Atonement
The Roots Lyrics


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As I wait for atonement
Trapped in the heat of the moment
Feelin' like I can't control it
As I wait for atonement
Trapped in the heat of the moment

Uh huh, feelin' the steam from the cauldron
With tension runnin' deep as the ocean
Many are called, but so few are chosen
As I go through the motions, of medication uppin' my dosage
Bangin' Earth, Wind & Fire "Devotion" as I admire the focus
Takin' the city with a grain of salt
Where they tastin' foul, chase it down, with the latest malt liquor
Roll and hit it, knife did it, hope you got some smarts with you
Hope you got some heart it ain't no stoppin' when it start, nigga
Feel somethin' bigger got a hold on me
And I ain't trippin' not a Bobby Brown, lippin' with my nose runnin'
Basically I had two, options I just chose one
And then got ghost, like my picture was on a most wanted
Coast to coast, from L.A. to Chicago
Now I'm faced, with the weight of survival, plus the taste
From the way I been lied to while the preacher man spittin' his gospel
I can win if I try to

As I wait for atonement
Trapped in the heat of the moment
Feelin' like I can't control it




As I wait for atonement
Trapped in the heat of the moment

Overall Meaning

The Roots's "Atonement" is a song that delves into a crisis of self and the search for redemption. The lyrics convey a sense of being trapped in the heat of the moment, waiting for atonement to come. The singer is struggling to control their emotions and is overwhelmed by the tension they feel. The song speaks to the struggle of being caught in the grip of something bigger than oneself, but still holding onto hope that atonement and redemption are possible.


The song touches on themes of addiction, pain, and the desire to change. The singer is taking medication to cope with their situation, but it feels as if they are just going through the motions. They are faced with the weight of survival and have to bear the burden of the lies they have been told. Despite this, they still believe that they can win if they try. The use of "Atonement" in the title implies that the singer is looking for forgiveness and seeking to make things right.


Line by Line Meaning

As I wait for atonement
I am seeking redemption for my past actions and waiting for a chance to make things right


Trapped in the heat of the moment
I am stuck in a difficult situation with intense emotions and struggling to escape it


Uh huh, feelin' the steam from the cauldron
I am surrounded by tension and conflict that is boiling and ready to erupt


With tension runnin' deep as the ocean
The level of tension and conflict is as vast and deep as the ocean


Many are called, but so few are chosen
Many people attempt to solve the problem, but only a select few are successful in doing so


As I go through the motions, of medication uppin' my dosage
I am taking medication to help control my emotions, but it feels like I am only going through the motions


Bangin' Earth, Wind & Fire "Devotion" as I admire the focus
I am listening to music to help me focus and find inspiration


Takin' the city with a grain of salt
I am approaching the situation with skepticism and caution


Where they tastin' foul, chase it down, with the latest malt liquor
The situation is unpleasant, and I am trying to distract myself with alcohol


Roll and hit it, knife did it, hope you got some smarts with you
I am taking risks in the situation and hoping that I have the intelligence and ability to handle them


Hope you got some heart it ain't no stoppin' when it start, nigga
I am warning others that once the conflict starts, there is no stopping it and they need to have courage to face it


Feel somethin' bigger got a hold on me
I sense that there is a greater force at play in the situation that I cannot control


And I ain't trippin' not a Bobby Brown, lippin' with my nose runnin'
I am not worried about the situation causing me to lose control, like Bobby Brown did when he was on drugs


Basically I had two, options I just chose one
I had two choices in the situation, and I made a decision


And then got ghost, like my picture was on a most wanted
I disappeared from the situation as if I was a wanted criminal


Coast to coast, from L.A. to Chicago
I have traveled across the country, experiencing the same types of conflicts in different places


Now I'm faced, with the weight of survival, plus the taste
I am dealing with the pressure to survive and the consequences of my actions


From the way I been lied to while the preacher man spittin' his gospel
I have been deceived by people who are supposed to be trustworthy, even while listening to religious sermons


I can win if I try to
I have the ability to overcome the situation if I put forth the effort and try




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: THOMAS EDWARD YORKE, JONATHAN RICHARD GUY GREENWOOD, EDWARD JOHN O'BRIEN, PHILIP JAMES SELWAY, COLIN CHARLES GREENWOOD, TARIK TROTTER, KARL B JENKINS

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Comments from YouTube:

Paperbagman555

One of The Roots' chillest songs - love it.

DJFreudian

you don't know the excitement i felt once i heard You and Whose Army today. I was just playing that song for the first time while doing some hw and it just caught my ear....and i was like...."i know that! Wow The Roots sampled this?!" Awesome

Electric Whelk

The Roots and Radiohead go really well together... it makes sense, really, they always reminded me of each other. They both manage to be textured and lush while also being super anthemic.

Allen Skip

Exactly this. Two of my favorite bands of all time

J.G. Finch

love this

musiklover5238

This Album set the bar for me. This is one of those tracks where you never hear music the same after. Few things compare.

A.K.

This is what a real sample sounds like! Incredibly reworked, not just pasted!

Andreas Konnaris

for anyone who wonders, the sample is taken from radioheas's "you and whose army?". Questlove is a beast....Great song

Discord67

The greatest lyricist of all time with one of the most spine chilling samples.

Jerry Carrasco Jr

Radiohead atonement

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