Never
Angelique Kidjo & Cassandra Wilson Lyrics
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Egbé afon kpodo avi kpo
Do wézoun kan wè
Nou dé adoo bi vo dowé
Avi djin kpo
Totoé mantin
Nontowé kou bo yé han dowé
Egbé awa toun vivé éton
What you want
Is not always what you need
Looking everywhere
Except right in front of me
Inner peace
Or private war
Lose the key
Just when you find the door
'Cause you never know what you've got
Till it's gone
Mondji irorun kossi mon ééé
'Cause you never know what you've lost
Till it's found
Irorun, irorun, irorun egbamin o
Ado gandji ma djia zon
Gbé nou vivéé wé
Enin o wou o lin tamin kpon
Bo djo avi do
Gbè élo wè djo mon min
Min bi do nan sou
Do vivè min wè min bi
Kplon soussou dé
What you want
Is not always what you need
Looking everywhere
Except right in front of me
Inner peace
Or private war
Lose the key
Just when you find the door
'Cause you never know what you've got
Till it's gone
Mondji irorun kossi mon ééé
'Cause you never know what you've lost
Till it's found
Irorun, irorun, irorun egbamin o
The song Never Know by Angélique Kidjo featuring Cassandra Wilson is a soulful exploration of the human experience of realizing the value of what we have only after it's gone. The song starts with an invocation in the Egun language, spoken in Benin, translated to "We are all a family, standing in front of each other. Let us take each other's hand and never break the chain." The opening phrase sets a tone of communal togetherness, which is carried on through the melody and rhythm of the song. The lyrics then explore the theme of taking things for granted, and only recognizing their worth once they are gone. The chorus "Cause you never know what you've got till it's gone" repeats this theme and sets the tone for the rest of the song.
The verses describe this experience in a personal context, and the imagery used creates a sense of displacement and confusion. The line "Looking everywhere except right in front of me" captures the sense of blind spots that we often experience, where we fail to recognize the value of the things closest to us. The line "Inner peace or private war, lose the key just when you find the door" brings up the theme of personal turmoil and the struggle to find a balanced state of being. The song ends with another Egun invocation, which affirms the message of togetherness and solidarity.
Line by Line Meaning
Egbé afon kpodo avi kpo
The river banks are collapsing, but life must go on
Do wézoun kan wè
This world is complicated
Nou dé adoo bi vo dowé
We are all strangers on this journey of life
Avi djin kpo
The wind carries us away
Totoé mantin
We do not know what the future holds
Nontowé kou bo yé han dowé
All we can do is hold on to what we have now
Egbé awa toun vivé éton
We are all in this together
Do gbé towé min
Let us move forward with love
What you want
Your desires
Is not always what you need
Might not be what you truly require
Looking everywhere
Searching high and low
Except right in front of me
But the answer was right in front of you all along
Inner peace
A calm and content state of mind
Or private war
An internal struggle with oneself
Lose the key
Misplace the solution
Just when you find the door
Just when you finally figure it out
'Cause you never know what you've got
You do not realize the value of what you have
Till it's gone
Until it is taken away
Mondji irorun kossi mon ééé
Life is a mystery that we cannot fully comprehend
'Cause you never know what you've lost
You do not recognize what you have lost
Till it's found
Until you rediscover it
Irorun, irorun, irorun egbamin o
Life is an unpredictable journey
Ado gandji ma djia zon
Do not take anything in life for granted
Gbé nou vivéé wé
Enjoy the present moment
Enin o wou o lin tamin kpon
The future may hold both good and bad
Bo djo avi do
Let us spread our wings and fly
Gbè élo wè djo mon min
Let us follow our hearts and dreams
Min bi do nan sou
Let us be true to ourselves
Do vivè min wè min bi
Let us live life on our own terms
Kplon soussou dé
The world is full of surprises
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBBIE NEVIL, ANGELIQUE KIDJO, JEAN LOUIS PIERRE HEBRAIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind