"Black" by The-Dream

An analysis of the lyrics:

I feel
Real black right now
Real black right now

I feel real black right now. I feel defined by my skin.  I feel defined by others with my skin color. 

I never knew you like I should’ve known you
But my father spoke of you through that liquor
Can we get a curtain call?

Let's call an end to this violence.

Let us pray your idea outlives you

Mama, why'd you have to leave so early? 

‘Cause everywhere there’s a Chicago
The only way we’re getting out of here
Is if we hit the lotto

There is discrimination everywhere....how will we ever make it stop?

My mama left the incense burning on the dresser

She still had so much to do.  But her life inspired me and I'll do everything I can to keep her alive in my life and in my music.

A hard way to learn one lesson
She said never be impressed with
A man with no message

Specifically Cliven Bundy, Viadimir Putin, Joseph Kony, and Donald Sterling.

I feel
Real black right now
Real black right now

 I feel defined by the stereotypes, generalizations, and discrimination that is associated with my color. 

And I’ll never be Mr. Madiba



I’m gonna thank you the next time I see you
You got me feeling
Real black right now
Real black right now

The oppression of a young Malcolm

http://thespeechsite.com/en/famous/MalcolmX-3.pdf

And shots rang out across the balcony

The day we lost a dream

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

To young to sing Marvin Gaye’s “What’s going on?”

Since then ain’t been a lot going on

Enough pain can make a whole race bitter

They say the right amount of love can heal us

Reminiscing back when Hilfiger made us feel like niggas

And that’s the kind of thing that sticks with you

There is a rumor that Hilfiger once said the following:

"If I had known that African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians would buy my clothes, I would not have made them so nice, I wish those people would not buy my clothes - they were made for upper-class whites." 

I never felt this black

I’m feeling
Real black right now
Real black right now

I live the effects of classism.  I am isolated by a world that is too busy staring at the cover to open the book.

And I’ll never be Mr. Madiba
I’m gonna thank you the next time I see you
You got me feeling
Real black right now
Real black right now

Somebody take us home
Take me home
Let’s go home
Let’s go home

You got me feeling real black right now
Real black right now

Lyrics curtesy of lyricspremiere.net


The-Dream ends his lyric video with the following statement:

"Black isn't just a color.  Black isn't just a race anymore.  It's a feeling and a place from which one feels isolated by the world of the governing elite.  'Classism is the new racism.'  This is what black feels like."



Musical Elements:

The-Dream uses the following chord progression throughout the song:

vi - V - I - VI

The never-resolving progression could be seen as a reflection of the subject matter, only augmented when the song ends on the VI chord.  Even though the sound is major and fulfilling, it still leaves you with an unsettled feeling because it didn't finish on the I chord.

The instrumentation used stands out quite a bit from his normal style.  The-Dream uses a piano ballad style of music, giving the song a very sincere feel.  The snare drum that he uses gives the feeling of going to war for his people and fighting it out until the end to conquer classism and racism.