Survive
L-FRESH The LION feat. MK1 Lyrics
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(Whosoever responds shall be elated! The Immortal Lord is Truth!)
Dustaa Noo Chatkaavay
(He beheads the enemy)
Khaalsay Dee Tegh Challee Naa Jaavay
(No one can withstand the might of the Khalsa's (Pure ones) sword)
Vairiaa Noo Sodhaa Laavay
(He will bring the enemy to justice)
(He roars into the battlefield whilst being elated)
Jo Ayaa Mahaa-kaal Dee Saran So Nihaal! Sat Sri Akaal!
(Whosoever comes into the protection of the Lord shall be elated! The Immortal Lord is Truth!)
I recognise my people by face before I know the name
Smile when we greet because we understand the same
Share the same sight through eyes watered with pain
Yet we hold tightly onto our faith and maintain
We speak on each other's life
Share mutual respect and connect because we're one in the fight
Knowing with insight that the battle will test
But we gotta stay ahead of the rest like playing chess
But understand you give what you get: a full circle
And love can be spread coz it's felt universal
Our blood separates us, by faith we're connected
By strength we survive and by courage we're respected
After we spoke we joke about the world's fear
The most peace loving people with unshaven beards
And they wonder why we keep it, it's no secret
Our faith is the food for the soul so we need it
To survive
Where are you going?
Said, where are you going to run to… to run to?
Where are you going?
Said, where are you going to run to…
To survive?
Spiritual genocide and the war is in the mirror
How can life be sweet when you feel so bitter
I grit my teeth and dig deep
With so many questions on my mind, I miss sleep
But never lose sight of my dreams
I keep my faith close to my heart so the light's a high beam
I raise my fist to the sky about as high as can be
And send a prayer out to all of my lions and queens
I bow my head to the Guru that raised me
And pay respect to the saints coz your wisdom aids me
We went from fighting with words to fighting with swords
Then surviving the times and now we're fighting with minds
I feel the winds of change and it tends to amaze me
Coming to terms with me means you can never change me
It ain't easy but when you search you will find
That everything tends to pass like time
And so we survive
{ Everybody in the place with me
Put your fists in the air where they're meant to be }
The first section of these lyrics draws heavily from Sikhism, which is reflected in the use of Punjabi phrases and references to the Khalsa, a sect of Sikh warriors. The lines "He beheads the enemy" and "He will bring the enemy to justice" speak to the idea of fighting against any forces that threaten the Khalsa or their way of life. The song paints an image of a community that is bound together by their faith, even in the midst of struggle and suffering. The phrase "smile when we greet because we understand the same" highlights the solidarity that is felt among members of this community, who are able to recognize each other's struggles and offer support. The lyrics also draw attention to the idea of survival, with the repeated refrain of "where are you going to run to...to survive?" suggesting that life can be a struggle, but it is possible to overcome challenges by staying united and keeping faith.
The second section of the lyrics shifts to a more introspective focus, with lines like "spiritual genocide and the war is in the mirror" and "how can life be sweet when you feel so bitter" suggesting a sense of personal struggle and pain. Even as the song acknowledges the difficulties faced by the community as a whole, it also recognizes that each individual may be grappling with their own demons. The line "we went from fighting with words to fighting with swords" speaks to the history of conflict that the Sikh community has faced, while also suggesting that there are different ways of fighting for survival.
