As well as music, Common has worked as an actor, on films such as 'Smokin' Aces' (as Sir Ivy) 'American Gangster' (as Turner Lucas), 'Wanted', and 'John Wick: Chapter 2'. He may also be seen in cameo roles in films such as 'Brown Sugar'.
His debut was the 1992 album Can I Borrow A Dollar, but he achieved little critical or commercial success until 1994's Resurrection, an instant classic. He produced several more albums, notably Like Water For Chocolate and the highly experimental Electric Circus, before releasing the Kanye West and J Dilla-produced Be in 2005, which was his first album to receive widespread mainstream appeal and radio playtime.
Common is considered a "cred" artist, which has lead him to collaborations with the likes of De La Soul, Jadakiss, T.I, Talib Kweli, The Roots, Kanye West, Lily Allen, Erykah Badu, and Fort Minor.
The 2007 album Finding Forever was produced mainly by long-time collaborator, Kanye West. Common released his eighth album Universal Mind Control in 2008, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album but lost to the Eminem album Relapse. He released his ninth album The Dreamer/The Believer in 2011. Nobody's Smiling, his tenth album, was released in 2014. The concept of the album was inspired by his troubled hometown of Chicago.
The Light
Common Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Doo, doo, diggy, yo
I never knew a luh, luh-luh, a love like this
Gotta be something for me to write this
Queen, I ain't seen you in a minute
Wrote this letter, and finally decide to send it
Signed, sealed, delivered for us to grow together
Love has no limit, let's spend it slow forever
I know your heart is weathered by what studs did to you
I ain't gon' solve 'em, 'cause I probably did it too
Because of you, feelings I handle with care
Some niggas recognize the light but they can't handle the glare
You know I ain't the type to walk around with matching shirts
And relationship is effort, I will match your work
I wanna be the one to make you happiest and hurt you the most
They say the end is near, it's important that we close
To the most high
Regardless of what happen, on Him let's rely
There are times, when you'll need someone (yeah)
I will be by your side (for sure, for sure)
There is a light that shines
Special for you and me
Yo, yo, check it
It's important we communicate
And tune the fate of this union to the right pitch
I never call you my bitch or even my boo
There's so much in a name and so much more in you
Few understand the union of woman and man
And sex and a tingle is where they assumin' it land
But that's fly by night for you and the sky I write
For in these cold Chi night's moon, you my light
If heaven had a height you would be that tall
Ghetto to coffee shop, through you I see that all
Let's stick to understanding and we won't fall
For better or worse times, I hope to me you call
So I pray every day more than anything
Friends will stay as we begin to lay
This foundation for a family, love ain't simple
Why can't it be anything worth having you work at annually?
Granted we known each other for some time
It don't take a whole day to recognize sunshine
There are times, when you'll need someone
I will be by your side, oh, darling
There is a light that shines (yeah)
Special for you and me
Yo, yo, check it
It's kind of fresh you listen to more than hip-hop
And I can catch you in the mix from beauty to thrift shop
Plus you shit pop when it's time to, thinking you fresh
Suggesting beats I should rhyme to
At times when I'm lost I try to find you
You know to give me space when it's time to
My heart's dictionary defines you, it's love and happiness
Truthfully it's hard tryna practice abstinence
The time we committed love, it was real good
Had to be for me to arrive and it still feel good
I know the sex ain't gon' keep you, but as my equal
It's how I must treat you
As my reflection in light I'ma lead you
And whatever's right, I'ma feed you
Digga-da, digga-da, digga-da, digga-digga-da-da
Yo, I tell you the rest when I see you, peace
There are times, when you'll need someone
I will be by your side, oh
There is a light that shines
Special for you and me
Take my chances before they pass
Pass me by, oh, darling
You need to look at the other side
You'll agree
In the song “The Light”, Common expresses his deep love for a woman in a romantic relationship. The lyrics reveal his willingness to work on building a strong foundation for their love to flourish. The first stanza talks about how much he loves this woman and how he has been thinking of her even though they have not seen each other for a while. He sends her a letter to express his feelings for her and to show his commitment to their relationship. Common acknowledges that the woman's heart has been broken many times before and promises to handle her feelings with care.
In the second stanza, Common emphasizes the importance of communication in their relationship. He talks about how their relationship is more than just a label, it’s about understanding and truly getting to know each other. He acknowledges that sex and physical attraction are not the only things that hold their relationship together. It is more about the foundation that they build, and the deep love that they share.
