Not because world cup happening right now, but me in silence just hear and imagine the lyric of
waving flag is very deep and strong (even my friend said it's sad). Then i found an issue sounding in this song, it's freedom, and an optimism of what future brings. Optimism means there's human spirit in struggling of what they fighting for on (what they called) freedom and believe that future brings them a better situation.
Looking for what people imagine about this song, well here i found some peoples define this song, good interpretation and inspiration...
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.
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 ;) )
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)
Well, have you ever define what freedom really is? or just remembering freedom quote in our independence day? which is not totally "independence" i think, yeah maybe just because..
"Mankind is always struggling for progress. To reach a greater state of being. We always fall back. Relentlessly. But despite this all, we're strong."
Credit : peoples on songmeanings.net
