I Am Not My Hair
Andrew Ramsey, Shannon Sanders, India Arie Simpson, Aliaune Thiam
See, I can kinda recall a lil' ways back
Small, tryin' to ball, always been black
And my hair, I tried it all I even went flat
Had a lumpy curly top and all that crap, now
Just tryin' to be appreciated
Nappy headed brothers never had no ladies
And I hit the barber shop real quick
Had 'em give me lil' twist and it drove 'em crazy (crazy)
Then I couldn't get no job
'Cause corporate wouldn't hire no dreadlocks
Then I thought about my dogs from the block
Kinda understand why they chose to steal and rob
Was it the hair that got me this far
All these girls these cribs these cars?
I hate to say it but it seem so flawed
'Cause success didn't come till I cut it all off
Little girl with the press and curl
Age eight, I got a Jheri curl
Thirteen, and I got a relaxer
I was a source of so much laughter
At fifteen when it all broke off
Eighteen and went all natural
February, 2002
I went on and did what I had to do
Because it was time to change my life
To become the woman that I am inside
Ninety-seven dreadlocks all gone
I looked in the mirror for the first time and saw that
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am the soul that lives within
Good hair means curls and waves (no)
Bad hair means you look like a slave (no)
At the turn of the century
It's time for us to redefine who we be
You can shave it off like a South African beauty
Or get in on lock like Bob Marley
You can rock it straight like Oprah Winfrey
If it's not what's on your head, it's what's underneath, and say
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am the soul that lives within
Who cares if you don't like that?
With nothin' to lose, postin' with the wave cap
And the cops wanna harass 'cause I got waves
Ain't see nothin' like that in all my days
Man, you gotta change all these feelings
Steady judging one another by their appearance
Yes, India, I feel ya, girl
Now go ahead, talk to the rest of the world 'cause
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Oh
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
I am expressing my creativity
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Breast cancer and chemotherapy
Took away her crownin' glory
She promised God if she was to survive
She would enjoy every day of her life, oh
On national television
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Bald-headed like a full moon shining
Singing out to the whole wide world like, hey
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am the soul that lives within
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am the soul that lives within
See, I can kinda recall a lil' ways back
Veja, eu meio que consigo lembrar um pouco atrás
Small, tryin' to ball, always been black
Pequeno, tentando jogar, sempre fui negro
And my hair, I tried it all I even went flat
E meu cabelo, eu tentei de tudo, até alisei
Had a lumpy curly top and all that crap, now
Tive um top encaracolado e todas essas porcarias, agora
Just tryin' to be appreciated
Só tentando ser apreciado
Nappy headed brothers never had no ladies
Irmãos de cabelo crespo nunca tiveram nenhuma dama
And I hit the barber shop real quick
E eu fui à barbearia bem rápido
Had 'em give me lil' twist and it drove 'em crazy (crazy)
Fiz eles me darem umas torções e isso os deixou loucos (loucos)
Then I couldn't get no job
Então eu não consegui nenhum emprego
'Cause corporate wouldn't hire no dreadlocks
Porque as corporações não contratavam dreadlocks
Then I thought about my dogs from the block
Então eu pensei nos meus amigos do bairro
Kinda understand why they chose to steal and rob
Meio que entendo por que eles escolheram roubar e assaltar
Was it the hair that got me this far
Foi o cabelo que me trouxe até aqui
All these girls these cribs these cars?
Todas essas garotas, essas casas, esses carros?
