As well as music, Common has worked as an actor, on films such as 'Smokin' Aces' (as Sir Ivy) 'American Gangster' (as Turner Lucas), 'Wanted', and 'John Wick: Chapter 2'. He may also be seen in cameo roles in films such as 'Brown Sugar'.
His debut was the 1992 album Can I Borrow A Dollar, but he achieved little critical or commercial success until 1994's Resurrection, an instant classic. He produced several more albums, notably Like Water For Chocolate and the highly experimental Electric Circus, before releasing the Kanye West and J Dilla-produced Be in 2005, which was his first album to receive widespread mainstream appeal and radio playtime.
Common is considered a "cred" artist, which has lead him to collaborations with the likes of De La Soul, Jadakiss, T.I, Talib Kweli, The Roots, Kanye West, Lily Allen, Erykah Badu, and Fort Minor.
The 2007 album Finding Forever was produced mainly by long-time collaborator, Kanye West. Common released his eighth album Universal Mind Control in 2008, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album but lost to the Eminem album Relapse. He released his ninth album The Dreamer/The Believer in 2011. Nobody's Smiling, his tenth album, was released in 2014. The concept of the album was inspired by his troubled hometown of Chicago.
Glory
Common Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh one day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure
Oh glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)
Hands to the Heavens, no man, no weapon
Every day women and men become legends
Sins that go against our skin become blessings
The movement is a rhythm to us
Freedom is like religion to us
Justice is juxtapositionin' us
Justice for all just ain't specific enough
One son died, his spirit is revisitin' us
Truant livin' livin' in us, resistance is us
That's why Rosa sat on the bus
That's why we walk through Ferguson with our hands up
When it go down we woman and man up
They say, "Stay down", and we stand up
Shots, we on the ground, the camera panned up
King pointed to the mountain top and we ran up
One day when the glory comes
It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh one day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure
Oh glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)
Now the war is not over, victory isn't won
And we'll fight on to the finish, then when it's all done
We'll cry glory, oh glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)
We'll cry glory, oh glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)
Selma's now for every man, woman and child
Even Jesus got his crown in front of a crowd
They marched with the torch, we gon' run with it now
Never look back, we done gone hundreds of miles
From dark roads he rose, to become a hero
Facin' the league of justice, his power was the people
Enemy is lethal, a king became regal
Saw the face of Jim Crow under a bald eagle
The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful
We sing, our music is the cuts that we bleed through
Somewhere in the dream we had an epiphany
Now we right the wrongs in history
No one can win the war individually
It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people's energy
Welcome to the story we call victory
The comin' of the Lord, my eyes have seen the glory
One day when the glory comes
It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh one day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure
Oh glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)
Oh glory (Glory, glory)
Hey (glory, glory)
When the war is won, when it's all said and done
We'll cry glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)
The song "Glory" by Common and John Legend is a tribute to the Civil Rights Movement and particularly to the events of the Selma to Montgomery Marches of 1965. Through its lyrics, the song highlights the struggles faced by African Americans in their quest for justice and equality. The first verse begins with the proclamation that one day, the glory that has been denied to African Americans will be theirs. The use of the phrase "glory" here can be interpreted as referring to the acknowledgement and celebration of African American contributions to the nation.
The lyrics then speak of the movement as a rhythm or a beat, reflecting the persistence and determination of those involved. The song also acknowledges the violence and oppression that activists faced, from slavery to Jim Crow laws, and the continuing struggle for equality. The lyrics reference the infamous refusal of Rosa Parks to give up her seat on a bus and the protests in Ferguson, Missouri following the shooting of Michael Brown. Despite the challenges faced, the lyrics remind listeners to stand up and fight, to run with the torch of progress and never look back.
In the final verse, the lyrics pivot to a message of hope and determination, proclaiming the coming of victory and the glory that will come with it. The lyrics suggest that the movement for justice cannot be won by individuals alone but will require the wisdom of elders and the energy of young people. The song concludes with the repeated cry of "glory" and "hey," emphasizing the joy and celebration that will accompany the realization of justice.
