momma says so, momma say
Here I come on my throne, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, my parade
Talkin' slick to my folk (my folk), nip that lip like lipo (lipo)
You hear 'em swarmin', right? Bees is known to bite
Now here we come on our thrones, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, my parade
We got rhythm (we got rhythm), we got pride (we got pride)
We birth kings (we birth kings), we birth tribes (we birth tribes)
Holy river (holy river), holy tongue (holy tongue)
Speak the glory (speak the glory), feel the love (feel the love)
Motherland, motherland drip on me, hey, hey, hey
Motherland, motherland drip on me, hey, hey, hey
I can't forget my history, it's her story
Motherland drip on me, motherland, motherland drip on me
Honey, come around my way, around my hive
Whenever momma says so, momma say
Here I come on my throne, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, my parade
Talkin' slick to my folk (my folk), lift that lip like lipo (lipo)
You hear 'em swarmin', right? Bees is known to bite
Now here we come on our thrones, sittin' high
Follow my parade, oh, black parade
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
As a woman of color, I have always admired Beyoncé's ability to empower women and the POC community through her music, while also addressing serious political issues. I applaud her call to release the surprise track "BLACK PARADE" on Juneteenth, especially since we're seeing an increasing divide over the BLM movement. And the song, true to Queen B's form, pulls absolutely no punches—the song begins with her southern heritage as a Texan where "her roots aren't watered down" and continues back to her African ancestry with beautiful African imagery like baobab tree, the motherland, dashiki print, and golden Ankh charms.
The chorus is amazing because she gives us such vivid picture of her on the throne, leading a parade of her Beyhives in a nonviolent, but determined, protest. She crowns herself as leader and maternal figure, spreading her wings in protection and solidarity, while also encouraging us that we have the power to fight back with the words "bees is known to bite". I love her shout out to MLK, Malcolm X, Tina Turner, Curtis Mayfield, and Tamika Mallory. Her battle cry of "black love" is such a brave statement in a time when many celebrities are keeping silent. The song is an amazingly empathetic way for her to support the black community, both in her powerful message and the proceeds that will go to black-owned small businesses.
My favorite thing about "BLACK PARADE", besides the beautiful African and emotional protest visuals, and all Queen B and honey and hive references, is the sheer pride and love behind her words. She's telling us that she refuses to let the hate drag her down, to stand up for civil rights, and she encourages us to follow her lead. "Speak the glory, feel the love" gives me the literal shivers. In an Instagram post, Beyoncé tells us: " I hope we continue to share joy and celebrate each other, even in the midst of struggle. Please continue to remember our beauty, strength, and power. “BLACK PARADE” celebrates you, your voice, and your joy and will benefit Black-owned small businesses." Her words have been major themes in her music since the beginning. It's been amazing to watch her take an open stance against all this hate in our country and standing up for black voices and businesses. I just know that history will remember our Queen as one of the most powerful and motivating black female activists of our time.