I hate to say it but it seem so flawed
Odeio dizer isso, mas parece tão falho
'Cause success didn't come till I cut it all off
Porque o sucesso não veio até eu cortar tudo
Little girl with the press and curl
Menina pequena com o cabelo alisado
Age eight, I got a Jheri curl
Aos oito, eu fiz um permanente
Thirteen, and I got a relaxer
Aos treze, e eu fiz um relaxamento
I was a source of so much laughter
Eu era uma fonte de tanta risada
At fifteen when it all broke off
Aos quinze quando tudo caiu
Eighteen and went all natural
Aos dezoito e fui totalmente natural
February, 2002
Fevereiro, 2002
I went on and did what I had to do
Fui em frente e fiz o que tinha que fazer
Because it was time to change my life
Porque era hora de mudar minha vida
To become the woman that I am inside
Para me tornar a mulher que sou por dentro
Ninety-seven dreadlocks all gone
Noventa e sete dreadlocks todos foram
I looked in the mirror for the first time and saw that
Eu olhei no espelho pela primeira vez e vi isso
Hey (hey)
Ei (ei)
I am not my hair
Eu não sou meu cabelo
I am not this skin
Eu não sou essa pele
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Eu não sou suas expectativas, não (ei)
I am not my hair
Eu não sou meu cabelo
I am not this skin
Eu não sou essa pele
I am the soul that lives within
Eu sou a alma que vive dentro
Good hair means curls and waves (no)
Cabelo bom significa cachos e ondas (não)
Bad hair means you look like a slave (no)
Cabelo ruim significa que você parece um escravo (não)
At the turn of the century
Na virada do século
It's time for us to redefine who we be
É hora de nós redefinirmos quem somos
You can shave it off like a South African beauty
Você pode raspar tudo como uma beleza sul-africana
Or get in on lock like Bob Marley
Ou trancar como Bob Marley
You can rock it straight like Oprah Winfrey
Você pode alisar como Oprah Winfrey
If it's not what's on your head, it's what's underneath, and say
Se não é o que está na sua cabeça, é o que está por baixo, e diga
Hey (hey)
Ei (ei)
I am not my hair
Eu não sou meu cabelo
I am not this skin
Eu não sou essa pele
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Eu não sou suas expectativas, não (ei)
I am not my hair
Eu não sou meu cabelo
I am not this skin
Eu não sou essa pele
I am the soul that lives within
Eu sou a alma que vive dentro
Who cares if you don't like that?
Quem se importa se você não gosta disso?
With nothin' to lose, postin' with the wave cap
Sem nada a perder, postando com a touca de ondas
And the cops wanna harass 'cause I got waves
E os policiais querem assediar porque eu tenho ondas
Ain't see nothin' like that in all my days
Não vi nada assim em todos os meus dias
Man, you gotta change all these feelings
Cara, você tem que mudar todos esses sentimentos
Steady judging one another by their appearance
Julgando um ao outro pela aparência
Yes, India, I feel ya, girl
Sim, Índia, eu te entendo, garota
Now go ahead, talk to the rest of the world 'cause
Agora vá em frente, fale com o resto do mundo porque
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Uau, uau, uau)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
O jeito que eu uso meu cabelo me faz uma pessoa melhor?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Uau, uau, uau)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Oh
O jeito que eu uso meu cabelo me faz um amigo melhor? Oh
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Uau, uau, uau)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity?
