An excellent song - dealing with 3 different situations between two people - common and a girlfriend, common and his aunt, and the third, common and his friend. The message conveyed is meant to be that through communication we find peace - communication between me and you is liberation from whatever is faced - together we will conquer, etc. A message not just for these situations but life in general, as it's much better (in the end) to work your way through the hard times rather than sprint past them.
the first is dealing with a girlfriend who admits that she was raped by her father. common is trying to figure out what is bothering her, and eventually she explains how, at eight, she was forced to grow up in a phyiscal sense, and throughout life went through men trying to find peace, liberation, with the physical. Through her discussion and revelation, and then support from common, she learned to forgive and move on. Liberation.
The second verse is dealing with Common's aunt dying in the hospital of cancer and her eventual death. Having a relative die of cancer is a long and depressing process that effects all aspects of life - watching someone who was once so vibrant slip into oblivion in front of your eyes is soul shattering. He speaks of the treatment, on both ends - chemo on his aunt and weed on his. Eventually, his aunt no longer fears death and liberates herself - avoiding the inevitable.
Finally, Common speaks on his close friend and his struggle with homosexuality. The emotions on both ends is illustrated perfectly - "this ain't the way that men feel" - "For it to happen so close to me?"
Common struggles with this new fact, his friends parents turn their backs on him, and eventually he realizes that, gay or not, they are still friends. "How could I judge him? Had to accept him if I truly loved him." I can't explain it better.
I've dealt with the crazy girl, watched grandparents die of cancer in the hospital, and been through the awkwardness of finding out a close friend is gay. The song rings truth through superior craftsmanship - one of my favorite songs by Common.
An excellent song - dealing with 3 different situations between two people - common and a girlfriend, common and his aunt, and the third, common and his friend. The message conveyed is meant to be that through communication we find peace - communication between me and you is liberation from whatever is faced - together we will conquer, etc. A message not just for these situations but life in general, as it's much better (in the end) to work your way through the hard times rather than sprint past them.
the first is dealing with a girlfriend who admits that she was raped by her father. common is trying to figure out what is bothering her, and eventually she explains how, at eight, she was forced to grow up in a phyiscal sense, and throughout life went through men trying to find peace, liberation, with the physical. Through her discussion and revelation, and then support from common, she learned to forgive and move on. Liberation.
The second verse is dealing with Common's aunt dying in the hospital of cancer and her eventual death. Having a relative die of cancer is a long and depressing process that effects all aspects of life - watching someone who was once so vibrant slip into oblivion in front of your eyes is soul shattering. He speaks of the treatment, on both ends - chemo on his aunt and weed on his. Eventually, his aunt no longer fears death and liberates herself - avoiding the inevitable.
Finally, Common speaks on his close friend and his struggle with homosexuality. The emotions on both ends is illustrated perfectly - "this ain't the way that men feel" - "For it to happen so close to me?" Common struggles with this new fact, his friends parents turn their backs on him, and eventually he realizes that, gay or not, they are still friends. "How could I judge him? Had to accept him if I truly loved him." I can't explain it better.
I've dealt with the crazy girl, watched grandparents die of cancer in the hospital, and been through the awkwardness of finding out a close friend is gay. The song rings truth through superior craftsmanship - one of my favorite songs by Common.