Cruel Crazy Beautiful World
Navigating Life's Turbulence: A Reflection on Johnny Clegg's Anthem
Lyrics
You got to wash with the crocodile in the river
You need to confront challenges, represented by the crocodile in the river.
You got to swim with the sharks in the sea
Facing dangers is part of life, akin to swimming with sharks in the sea.
You got to live with the crooked politician
Living with corrupt politicians requires endurance and resilience.
Trust those things that you can never see
Encouragement to trust in intangible qualities or values.
Ayeye ayeye, Jesse mfana, ayeye ayeye
Repetition of encouragement to face challenges, addressing someone named Jesse.
Ayeye ayeye, Jesse mfana, ayeye ayeye
-You got to trust your lover when you go away
Trust your partner during separations, maintaining faith in a brighter future.
Keep on believing tomorrow brings a better day
Believing in a better tomorrow, despite current challenges.
Sometimes you smile while you're cryin' inside
Contrasting outward smiles with internal struggles.
Just once you'll turn away while the truth be shinin' bright
A moment of avoiding truth, symbolized by turning away from brightness.
Ayeye ayeye , Jesse mfana, ayeye ayeye
Reiteration of encouragement to face challenges, specifically to Jesse.
Ayeye ayeye , Jesse mfana, ayeye ayeye
-It's a cruel, crazy, beautiful world
Describing life as simultaneously cruel, crazy, and beautiful.
Every day you wake up I hope it's under a blue sky
Hope for a positive day under a blue sky every morning.
It's a cruel, crazy, beautiful world
Reiteration of life's contradictory nature.
One day when you wake up I will have to say goodbye
Acknowledging the inevitability of saying goodbye at some point.
Say goodbye, it's your world so live in it
Encouragement to live in and embrace one's own world.
Goodbye, it's your world so live in it
Repetition of the idea that the world belongs to the individual.
Beyond the door, strange cruel beautiful years lie waiting for you
Futuristic reference to the unknown challenges and experiences awaiting.
It kills me to know you won't escape loneliness
Expressing pain at the inevitability of loneliness.
Maybe you lose hope too
Suggesting the possibility of losing hope in the face of challenges.
Ayeye ayeye, Jesse mfana, ayeye ayeye
Repetition of encouragement to face challenges, specifically to Jesse.
Ayeye ayeye, Jesse mfana, ayeye ayeye
-It's a cruel, crazy, beautiful world
Restating the contradictory nature of life: cruel, crazy, and beautiful.
Every time you wake up I hope it's under a blue sky
Expressing the hope for a positive start under a blue sky each day.
It's a cruel, crazy, beautiful world
Reiteration of life's contradictory nature.
One day when you wake up I will have to say goodbye
Acknowledging the eventual need to say goodbye.
Say goodbye
Explicitly stating the act of saying goodbye.
It's your world so live in it
Encouragement to live in and own one's world, repeating the message.
Goodbye, it's your world so live in it
-When I feel your small body close to mine
Expressing a mix of vulnerability and strength when close to a loved one.
I feel weak and strong at the same time
Simultaneous feelings of weakness and strength.
So few years to give you wings to fly
Recognizing the limited time to nurture and support a loved one.
Show you the stars to guide your ship by
Metaphorical guidance to show the way and provide support.
It's a cruel, crazy, beautiful world
Reiteration of life's contradictory nature: cruel, crazy, and beautiful.
Every day you wake up I hope it's under a blue sky
Hope for a positive day under a blue sky repeated.
It's a cruel, crazy, beautiful world
Reiteration of life's contradictory nature.
One day when you wake up I will have to say goodbye
Acknowledging the inevitability of saying goodbye.
Say goodbye, it's your world so live in it
Encouragement to live in and embrace one's own world.
It's your world so live in it (it's your world so live in it)
Repetition of the message that the world belongs to the individual.
It's your world so live in it (it's your world so live in it)
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