Pearls
Angélique Kidjo Feat. Carlos Santa & Josh Groban Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Scraping for pearls on the roadside
There's a force stronger than nature
Keeps her will alive
This is how she's dying
She's dying to survive
Don't know what she's made of
I would like to be that brave
She cries to the heaven above
There is a stone in my heart
She lives a life she didn't choose
And it hurts like brand-new shoes
Hurts like brand-new shoes
There is a woman in Somalia
The sun gives her no mercy
The same sky we lay under
Burns her to the bone
Long as afternoon shadows
It's gonna take her to get home
Each grain carefully wrapped up
Pearls for her little girl
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
She cries to the heaven above
There is a stone in my heart
She lives in a world she didn't choose
And it hurts like brand-new shoes
Hurts like brand-new shoes
The song "Pearls" by Angélique Kidjo featuring Carlos Santana and Josh Groban tells the story of a woman in Somalia who is struggling to survive by scraping for pearls on the roadside. The lyrics paint a picture of her resilience and determination to survive, despite the harsh conditions she faces every day. The line, "there's a force stronger than nature, keeps her will alive" speaks to her inner strength and her ability to overcome adversity.
The woman's struggle is further emphasized in the chorus when she cries to the heaven above, revealing the stone in her heart and the pain she feels living a life she did not choose. Her every step to get home is arduous as the sun gives her no mercy, and she is burnt to the bone. However, despite all the difficulties she faces, she takes each grain carefully wrapped up, as pearls for her little girl, reminding us that even in the most challenging situations, we can find a way to love and care for those closest to us.
The song is a tribute to the strength and resilience of women who are faced with adversity daily but still manage to fight for survival. The lyrics show the difficulties faced by this particular woman while highlighting the sacrifices that mothers are willing to make for their children, no matter where they are in the world. Kidjo's use of African rhythms in the song serves to draw attention to the plight of marginalized people, especially women, in Africa.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a woman in Somalia
In Somalia, there exists a brave and strong woman who is a source of inspiration
Scraping for pearls on the roadside
She struggles to find small happiness in life while fulfilling her basic needs on the roadside
There's a force stronger than nature
She has an inner strength that surpasses even the strongest force of nature
Keeps her will alive
This strength is what keeps her going despite all odds
This is how she's dying
Yet, this strength is also what is slowly killing her
She's dying to survive
Her struggle to survive is taking a toll, and she is slowly losing herself in the process
Don't know what she's made of
It's hard to fathom how she is so strong and courageous when faced with such adversity
I would like to be that brave
Her bravery is so inspiring that it makes one aspire to be like her
She cries to the heaven above
Despite her strength, she still has moments of weakness where she seeks help from a higher force
There is a stone in my heart
Her pain and suffering weighs heavily on her heart, making it hard to bear
She lives a life she didn't choose
She is forced to live a life that she didn't choose or desire in which she has to continuously fight
And it hurts like brand-new shoes
The pain of her life is fresh and unbearable, like the pain of wearing a new pair of shoes
The sun gives her no mercy
The natural elements like the sun and the sky offer her no mercy and only add to her suffering
The same sky we lay under
While we enjoy the comfort of lying under the same sky, she has to endure its harshness in her struggle for survival
Burns her to the bone
The sun burns into her skin until it reaches her bones, adding to her physical pain
Long as afternoon shadows
Her journey is long and endless, with the shadows of the afternoon telling her that it's not yet over
It's gonna take her to get home
Her struggle is far from over, and it'll take everything she has to make it back home
Each grain carefully wrapped up
Even in her struggle, she ensures that every grain of her hard-earned possession is cherished and valued
Pearls for her little girl
She endures the pain and agony for her child, to ensure her daughter has a better future
Hallelujah
A cry of joy and gratitude towards the end of her struggle, a sign that she made it through
She lives in a world she didn't choose
She is a victim of her circumstances, living in a world that she didn't have a say in
And it hurts like brand-new shoes
Her life is a constant pain that feels like she's wearing a new, uncomfortable pair of shoes
Hurts like brand-new shoes
Her pain is fresh, unbearable, and unrelenting
Contributed by Adam P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.