O jeito que eu uso meu cabelo determina minha integridade?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Uau, uau, uau)
I am expressing my creativity
Estou expressando minha criatividade
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Uau, uau, uau)
Breast cancer and chemotherapy
Câncer de mama e quimioterapia
Took away her crownin' glory
Tiraram sua coroa de glória
She promised God if she was to survive
Ela prometeu a Deus que se sobrevivesse
She would enjoy every day of her life, oh
Ela aproveitaria todos os dias de sua vida, oh
On national television
Na televisão nacional
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Seus olhos de diamante estão brilhando
Bald-headed like a full moon shining
Careca como uma lua cheia brilhando
Singing out to the whole wide world like, hey
Cantando para o mundo inteiro como, ei
Hey (hey)
Ei (ei)
I am not my hair
Eu não sou meu cabelo
I am not this skin
Eu não sou essa pele
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Eu não sou suas expectativas, não (ei)
I am not my hair
Eu não sou meu cabelo
I am not this skin
Eu não sou essa pele
I am the soul that lives within
Eu sou a alma que vive dentro
Hey (hey)
Ei (ei)
I am not my hair
Eu não sou meu cabelo
I am not this skin
Eu não sou essa pele
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Eu não sou suas expectativas, não (ei)
I am not my hair
Eu não sou meu cabelo
I am not this skin
Eu não sou essa pele
I am the soul that lives within
Eu sou a alma que vive dentro
See, I can kinda recall a lil' ways back
Mira, puedo recordar un poco hacia atrás
Small, tryin' to ball, always been black
Pequeño, intentando destacar, siempre he sido negro
And my hair, I tried it all I even went flat
Y mi pelo, lo probé todo, incluso me lo alisé
Had a lumpy curly top and all that crap, now
Tenía un copete rizado y todo eso, ahora
Just tryin' to be appreciated
Solo intentando ser apreciado
Nappy headed brothers never had no ladies
Los hermanos de pelo crespo nunca tuvieron damas
And I hit the barber shop real quick
Y fui a la barbería muy rápido
Had 'em give me lil' twist and it drove 'em crazy (crazy)
Les hice darme un pequeño giro y los volví locos (locos)
Then I couldn't get no job
Luego no pude conseguir trabajo
'Cause corporate wouldn't hire no dreadlocks
Porque las empresas no contratarían a nadie con rastas
Then I thought about my dogs from the block
Luego pensé en mis amigos del barrio
Kinda understand why they chose to steal and rob
Entiendo un poco por qué eligieron robar y asaltar
Was it the hair that got me this far
¿Fue el pelo lo que me llevó tan lejos?
All these girls these cribs these cars?
¿Todas estas chicas, estas casas, estos coches?
I hate to say it but it seem so flawed
Odio decirlo pero parece tan defectuoso
'Cause success didn't come till I cut it all off
Porque el éxito no llegó hasta que me lo corté todo
Little girl with the press and curl
Niña pequeña con el pelo alisado
Age eight, I got a Jheri curl
A los ocho, me hice un Jheri curl
Thirteen, and I got a relaxer
A los trece, me hice un alisado
I was a source of so much laughter
Fui motivo de muchas risas
At fifteen when it all broke off
A los quince cuando todo se rompió
Eighteen and went all natural
A los dieciocho y me volví completamente natural
February, 2002
Febrero, 2002
I went on and did what I had to do
Fui y hice lo que tenía que hacer
Because it was time to change my life
Porque era hora de cambiar mi vida
To become the woman that I am inside
Para convertirme en la mujer que soy por dentro
Ninety-seven dreadlocks all gone
Noventa y siete rastas se fueron
I looked in the mirror for the first time and saw that
Miré en el espejo por primera vez y vi eso
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
No soy mi pelo
I am not this skin
No soy esta piel
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
No soy tus expectativas, no (hey)
I am not my hair
No soy mi pelo
I am not this skin
No soy esta piel
I am the soul that lives within
Soy el alma que vive dentro
Good hair means curls and waves (no)
Buen pelo significa rizos y ondas (no)
Bad hair means you look like a slave (no)
Mal pelo significa que pareces un esclavo (no)
At the turn of the century
Al comienzo del siglo
It's time for us to redefine who we be
Es hora de que redefinamos quiénes somos
You can shave it off like a South African beauty
Puedes afeitarte como una belleza sudafricana
Or get in on lock like Bob Marley
O conseguirlo en rastas como Bob Marley
You can rock it straight like Oprah Winfrey
Puedes llevarlo liso como Oprah Winfrey
If it's not what's on your head, it's what's underneath, and say
Si no es lo que está en tu cabeza, es lo que está debajo, y di
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
No soy mi pelo
I am not this skin
No soy esta piel
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
No soy tus expectativas, no (hey)
I am not my hair
No soy mi pelo
I am not this skin
No soy esta piel
I am the soul that lives within
Soy el alma que vive dentro
Who cares if you don't like that?
¿A quién le importa si no te gusta eso?