Line by Line Meaning
One day when the glory comes
There will be a day when we achieve greatness and achieve our goals
It will be ours, it will be ours
We will be victorious and achieve what we are striving for
Oh one day when the war is won
One day, the struggles and hardships we face will be over
We will be sure, we will be sure
We will be confident in our success
Oh glory (glory, glory)
Our achievements will be glorious and worthy of praise
Oh (glory, glory)
We will be triumphant and victorious
Hands to the Heavens, no man, no weapon
We are looking up, reaching for something greater than ourselves, and no one can stop us
Formed against, yes glory is destined
No matter what obstacles we face, we are destined for greatness
Every day women and men become legends
Every day, people are doing incredible things that will make them legends
Sins that go against our skin become blessings
Even when we face discrimination and adversity because of our skin color, it can make us stronger and bring about positive change
The movement is a rhythm to us
We are all working together in a coordinated effort towards achieving our goals
Freedom is like religion to us
Freedom is something we value above all else and hold close to our hearts
Justice is juxtapositionin' us
We are constantly comparing and contrasting what is happening in society with the idea of justice
Justice for all just ain't specific enough
The phrase 'justice for all' is not specific enough, and we need to take additional actions to ensure equality for all people
One son died, his spirit is revisitin' us
The spirit of someone who died fighting for justice lives on and inspires us to continue the fight
Truant livin' livin' in us, resistance is us
We are resisting the status quo and making a difference in our lives and the lives of others
That's why Rosa sat on the bus
Rosa Parks' bravery in standing up for her rights inspires us to do the same
That's why we walk through Ferguson with our hands up
We are peacefully protesting and standing up for justice, even in the face of opposition
When it go down we woman and man up
We are brave and take action even in difficult and dangerous situations
They say, "Stay down", and we stand up
Even when others try to keep us down, we rise up and continue fighting
Shots, we on the ground, the camera panned up
Even when others try to silence us, our message reaches far and wide
King pointed to the mountain top and we ran up
We are following in the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr., driven by his vision of equality and justice
Now the war is not over, victory isn't won
Our fight for justice continues, and we have not yet achieved our ultimate goal
And we'll fight on to the finish, then when it's all done
We will keep fighting until we achieve our goals, no matter how long it takes
We'll cry glory, oh glory (glory, glory)
Our victory will be glorious and worth celebrating
Oh (glory, glory)
We will be triumphant and victorious
Selma's now for every man, woman and child
The struggle for justice is not just for a few, but for everyone
Even Jesus got his crown in front of a crowd
Even the greatest and most righteous people have faced opposition, but they still prevailed
They marched with the torch, we gon' run with it now
We are continuing the work of those who came before us and moving forward towards progress
Never look back, we done gone hundreds of miles
We have come a long way in the struggle for justice, and we will not allow ourselves to become complacent
From dark roads he rose, to become a hero
Someone who faced great adversity became a hero and a symbol of hope for others
Facin' the league of justice, his power was the people
He was able to make a difference because he had the support of the people
Enemy is lethal, a king became regal
The obstacles we face are powerful, but we are becoming stronger and more powerful in response
Saw the face of Jim Crow under a bald eagle
Even the symbols of America can be associated with injustice and inequality
The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful
Our peaceful protests and nonviolent resistance are powerful tools in the fight for justice
We sing, our music is the cuts that we bleed through
Our music channels our pain, emotions, and experiences into something powerful and meaningful
Somewhere in the dream we had an epiphany
We had a moment of realization and clarity that has inspired us to continue fighting
Now we right the wrongs in history
We are correcting the injustices of the past and working towards a better future
No one can win the war individually
We need to work together and support each other in order to achieve our goals
It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people's energy
Both experience and youthful vigor are needed in the fight for justice
Welcome to the story we call victory
We are making history and achieving our goals in the fight for justice
The comin' of the Lord, my eyes have seen the glory
Our collective efforts and struggle for justice is something divine and powerful, and we will continue to see its glory realized
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Che Smith, John Stephens, Lonnie Lynn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@uhnyluh
Keith Childress
Kevin Matthews
Michael Noel
Leroy Browning
Roy Nelson
Tiara Thomas
Jamar Clark
Cornelius Brown
Kevin McLeaod
India Kager
Sandra Bland
Tamir Rice
Kris Jackson
Terry Lee Chatman
Freddie Gray
Anthony Hill
Brian Pickett
Michael Brown
Dominique Franklin
Tommy Yancy
John h. Crawford lll
Jerame C. reid
Kendra James
Sean Bell
Eric Garner
Alton Sterling
Amadou Diallo
Christian Taylor
Ezell Ford
Laquan Mcdonald
Ariane Mccree
Miles Hall
William green
Jamee Johnson
Michael dean
Stephon Clark
Antwon Rose
Emmett Till
Oscar Grant
Dana Martin
Tamika Washington
Yahora Nesby
Trayvon Martin
Yvette Smith
Jamar Clark
Philando Castille
Freddie Gray
Terrence Crutcher
Frankie Perkins
Kayla Moore
Kajieme Powell
Lavon King
Kimani Gray
Ahmaud Aubrey
Sean Reed
Breonna Taylor
George Floyd
Tony Mcdade
Rest in Peace to all of these taken lives and many, many more 🙏 ❤
When are they gonna stop killing us?
@bubgaming1486
"If you cannot fly, then run. If you cannot run, then walk. If you cannot walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward." - Martin Luther King Jr.
@lateaniahernandez1770
I seen that quote today
@yummyfood3568
What if you can't crawl? :[
@danarius.t5866
+Sharya Meck ask someone to push u :/
@jasmindiaz7329
YESS
@carlosarcila7158
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@blackgirlmagic3197
Who’s here after Ahmaud’s death,R.I.P brother 😢
@nashidm6086
Sadly, it's now George Floyd
@metef5171
@@nashidm6086 That's too sad.
@kailynn6748
now here for George Floyd.