Overall, the lyrics to L-FRESH The LION feat. MK1's song Survive highlight the themes of faith, solidarity, and survival, drawing on Sikhism to present a vision of a community that is bound together by its belief in a higher power and its commitment to standing up against oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
I recognise my people by face before I know the name
Our community is tight-knit, and we know each other by sight and not just name
Smile when we greet because we understand the same
We smile when we greet each other because we know the pain and shared struggles
Share the same sight through eyes watered with pain
We share a common vision and see through the lens of our struggles and pain
Yet we hold tightly onto our faith and maintain
Despite challenges, we cling to our faith and keep the faith alive
We speak on each other's life
We speak about and uplift each other's lives
Share mutual respect and connect because we're one in the fight
We respect and connect with each other because we are fighting the same battle
Knowing with insight that the battle will test
We are aware that the battle will put us to the test
But we gotta stay ahead of the rest like playing chess
We need to stay ahead in the game like playing chess
But understand you give what you get: a full circle
What goes around comes around, and we get what we give
And love can be spread coz it's felt universal
Love is universal, and it can be shared with everyone
Our blood separates us, by faith we're connected
Our family and blood may separate us, but our faith connects us
By strength we survive and by courage we're respected
We survive by our strength and are respected for our courage
After we spoke we joke about the world's fear
After our conversations, we joke about the world's fear
The most peace-loving people with unshaven beards
People often wonder why we keep unshaven beards, but we are the most peaceful people
And they wonder why we keep it, it's no secret
Others might wonder why we keep our beliefs, but it is no secret to us
Our faith is the food for the soul so we need it
Our faith nourishes our souls, and we need it to survive
Spiritual genocide and the war is in the mirror
We are dealing with spiritual ruin and fighting an internal battle
How can life be sweet when you feel so bitter
Life cannot be sweet when you feel bitter inside
I grit my teeth and dig deep
I push through the tough times with grit and determination
With so many questions on my mind, I miss sleep
I lose sleep thinking about the many questions that plague my mind
But never lose sight of my dreams
I never lose sight of my dreams despite the challenges
I keep my faith close to my heart so the light's a high beam
My faith guides me even in the darkest moments, serving as a powerful light
I raise my fist to the sky about as high as can be
I show my strength and determination by raising my fist skyward
And send a prayer out to all of my lions and queens
I pray for my brothers and sisters and those with the same courage and strength as me
I bow my head to the Guru that raised me
I show respect and gratitude to the teachings and principles that shaped me
And pay respect to the saints coz your wisdom aids me
I respect the saints for their wisdom and guidance that helps me along my journey
We went from fighting with words to fighting with swords
We have gone from verbal confrontations to physical battles
Then surviving the times and now we're fighting with minds
Having made it through, now we fight with intelligence and strategic thinking
I feel the winds of change and it tends to amaze me
I sense that change is coming, and it both surprises and awes me
Coming to terms with me means you can never change me
I have come to terms with who I am, and no one can change that
It ain't easy but when you search you will find
The search may be tough, but the reward of finding oneself is worth it
That everything tends to pass like time
All things pass, like time
Where are you going? Said, where are you going to run to… to run to?
Where are you going when things get tough? Where can you run to?
Where are you going? Said, where are you going to run to… To survive?
When things get tough, where can you go to survive?
{Everybody in the place with me Put your fists in the air where they're meant to be}
Everyone in this place stand with me, raise your fists high where they belong
Contributed by Cole A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@shadowstaine1542
L, just so you know, this song will be playing in my head when I die (hopefully in 100 years). You've created something huge.
@shadowstaine1542
But seriously
@JR-qf9vt
You going to live to 120?
@LFRESHTheLION
Thank you fam! Much love
@dmorrison6371
Ahaha,good on ya,this unoriginal shit made on a laptop,wow
@dmorrison6371
But seriously heeey hoooo,please you ain't naughty by nature lols
@rorymiller2147
THIS SHIT IS REAL. You're the voice for a lot of us L never stop
@BUFFDUCK702
Man how am i only just hearing this now?
This has to be one of the most amazing tracks i have ever heard, hooked from the very first listen.
So much respect!
@BIGHASS
I love the fact that this video is real. You can feel the authenticity ! I salute you L! & thank you for connecting the world through Hip-Hop! I swear your lyrics, your vibe do elevate my mind & I wish I come to Australia one day & rock it out with you guys. Blessings & Salute from Saudi my friend - Proud to know you!
@ieeTube
Your lyrics are off the hook and a great voice. Saddens my heart how we have lost the most lives in the struggle to India's independence but still got betrayed by dirty politicians and lost more than half of Motherland to new country Pakistan, then they took New Delhi also. But to our greatness we still made 80% of the Indian Army while only making 2% of the Indian population after India's Independence from British.