Pearls
Manupuma Lyrics

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There is a woman in Somalia
Scraping for pearls on the roadside
There's a force stronger than nature
Keeps her will alive
This is how she's dying
She's dying to survive
Don't know what she's made of
I would like to be that brave

She cries to the heaven above
There is a stone in my heart
She lives a life she didn't choose
And it hurts like brand-new shoes
Hurts like brand-new shoes

There is a woman in Somalia
The sun gives her no mercy
The same sky we lay under
Burns her to the bone
Long as afternoon shadows
It's gonna take her to go home
Each grain carefully wrapped up
Pearls for her little girl

Hallelujah
Hallelujah

She cries to the heaven above
There is a stone in my heart
She lives in a world she didn't choose

And it hurts like brand-new shoes
It hurts like brand-new shoes

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Manupuma's song "Pearls" describe the daily struggles of a woman in Somalia who is scraping for pearls on the roadside in order to provide for her family. Despite the harsh conditions caused by the burning sun and lack of mercy, this woman is resilient and strong. The song alludes to the fact that there is a force within her that is stronger than nature, which keeps her will to survive alive.

The lyrics acknowledge that the woman's life is not one that she has chosen, yet she perseveres and is willing to do whatever it takes to provide for her little girl. The hardships she endures, from the pain in her feet to the stone in her heart, are likened to the discomfort of new shoes. This comparison helps to exemplify the grit and determination of the woman in Somalia who is "dying to survive".

Throughout the song, the singer's cry to the heavens above is repeated several times, as if in a prayer. This cry represents her hardships and struggles, and acknowledges the power of something greater than herself that she is looking up to for guidance and strength.

Line by Line Meaning

There is a woman in Somalia
There exists a woman in Somalia

Scraping for pearls on the roadside
She picks pearls off from the roadside

There's a force stronger than nature
There is a powerful internal motivator

Keeps her will alive
It keeps her determination to live intact

This is how she's dying
This is how she struggles to survive each day

She's dying to survive
She is struggling to stay alive

Don't know what she's made of
It is unknown what kind of strength she possesses

I would like to be that brave
I admire her bravery

She cries to the heaven above
She pleads for help to God

There is a stone in my heart
I feel great sorrow

She lives a life she didn't choose
Her life was not of her choosing