Social Awareness #1

Hey Mama by Kanye West

Lyrics from:http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kanyewest/heymama.html

[Chorus]
(Hey Mama), I wanna scream so loud for you, cuz I'm so proud of you
Let me tell you what I'm about to do, (Hey Mama)
I know I act a fool but, I promise you I'm goin back to school
I appreciate what you allowed for me
I just want you to be proud of me (Hey Mama)

[Verse 1]
I wanna tell the whole world about a friend of mine
This little light of mine and I'm finna let it shine
I'm finna take yall back to them better times
I'm finna talk about my mama if yall don't mind
I was three years old, when you and I moved to the Chi
Late December, harsh winter gave me a cold
You fixed me up something that was good for my soul
Famous homemade chicken soup, can I have another bowl?
You work late nights just to keep on the lights
Mommy got me training wheels so I could keep on my bike
And you would give anything in this world
Michael Jackson leather and a glove, but didn't give me a curl
And you never put no man over me
And I love you for that mommy cant you see?
Seven years old, caught you with tears in your eyes
Cuz a nigga cheatin, telling you lies, then I started to cry
As we knelt on the kitchen floor
I said mommy Imma love you till you don't hurt no more
And when I'm older, you aint gotta work no more
And Imma get you that mansion that we couldn't afford
See you're, unbreakable, unmistakable
Highly capable, lady that's makin loot
A livin legend too, just look at what heaven do
Send us an angel, and I thank you (Hey Mama)

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]
Forrest Gump mama said, life is like a box of chocolates
My mama told me go to school, get your doctorate
Somethin to fall back on, you could profit with
But still supported me when I did the opposite
Now I feel like it's things I gotta get
Things I gotta do, just to prove to you
You was getting through, can the choir please
Give me a verse of "You, Are So Beautiful To Me"
Can't you see, you're like a book of poetry
Maya Angelou, Nicky Giovanni, turn one page and there's my mommy
Come on mommy just dance wit me, let the whole world see your dancing feet
Now when I say Hey, yall say Mama, now everybody answer me (Hey Mama)

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
I guess it also depends tho, if my ends low
Second they get up you gon get that Benzo
Tint the windows, ride around the city and let ya friends know (Hey Mama)

[Verse 3]
Tell your job you gotta fake em out
Since you brought me in this world, let me take you out
To a restaurant, upper echelon
Imma get you a jag, whatever else you want
Just tell me what kind of S-Type Donda West like?
Tell me the perfect color so I make it just right
It don't gotta be Mother's Day, or your birthday
For me to just call and say (Hey Mama)

[Chorus (with variations)]

This song is VERY emotional to me. This song is about how Kanye went through his life as a kid when his father left. Even though, thank God, I still have my father, this song actually makes me feel how it is without a father. Kanye really explains his life in a meaningful way.

In the hook (the beginning of the song) Kanye is talking to his mother. He is saying that he REALLY appreciates his mother. He loves her very much and he's saying he's sorry for droppping out of high school but he's going to go back just for her.

In the first verse, Kanye said that he wants to tell the world about a "friend" of his which he is referring to his mother saying that she isn't only his mother, but she is like his best friend too. He starts off to going back in time to when he was only three years old and him and his mama just moved to Chicago because of his parents divorce. He's talking about all the punishment that his mom went through just for him. He's talking about after his mom got divorced, she did have a couple of boyfriends but he knew that he was his mom's number one man in her life and she would do anything just for him. He says that he's going to fulfill their dreams which he did and is still doing right now. In the last four lines, he describes and calls his mother an angel.

I found this verse very touching because just on verse can do that much to you. He explains pretty much his whole childhood in that verse. It's gives you so much information on how they dealt with life.

In the first line Kanye mentioned that they said "Life is like a box of chocolates" in Forrest Gump which he connects to his life. In a box of chocolates you have an assortment of fillings inside each chocolate and without a the directory printed in the box you have to taste each one to see what is inside. He connects that to life because you never know what each person or event that occurs in your life is going to bring you. Kanye compares his mom to Maya Angelou and Nicky Giovanni which were famous poetry writers. After that he says "turn one page and there’s my mommy," he's saying that mother is beautiful just like the poetry they created.

In the last verse on the last two lines Kanye is saying how he does whatever for him whether it's her birthday or not, which shows how good he's saying that their relationship is.

Kanye really taught many things in this song. He shows that you don't have to have a father to fulfill your dreams. He did this all by himself and everyone else could too. He's showing how much his mother really cared for him and how much he is blessed to have a mother like her. You could tell that Kanye really loves his mother from just this song. But you don't need to make a song to show how much you love your mother, your actions show it.