Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, NYC, on 1 Ma… Read Full Bio ↴Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, NYC, on 1 March 1927; died 25 April 2023) was an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Caribbean-American pop star, he popularized Jamaican mento folk songs which was marketed as Trinbagonian Calypso musical style with an international audience in the 1950s. His breakthrough album Calypso, released in 1956, was the first million-selling LP by a single artist.

Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing the "Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O". Throughout his career, he was an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes.

Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category and was the oldest living person to have received the honor.

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The Wave
Harry Belafonte Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The sea will wash against the rock
The rock stands strong, the rock is strong
The sea will wash against the rock
But before too long the rock is gone

The wind will blow against the stone
The stone stands strong, the stone is strong
The wind will blow against the stone

but before too long the stone is gone

Patience gentlemen, we move closer every day
Patience gentlemen, the stone will soon give way

We are the wave,
We are the flow
We are the wind
And soon the rock must go
We are the wave,
We are the flow
We are the wind
And soon the rock must go

You cannot hold back the tide
The tide must rise the tide must rise
Its the law of earth and skies
The tide will rise, the tide will rise
Its as natural as day to night
As day to night, day to night
As natural as black and white
Black and white, black and white

Patience gentlemen, the flower can grow up through the stone
Patience gentlemen, its a truth that we have always known

We are the wave,
We are the flow
We are the wind
And soon the rock must go
We are the force
We are the fire
We are the move
Moving higher and higher,
We are the force
We are the fire
We are the move
Moving higher and higher

We are the wave,
We are the flow
We are the wind
And soon the rock must go
We are the wave,
We are the flow
We are the wind
We are the flow
We are the wave,
We are the flow
We are the wind
And soon the rock must go
We are the wave,
We are the flow

We are the wind
We are the flow

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Harry Belafonte's song "The Wave" talk about the power of nature and the unstoppable force of change. The imagery of the sea and the rock, the wind and the stone, and the tide rising evoke the impermanence of things and the inevitability of change. The chorus repeats "We are the wave, we are the flow, we are the wind, and soon the rock must go", highlighting the idea that change is not only natural, but it is also caused by the collective power of people, who are like a wave, a force that can't be stopped.

The verses talk about the futility of resisting change and the patience required to let nature run its course. The lines "But before too long the rock is gone" and "but before too long the stone is gone" show that no matter how strong or steady something appears to be, everything is transient and will eventually give way. The lyric "Patience gentlemen, we move closer every day, patience gentlemen, the stone will soon give way" is a reminder that while change may take time, it is inevitable and we must be patient.

Overall, "The Wave" is a song about acceptance of the fleeting nature of things and the need to embrace change. It encourages us to be part of the force of change and to recognize the collective power we have to shape the world around us.

Line by Line Meaning

The sea will wash against the rock
The relentless force of the sea will crash against the rock.

The rock stands strong, the rock is strong
Though the rock is currently standing strong against the sea, it is inherently strong as well.

But before too long the rock is gone
Despite its current strength, the rock will eventually erode and succumb to the power of the sea.

The wind will blow against the stone
A new element, the wind, comes into play and challenges the strength of the stone.

The stone stands strong, the stone is strong
Despite the wind's challenge, the stone is currently standing strong and resilient.

But before too long the stone is gone
Despite its current strength, the stone will eventually crumble and dissipate due to the force of the wind.

Patience gentlemen, we move closer every day
In the face of these natural forces, the people watching must be patient and watch as the end result slowly approaches.

Patience gentlemen, the stone will soon give way
Though their patience may be tested, the observers can be assured that the stone will eventually be broken down by nature.

We are the wave,
The people watching personify themselves as a part of nature, specifically the wave.

We are the flow
They also personify themselves as the flow of the water and the wind.

We are the wind
The people watching identify as the force of the wind, pushing against the stone and creating change.

And soon the rock must go
As a part of nature, they recognize and eagerly await the inevitable breakdown of the rock.

You cannot hold back the tide
The power of the tide is unstoppable and cannot be contained by any force.

Its the law of earth and skies
This is a natural law, observed in all aspects of the world.

As natural as day to night
This is as natural and unstoppable as the cycle from day to night.

As natural as black and white
This is a law as inherent as the binary shades of black and white.

Patience gentlemen, the flower can grow up through the stone
Again, they urge themselves to be patient and observe the natural process of growth, which can penetrate even the tough exterior of stone.

Its a truth that we have always known
This is a longstanding and inalienable truth of nature.

We are the force
Once again, the observers personify themselves as an elemental force of nature.

We are the fire
They also identify with the intense heat and movement of fire.

We are the move
Finally, they declare themselves to be the driving force behind all movement and change.

Moving higher and higher,
This force is only gaining in strength and momentum.

Contributed by Charlie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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