The chorus emphasizes the fact that Common will always be there for her, to support her through both good and bad times. The “light” in the chorus represents hope and guidance, something that will always shine through, even in the darkest of times.
Overall, the song emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation for a successful relationship. It talks about the ups and downs that come with love, but emphasizes the need for communication, trust, and commitment to make it work.
Line by Line Meaning
I never knew a luh, luh-luh, a love like this
I have never experienced a love as intense and fulfilling as this
Gotta be something for me to write this
My love for you is so strong that I feel compelled to express it in writing
Queen, I ain't seen you in a minute
It has been a while since we have been together
Wrote this letter, and finally decide to send it
I took the time to write this letter and decided it is time to send it
Signed, sealed, delivered for us to grow together
I am committed to us growing and building our relationship together
Love has no limit, let's spend it slow forever
Our love is boundless, so let's take our time and enjoy it indefinitely
I know your heart is weathered by what studs did to you
I understand that you have been hurt by past relationships
I ain't gon' solve 'em, 'cause I probably did it too
I am not going to try to fix your past hurts, because I may have caused some of them
Because of you, feelings I handle with care
I am careful with my emotions now because of how much you mean to me
Some niggas recognize the light but they can't handle the glare
Some men can see the potential in a woman, but can't handle all that comes with it
You know I ain't the type to walk around with matching shirts
I am not interested in superficial displays of love, like matching outfits
And relationship is effort, I will match your work
I understand that a relationship requires effort, and I am willing to put in the same amount of work as you
I wanna be the one to make you happiest and hurt you the most
I want to be the one who brings you the most joy and also the one who can hurt you the most
They say the end is near, it's important that we close
People claim that the end of the world is coming soon, so it's crucial for us to make the most of our time together
To the most high
I pray to God and seek his guidance for our relationship
There are times, when you'll need someone (yeah)
There will be times when you need someone by your side
I will be by your side (for sure, for sure)
I will always be there for you
There is a light that shines
There is a beacon of hope and love that shines on us
Special for you and me
This light is unique to us and our relationship
It's important we communicate
Communication is crucial for the success of our relationship
And tune the fate of this union to the right pitch
We need to work together to steer our lives in the right direction
I never call you my bitch or even my boo
I respect and value you as my partner, and I will never use derogatory terms to refer to you
There's so much in a name and so much more in you
Your name may hold significance, but you as a person are even more important
Few understand the union of woman and man
Many people don't grasp the significance and complexity of a romantic relationship
And sex and a tingle is where they assumin' it land
Some people only focus on the physical aspect of a relationship
But that's fly by night for you and the sky I write
That type of fling is fleeting and not what we have; instead, our love is deep and resonates with the heavens
For in these cold Chi night's moon, you my light
Just as the moon provides light in the dark Chicago nights, you are my guiding light in life
If heaven had a height you would be that tall
You are so amazing and wonderful that if there was a height to be reached in heaven, you would surpass it
Ghetto to coffee shop, through you I see that all
You have opened my eyes to all aspects of life, from the grittiness of the ghetto to the refinement of coffee shops
Let's stick to understanding and we won't fall
If we continue to have a deep understanding and connection, our relationship will remain strong
For better or worse times, I hope to me you call
No matter what happens in life, I hope that you will always turn to me for support
So I pray every day more than anything
I pray fervently every day for our relationship and future together
Friends will stay as we begin to lay
As we start building a future together, I hope our friendship will continue to thrive
This foundation for a family, love ain't simple
We're laying the groundwork for a family together, but love isn't always easy
Why can't it be anything worth having you work at annually?
Just like anything worthwhile in life, love requires constant effort and work to maintain it
Granted we known each other for some time
We've known each other for a while now
It don't take a whole day to recognize sunshine
I realized how amazing you are from the moment we met
Take my chances before they pass
I am willing to take a risk on this relationship before it's too late
Pass me by, oh, darling
I don't want this opportunity to pass me by
You need to look at the other side
Don't overlook the positive aspects of our relationship
You'll agree
I know you will come to see how great we are together
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lonnie Rashid Lynn, James Dewitt Yancey, Robert E. Caldwell, Norman Ray Harris, Bruce Malament
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind