Roses
Mos Def feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow Lyrics
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On a pretty piece of paper
With my recipe open
So halfway through, I feel so much better
I imagine happiness, and it runs right to me, such amazing beauty
You don't have to, cut up no roses
Please just leave them living
Got my pencil, got pretty paper
[Chorus]
"I have found, just the perfect feelin'
Finally cause I'm grateful
I can feel your spirit, comin' closer on me
It is grand, just to be reminded
Reminded of the good things
Living in a new day, that no one can tear down
You don't have to, cut up no roses
Please just leave them living
Got my pencil, got pretty paper
Please don't worry we're forgiven"
"Yellow for friendship, red for love
Black for the universal stars above
Pink buds that I bought her on Valentine
She said it was forever then she changed her mind
I said a little prayer then I cleared my eyes
Cause the [? ]
Started off with a oget, natural poget
I ain't Picasso but that ain't important
Faith, smart dude never graduated high school
Stay tuned I'm a show you how my art move
Shape and dimension flow and extension
Symmetry shade, blowin' out the frame
Sign off my name Dante when I'm finished
Put it to your memory for permanent exhibit
Love, hard work and it's worth every minute
Abstract is still life real life kinetic"
[Chorus]
"Got my pencil, got pretty paper
Please don't worry we're forgiven
You don't have to, cut up no roses
Please just leave them living"
"When I'm down, I just draw some roses
On a pretty piece of paper
With my recipe open
So almost through, I feel so much better
I imagine happiness, and it ran right to me, such amazing beauty
Got my pencil, got pretty paper
Please don't worry we're forgiven
You don't have to, cut up no roses
Please just leave them living"
The lyrics of Mos Def's "Roses" featuring Georgia Anne Muldrow express the power of art in lifting one's mood during dark times. The song's protagonist uses a pencil and paper to draw roses, which represent abstract beauty, friendship, love, and the memory of a failed relationship. The roses' ephemeral nature, as well as their vibrancy and color, serve as a reminder to cherish life's fleeting joys and to express oneself honestly in creative endeavors. The singer finds solace in the process of drawing roses, which allows them to imagine happiness and feel better even when faced with adversity. Ultimately, the song invites listeners to appreciate the beauty of life and forgive themselves for their mistakes.
The song's lyrics are infused with meaning and artistry, as is typical for Mos Def's work. In "Roses," the use of the motif of roses has several layers of symbolism, including the idea of finding beauty in the natural world, the use of colors to express emotions, and the concept of abstraction as a way to externalize inner feelings. The song's chorus, especially the line "living in a new day, that no one can tear down," suggests a sense of hope and optimism in the face of adversity, which is a recurring theme in Mos Def's work. The song's overall message is a celebration of the power of art to inspire, heal, and elevate the human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
When I'm down, I just draw some roses
When I feel sad, I draw roses on paper as it makes me feel better
On a pretty piece of paper
I draw roses on a beautiful piece of paper
With my recipe open
While I'm drawing, I keep my recipe book open
So halfway through, I feel so much better
Drawing roses uplifts my mood halfway through, making me feel much happier
I imagine happiness, and it runs right to me, such amazing beauty
I think about happiness and it brings positivity into my life; it's a beautiful feeling
You don't have to, cut up no roses
You don't need to destroy roses by cutting them
Please just leave them living
Please let the roses live
Got my pencil, got pretty paper
I have all the materials I need to draw roses
Please don't worry we're forgiven
Please don't worry; we are all forgiven
I have found, just the perfect feelin'
I have finally found the perfect feeling
Finally cause I'm grateful
I am grateful for this feeling
I can feel your spirit, comin' closer on me
I can sense your spirit coming closer to me
It is grand, just to be reminded
It is wonderful to be reminded of good things
Reminded of the good things
To be reminded of the positive things in life
Living in a new day, that no one can tear down
Living in a new day which is unbreakable
Yellow for friendship, red for love
Yellow is the color of friendship, and red is the color of love
Black for the universal stars above
Black represents the stars in the universe
Pink buds that I bought her on Valentine
I bought her pink flower buds on Valentine's Day
She said it was forever then she changed her mind
She promised that it was forever, but she changed her mind later
I said a little prayer then I cleared my eyes
I said a prayer and wiped away my tears
Cause the [? ]
Unknown meaning
Started off with a oget, natural poget
I started drawing roses with a unique style
I ain't Picasso but that ain't important
I'm not Picasso, but it doesn't matter
Faith, smart dude never graduated high school
I'm a smart dude who never graduated high school but kept faith
Stay tuned I'm a show you how my art move
Stay tuned as I show you my artistic abilities
Shape and dimension flow and extension
Shape and dimension of my art is flowing and extending
Symmetry shade, blowin' out the frame
Symmetry and shading making the art appear beyond its frame
Sign off my name Dante when I'm finished
I sign off my name Dante when I'm done with my artwork
Put it to your memory for permanent exhibit
Remember my artwork as a permanent exhibit in your memory
Love, hard work and it's worth every minute
Love and hard work are worth every minute spent on them
Abstract is still life real life kinetic
Abstract can mimic real-life stillness and movement
Got my pencil, got pretty paper
I have all the materials I need to draw roses
Please don't worry we're forgiven
Please don't worry; we are all forgiven
You don't have to, cut up no roses
You don't need to destroy roses by cutting them
Please just leave them living
Please let the roses live
When I'm down, I just draw some roses
When I feel sad, I draw roses on paper as it makes me feel better
On a pretty piece of paper
I draw roses on a beautiful piece of paper
With my recipe open
While I'm drawing, I keep my recipe book open
So almost through, I feel so much better
Drawing roses uplifts my mood as I'm almost done, making me feel much happier
I imagine happiness, and it runs right to me, such amazing beauty
I think about happiness and it brings positivity into my life; it's a beautiful feeling
Got my pencil, got pretty paper
I have all the materials I need to draw roses
Please don't worry we're forgiven
Please don't worry; we are all forgiven
You don't have to, cut up no roses
You don't need to destroy roses by cutting them
Please just leave them living
Please let the roses live
Lyrics ยฉ CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Dante Smith, Georgia Ann Muldrow
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind