How I Know You
Aida Lyrics


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Mereb
I grew up in your hometown, at least began to grow
I hadn't got to my first shave before the body blow
Egyptians in the courtyard, my family in chains
You witnessed our abduction, which possibly explains
How I know you
How I know you
Before that fateful morning, my family enjoyed
A privileged existence, for my father was employed
As advisor to the King, no less, which surely rings a bell
For as you are his daughter, you probably can tell
How I know you
Yes, I know you

Aida
You know too much, and what you say is better left unknown
And now I'm just a slave like you, our lives our not our own

Mereb
I never have abandoned, and nor I think could you
That spark of hope for freedom no terror can subdue

Aida
My only hope is silence, you've never seen my face

Mereb
No, you remain a princess in any time or place

Aida
You don't know me

Mereb
Yes, I know you

Aida
You don't know me

Mereb




How I know you
How I know you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "How I Know You" are a conversation between two characters, Mereb and Aida, who share the experience of being forced into slavery in ancient Egypt. Mereb initially mentions growing up in Aida's hometown, but before he can finish his sentence, Aida interrupts him, stating that he knows too much and what he says is better left unknown. Mereb continues, telling Aida that he witnessed his own family being taken captive by Egyptians in their own courtyard, and he believes that Aida may have witnessed it as well, which is how he knows her.


Mereb goes on to inform Aida that his father was employed as advisor to the King, which he believes Aida may also be aware of. Aida still seems hesitant to reveal anything about herself and tells Mereb that he doesn't know her, to which he replies that he does indeed know her. The conversation becomes more tense as Aida insists that her only hope is to remain silent and unseen, while Mereb continues to express his hope for freedom and his admiration for Aida's bravery and strength as a princess.


Overall, the lyrics to "How I Know You" address themes of identity, oppression, and hope in the face of adversity. The characters of Mereb and Aida demonstrate the complexity of human relationships, even in extreme circumstances, and their conversation underscores the importance of understanding and empathy for others.


Line by Line Meaning

I grew up in your hometown, at least began to grow
I spent my childhood in the same place as you, or at least started growing up there.


I hadn't got to my first shave before the body blow
The traumatic experience happened to me at a young age, before I hit puberty.


Egyptians in the courtyard, my family in chains
My family was captured and put in chains by Egyptians, maybe including your own family members.


You witnessed our abduction, which possibly explains
You saw firsthand our abduction, which might be why I recognize you.


How I know you
I recognize you because of the previous experiences we have shared.


Before that fateful morning, my family enjoyed A privileged existence, for my father was employed As advisor to the King, no less, which surely rings a bell For as you are his daughter, you probably can tell
Prior to the traumatic event, my father held a high-ranking position and was employed as an advisor to the King, and as you are the King's daughter, you most likely know of him and our privileged life.


Yes, I know you
I am aware of who you are.


You know too much, and what you say is better left unknown And now I'm just a slave like you, our lives our not our own
You have too much knowledge that needs to be kept secret, and now we are both alike, forced into slavery and lacking control over our lives.


I never have abandoned, and nor I think could you That spark of hope for freedom no terror can subdue
I have never given up on the hope for freedom, and I don't think you have either. No matter what happens, that hope can't be destroyed.


My only hope is silence, you've never seen my face
My only chance for survival is to remain silent and keep my identity hidden and unknown to others.


No, you remain a princess in any time or place
No matter what happens, you will always remain a princess.


You don't know me
My true identity and past experiences are hidden from you.


How I know you
I recognize you because of our shared experiences and past.




Contributed by Liliana J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@Singyourstyle

I grew up in your hometown, at least began to grow
I hadn't got to my first shave before the body blow
Egyptians in the courtyard, my family in chains
You witnessed our abduction which possibly explains

How I know you
How I know you

Before that fateful morning my family enjoyed
A privileged existence for my father was employed
As advisor to the king no less which surely rings a bell
For as your are his daughter, you probably can tell

How I know you
Yes I know you

You know too much and what you say
Is better left unknown
And now I'm just a slave like you
Our lives our not our own

I never have abandoned
And nor I think could you
That spark of hope for freedom
No terror can subdue

My only hope is silence
You've never seen my face
No you remain a princess
In any time or place

You don't know me
Yes, I know you
You don't know me

How I know you
How I know you



@user-yh1sg8lc4s

어린 시절 자란 그 곳 바로 당신 고향
난 수염도 나기 전에 이 곳에 잡혀왔죠
이집트 놈들에게 내 가족 끌려올 때
당신은 그 걸 봤죠 난 확실히 기억해
난 알아요 알고 있죠

그 운명의 날 전까진 우린 행복했죠
내 아버진 국왕의 신임받던 보좌관
특권까지 누렸었지만 더 확실한 사실은
당신은 국왕의 따님 우리의 공주님
알고 있죠 네, 난 알죠

아이다)
니가 알던 모든 얘긴 못 들은걸로 할께
이제 난 너와 같은 노예 내 삶이란 없어
메렙)
자유를 향한 희망 당신도 똑같겠죠
그 무엇도 우리를 꺾을 순 없어요
아이다)
아무런 말 하지마 넌 날 본 적 없어
메렙)
아뇨 당신은 공주님 언제 어디서나
아이다)
넌 날 몰라
메렙)
아니요!! 난 알죠
아이다)
넌 날 몰라
메렙)
난 알아요 알고 있죠



All comments from YouTube:

@kurayamidesu

No idea why, but the lyrics "No, you remain a princess in any time or place" give me goosebumps

@nathalybabushka5564

kurayamidesu it's not that like that

@lauralynmmm

Gave me chills.....this entire musical is so hauntingly beautiful.

@DamianJeanPerkins

Thank you ❤️

@jobynamcgee8563

Brilliant. I am an 85 year old Musical Theater Fan, amatuer Set Painter, and Grip. This is my all time favorite Musical. Thanks for this video, making it possible for me to share it with my friends and family. It is Musical Art that is too good to miss. As cavemen, danced, so we evolved from beating drums and dancing to this level, of entertainment. And, still getting more Brilliant.

@RagamuffinBabyDoll

I think this song is underrated. It introduces the twist that Aida is a princess and paints a nostalgic picture of the former glory of the Nubians. I also love the sense of dread it invokes, telling the audience how dangerous it would be if Aida was found out as the Nubian princess.

@ded06084

This gives me goosebumps..best musical song.

@kwombat5306

Soooo beautiful!!

@ryanmcguire3526

I had never heard of this musical before and my fiancé and I went and saw a local theater production of this tonight. It was great and now I want to see the original musical

@Lovjoy84

I seriously know this entire play to heart... I was so thankful my choir group from hs got to travel to NYC, I saw this on Broadway in 2000 and flipped over this!

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