Big Love
Black Eyed Peas Lyrics

A day in a life of a kid in America
This line sets the stage for the song and paints a picture of a typical American day.

Everyone's a critic, watch them criticize your character
People are constantly judging and criticizing others, even their character.

Everybody watching ya
People love to watch and observe others, often in a critical way.

People love to stare at ya
Similar to the previous line, people enjoy looking at others and observing their actions.

Everybody's greedy ain't nobody tryna share with ya
In a selfish society, people are not willing to share with others.

Our leaders are embarrassing
Political leaders are not providing good examples and are causing shame for their actions.

I think they need some parenting
Leaders require someone to guide them and discipline them so that they can act better.

Tell me why they playing with the fire and the kerosene?
This rhetorical question refers to the dangerous and irresponsible actions of leaders playing with fire, which can represent conflict or destructive policies.

Kids on the Percocet, trippin' on the medicine
Some youth are detrimentally affected by taking prescription drugs, causing them to feel the effects of the medication in a negative way.

Call it like I see ya wit' some drugged up Americans
The author is trying to describe the negative impacts of drugs on people, particularly on Americans.

Everybody's following
People are not demonstrating leadership, rather they are conforming and following what others do.

Ain't nobody leading
In a society where everyone follows, no one leads.

People lovin' guns more than kids is a season
The author is concerned that, tragically, people love their guns more than children, often leaving children in unsafe situations.

And they say the reason is to protect their freedom
The author does not believe that owning guns makes us free, and does not agree with the notion of people owning guns to protect their freedom.

But we don't believe 'em
The author does not believe those who espouse the belief that people need guns to protect their freedom.

'Cause all that we are
The author is trying to highlight what truly matters in life.

All that we're made of
This line echoes the previous one, emphasizing that beyond what we do, who we are is important.

Is big, big love
Love, compassion, and empathy are the qualities that we should be valuing the most.

And all that we have
In life, we should strive to have love as our most valued possession.

That's all that we're made of
Love is what we should be striving to embody, as it is the core of our being.

That's all that we are
Once again, the author emphasizes that love is what truly matters in life.

Is big, big love
Repeats previous line for emphasis.

When I was a young boy
The author is reflecting on his past experiences and observations of the world.

Used to hear the people say
People used to talk and discuss the issues that matter to them.

Power to the people but we them people nowadays
The author is lamenting that people no longer have power in the same way they used to, and that they are increasingly disempowered.

We ain't never giving up
Despite these challenges, the author believes that people should never give up striving for a better life.

Now we got our hands up
Raising one's hands up can be seen as a universal symbol of hope and surrender to a greater power.

We can't be, 'cause their hearts ain't big enough
The author is suggesting that those who are holding people back are limited by their own hearts, perhaps lacking empathy or compassion.

All we need is just us, hate got ya guessing
The author is suggesting that hate is making people feel uncertain and deceitful, and that if we work together, we can beat this negativity.

War is the answer but really, what's the question?
The author proposes that war has become an answer in search of a problem, rather than a solution to an actual problem.

Money got 'em stressin'
The author is highlighting the fact that money can cause stress, which can impact people negatively.

Fear got 'em flexin'
Fear can make people act aggressively or with strength, most likely as a result of a perceived threat.

Phones got us zoned out
Technology can be isolating, and can make people feel disconnected from others.

Now we lose connection, please stand by
Even though technology has the potential to connect us, it can also present glitches or breakdowns in communication.

It takes you and I to keep the hope alive
The author is emphasizing that in order to keep hope alive, everyone needs to work together to nourish it.

'Cause we're living in a time where you're fighting to survive
The author is acknowledging that survival has become harder in the modern world, and that people must work together to overcome the challenges of our time.

And all we need is love
The author concludes the song by reiterating that the world needs more love if we are to overcome these challenges.