Winter in America
Chilling Reflections: Winter's Impact on the Soul in Freddie Gibbs' 'Winter in America'
Lyrics
Yeah, yeah
Expression of affirmation or agreement
Back in the city
Reference to returning to the city
Yeah
Reiteration of affirmation
From the Indians (yeah)
Reference to historical interactions with Native Americans
We welcomed the pilgrims (yeah)
Acknowledgment of welcoming Pilgrims
And to the buffalos that once ruled the plain
Reference to the decline of buffalo population and change in the environment
Like the vultures in the dark clouds
Metaphorically describing a search for something valuable
Looking for the rain
Continuation of the search for rain, symbolizing hope
Looking for the rain
Repetition emphasizing the ongoing search for rain
I said, I'm looking for the rain
-Yeah, I'm looking for the rain
-Just like the cities staggered on the coastline
Comparison of cities to staggering entities on the coastline
In a nation that can't take much more (yeah)
Comment on the nation's struggle and fragility
Like the forest buried underneath the highway
Metaphor of a forest buried under a highway, hindered from growth
Highway
Repetition emphasizing the hindrance to growth
Never had a chance to grow
Expression of the lack of opportunity for growth
I never had a chance to grow
-And now it's Winter (yeah)
Introduction of the theme of winter in America
Winter in America (yeah)
-And all the healers been killed
Mention of healers being killed or sent away
Or sent away
Reflection on the absence of healers
People know it's Winter (yeah)
Acknowledgment of the realization that it's winter
The Constitution (yeah)
Reference to the Constitution as a noble but failed document
A noble piece of paper, would free society
Commentary on the struggle for freedom and its ultimate failure
Struggled but then died in vain
Reflection on the vain death of democracy
And now Democracy is just ragtime on the corner
Comparison of democracy to ragtime on the corner
And we hoping for some rain
Expression of hope for change or improvement
I'm steady hoping for some rain
Repetition emphasizing the ongoing hope for rain or change
It's like it's Winter (yeah)
Reiteration of the theme of winter in America and the absence of healers
Winter in America (yeah)
-And all the healers been killed
-Or sent away
-But they know it's Winter
-Lord knows it's Winter
-Lord knows it's Winter
Repetition emphasizing the acknowledgment of winter
Winter in America (yeah)
Reiteration of the theme of winter and the absence of healers
And all the healers been killed
-Or sent away
-People know it's Winter
-Life in the city
Alternation between life in the city and winter in America
Winter in America
-Life in the city
-Winter in America
-Winter, Winter
-Winter, Winter
Repetition emphasizing the theme of winter
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