I Get High
Rising Above Shadows: Aretha's Reflections on Loss and Resilience
Lyrics
Woke up this morning
Reflecting on the start of the day
Lookin' back over the dark to my left
Looking back at the past, possibly with a sense of nostalgia or regret
Things now for me are not what they used to be
Expressing a change in life circumstances
I had many friends
Referencing past friendships
I had many friends up until then
Indicating a loss of friends over time
But now everyone's gone
Highlighting the absence of people in the present
And I'll live on
Expressing resilience and determination to continue living
Yeah, sister gets
Repeating the idea of a sister facing challenges or changes
Yeah, she do
-Sister gets
-Sure do
-Your sister gets
-Yeah
-Sister gets
-Oh, yeah
Acknowledging a common understanding among people
Now everyone knows
Referring to a shared knowledge of life's experiences
They know the way, the way that it goes
Describing the expected course of life
They said, "girl, lock it up
Quoting advice to settle down and start a family
Go on and raise a family"
-That's what they tell me
-They tell me, they tell me
-I may not be fit to know
Expressing doubt about fitting societal expectations
But I ain't no
Asserting independence and rejecting hypocrisy
I ain't nobody's hypocrite, yeah
-If I find me a good reason
Expressing a desire for a valid reason or purpose
It would be so, so good, please
-Yeah, sister gets
Reiterating the challenges faced by a sister
Yeah, she do
-Your sister gets
-Sure do
-Your sister gets
-Yeah
-Sister gets
-Yeah, she do, yeah
Emphasizing the challenges faced by the sister
Lord, help me now
Pleading for assistance or guidance
Sister gets
Repeating the theme of a sister facing difficulties
Yeah, sister gets
-Sure she do
-Sister gets
-Yeah, she sure do
-I woke up this morning
Repeating the morning reflection with slight variation
Lookin' back over the dark up at my left
Reiterating the act of looking back
Things now for me are just not what they used to be
Reiterating the changed circumstances in the present
I had many friends
Repeating the reference to past friendships
Many friends up until then
Reiterating the loss of friends over time
Oh, but everyone's gone
Reiterating the absence of people and expressing determination to continue living
And I'll live on
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