Something Beautiful: K'naan

the first time i heard this song was on alaskan back roads, everything dark but the moon and our headlights, in a taxi driven by my (former) roommate--a man everyone called jesus because of his long hair and beard and his kind eyes. It made me tear up. Now, listening to it after so long, makes my heart feel like it's bursting into fireworks.



K'naan grew up in Somalia before his mother moved him and his siblings to Canada by way of NYC when he was 13. Thing is, at the last minute something went wrong and she didn't have enough money to take her children and a cousin who was coming along. She had to choose, and in the end, his favorite was cousin was left behind to live in the midst of war. Beautiful, beautiful music. Check it out.

Lyrics:

And any man who knows a thing knows
He knows not a damn, damn thing at all
And every time I felt the hurt
And I felt the givin' gettin' me up off the wall

I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze

How did Mandela get the will to surpass the everyday
When injustice had him caged and trapped in every way?
How did Gandhi ever withstand the hunger strikes and all?
Didn't do it to gain power or money if I recall

It's to give, I guess, I'll pass it on
Mother thinks it'll lift the stress of Babylon
Mother knows, my mother she suffered blows
I don't know how we survived such violent episodes

I was so worried and hurt to see you bleed
But as soon as you came out the hospital you gave me sweets
Yeah, they try to take you from me
But you still only gave 'em some prayers and sympathy

Dear mama, you helped me write this
By showing me to give is priceless

[chorus]

All I can say is the worst is over now
We can serve the hard times, divorce, it's over now
They try to keep us out but they doors is open now
My n*, Akon is gettin' awards and covers now

This is K'naan and still reppin' the S
Comin' out of Mogadishu and still draped in the mess
And no matter how we strong, homie
It ain't easy comin' out of where we from, homie

And that's the reason why, I could never play for me
Tell 'em the truth is what my dead homies told me
Ooh yeah, I take inspiration from the most heinous of situations
Creating medication out my own tribulations

Dear Africa, you helped me write this
By showing me to give is priceless

[chorus]
Nothing is perfect man, that's what the world is
All I know is I'm enjoying today
You know 'cause it isn't every day that you get to give