Photographs
蕾哈娜 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Underneath the broken picture glass.
Tender face of black and white,
Beautiful, a haunting sight.
Looked into an angel's smile,
Captivated all the while.
From the hair and clothes she wore,
I'd place her in between the wars.
Was she willing when she sat
And posed the pretty photograph?
Save her flowering and fair,
The days to come, the days to share.
A big smile for the camera,
How did she know?
The moment could be lost forever
Forever more
I found this photograph,
Stashed between the old joist walls,
In a place where time is lost,
Lost behind, where all things fall.
Broken books and calendars,
Letters script in careful hand,
Music too, a standard tune by
Some forgotten big brass band.
From the threshold what's to see
Of our brave new century?
The television's just a dream,
The radio, the silver screen.
A big smile for the camera,
How did she know?
The moment could be lost forever
Forever more
Was her childhood filled with rhymes,
Stolen hooks, impassioned crimes?
Was she innocent or blind
To the cruelty of her time?
Was she fearful in her day,
Was she hopeful, did she pray?
Were there skeletons inside,
Family secrets, sworn to hide?
Did she feel the beat that stirs,
The fall from grace of wayward girls?
Was she tempted to pretend,
The love and laughter, 'til the end?
In "Photographs," Rihanna sings about discovering an old photograph of a woman and speculating about her life. The photograph was found underneath broken picture glass, and the subject of the photograph has a beautiful, haunting face. The woman in the photograph is captured with an angelic smile, which captivates the singer. From the hair and clothes the woman is wearing in the picture, Rihanna presumes that it was taken between the wars.
In the second verse, the singer delves deeper into the photograph's discovery. She found it stashed between old joist walls in a place where time is lost, behind where all things fall. In addition to the photograph, she discovers broken books and calendars, letters scripted in a careful hand, and music too, a standard tune by some forgotten big brass band. Rihanna is poetic in painting the picture of where the photograph was found.
The last verse is where Rihanna's poetic and curious nature comes out. She questions whether the woman in the photograph's childhood was filled with rhymes, stolen hooks, and impassioned crimes. Rihanna also questions whether the woman was innocent or blind to the cruelty of her time, fearful in her day, hopeful, did she pray, were there skeletons inside, family secrets sworn to hide? She questions the complexities of the woman's life and ponders the things that she probably faced.
Line by Line Meaning
I found this photograph,
I discovered a picture
Underneath the broken picture glass.
It was hidden beneath broken glass
Tender face of black and white,
The picture was of a gentle-looking person
Beautiful, a haunting sight.
The picture was beautiful but also eerie
Looked into an angel's smile,
The person in the picture had a smile like that of an angel
Captivated all the while.
The picture captivated me the entire time I looked at it
From the hair and clothes she wore,
I could determine what era the person in the picture lived in by her hairstyle and clothing
I'd place her in between the wars.
I think she lived in the time period in between two wars
Was she willing when she sat
I wondered if she had agreed to have her picture taken
And posed the pretty photograph?
Or did someone else make her sit for the picture?
Save her flowering and fair,
She looked innocent and beautiful
The days to come, the days to share.
I wondered what her future days would bring
From the threshold what's to see
Looking out from a certain point
Of our brave new century?
What would future generations see of the 21st century?
The television's just a dream,
Televisions were not yet invented in her time period
The radio, the silver screen.
The radio and movie screens were the main sources of entertainment
Was her childhood filled with rhymes,
I wondered if she had a happy childhood with nursery rhymes
Stolen hooks, impassioned crimes?
Or if there were some secrets or dramatic events in her past
Was she innocent or blind
I wondered if she was naïve or aware of the harsh realities of her time
To the cruelty of her time?
Did she experience cruelty during her lifetime?
Were there skeletons inside,
Were there any secrets or hidden truths in her family?
Family secrets, sworn to hide?
Was her family keeping secrets?
Did she feel the beat that stirs,
Did she feel the excitement and energy of the changing times?
The fall from grace of wayward girls?
Or perhaps she witnessed young women who fell from society's expectations?
Was she tempted to pretend,
Did she ever consider pretending to be someone else or live a different life?
The love and laughter, 'til the end?
Did she cherish her memories of love and happiness throughout her life?
A big smile for the camera,
But despite all of these questions, the person in the picture smiled for the camera
How did she know?
And I couldn't help but wonder how she knew that this moment would be captured in time
The moment could be lost forever
For even though photographs preserve the past, they can also be lost or destroyed
Forever more
And that made me realize the importance of cherishing our memories while we have them
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., STARTLING MUSIC LTD C/O BRUCE V. GRAKAL
Written by: GEORGE HARRISON, RICHARD STARKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@motjon
To this day I still believe this is one of Rihannas most creative and artistic moments in her career. this is the album !! the catalysts of the rihanna we know and love this day. Edgy! Daring! and Fierce!
@kakoi8017176414
+motjon I completely agree , this is the album that made me fall in love with her, specially this record touches me deeply inside , good times and good memories.
@OfficialAnalou
If you like Rihanna, you’ll love Ana Lou! Check out the NEW music video “Cali Girl” HERE— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySyXHKP-4mg&t=6s
@t.j.e1322
No doubt. This is her best album in my opinion.
@brandonaldaymachuse6669
She was competing with peak Lady Gaga so she had to bring it! I remember this time. Rihanna was really committed to this era and to the promotion of it. This was my favorite song on the record. This was right after she got her face rearranged by Chris Brown.
@joeyalbert_
This song is amazing. I've loved it for years and every now and then it sneaks into my mind.
@angelalewis6750
Loving someone who is wrong for you is so hard, I know her pain.
@OfficialAnalou
If you like Rihanna, you’ll love Ana Lou! Check out the NEW music video “Cali Girl” HERE— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySyXHKP-4mg&t=6s
@ItsSamanthya
this song used to make me cry like all the time because of this one dude lol but now i can listen to it like its nothing (:
@inadequate5790
i'm 22 and never cried for boys, because of a complicated relationship yea, but for them never, really not worthed