With nothin' to lose, postin' with the wave cap
Sin nada que perder, publicando con la gorra de ondas
And the cops wanna harass 'cause I got waves
Y los policías quieren acosar porque tengo ondas
Ain't see nothin' like that in all my days
No he visto nada como eso en todos mis días
Man, you gotta change all these feelings
Hombre, tienes que cambiar todos estos sentimientos
Steady judging one another by their appearance
Juzgándose constantemente por su apariencia
Yes, India, I feel ya, girl
Sí, India, te entiendo, chica
Now go ahead, talk to the rest of the world 'cause
Ahora adelante, habla con el resto del mundo porque
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
¿La forma en que llevo mi pelo me hace una mejor persona?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Oh
¿La forma en que llevo mi pelo me hace un mejor amigo? Oh
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity?
¿La forma en que llevo mi pelo determina mi integridad?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
I am expressing my creativity
Estoy expresando mi creatividad
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Breast cancer and chemotherapy
El cáncer de mama y la quimioterapia
Took away her crownin' glory
Le quitaron su corona de gloria
She promised God if she was to survive
Prometió a Dios que si sobrevivía
She would enjoy every day of her life, oh
Disfrutaría cada día de su vida, oh
On national television
En la televisión nacional
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Sus ojos de diamante están brillando
Bald-headed like a full moon shining
Calva como una luna llena brillando
Singing out to the whole wide world like, hey
Cantando al mundo entero como, hey
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
No soy mi pelo
I am not this skin
No soy esta piel
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
No soy tus expectativas, no (hey)
I am not my hair
No soy mi pelo
I am not this skin
No soy esta piel
I am the soul that lives within
Soy el alma que vive dentro
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
No soy mi pelo
I am not this skin
No soy esta piel
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
No soy tus expectativas, no (hey)
I am not my hair
No soy mi pelo
I am not this skin
No soy esta piel
I am the soul that lives within
Soy el alma que vive dentro
See, I can kinda recall a lil' ways back
Voyez, je peux me rappeler un peu en arrière
Small, tryin' to ball, always been black
Petit, essayant de jouer, toujours été noir
And my hair, I tried it all I even went flat
Et mes cheveux, j'ai tout essayé, je suis même allé à plat
Had a lumpy curly top and all that crap, now
J'avais une tête bouclée et bosselée et toutes ces conneries, maintenant
Just tryin' to be appreciated
Juste essayer d'être apprécié
Nappy headed brothers never had no ladies
Les frères à la tête crépue n'ont jamais eu de dames
And I hit the barber shop real quick
Et je suis allé chez le coiffeur très vite
Had 'em give me lil' twist and it drove 'em crazy (crazy)
Je leur ai fait faire une petite torsion et ça les a rendus fous (fous)
Then I couldn't get no job
Puis je n'ai pas pu trouver de travail
'Cause corporate wouldn't hire no dreadlocks
Parce que les entreprises n'embauchaient pas de dreadlocks
Then I thought about my dogs from the block
Puis j'ai pensé à mes potes du quartier
Kinda understand why they chose to steal and rob
Je comprends un peu pourquoi ils ont choisi de voler et de cambrioler
Was it the hair that got me this far
Est-ce que c'est les cheveux qui m'ont amené si loin
All these girls these cribs these cars?
Toutes ces filles, ces maisons, ces voitures ?
I hate to say it but it seem so flawed
Je déteste le dire mais ça semble si faux
'Cause success didn't come till I cut it all off
Parce que le succès n'est pas venu jusqu'à ce que je coupe tout
Little girl with the press and curl
Petite fille avec le fer à friser
Age eight, I got a Jheri curl
À huit ans, j'ai eu une permanente
Thirteen, and I got a relaxer
À treize ans, j'ai eu un défrisant
I was a source of so much laughter
J'étais une source de tant de rires
At fifteen when it all broke off
À quinze ans, tout s'est cassé
Eighteen and went all natural
À dix-huit ans, je suis devenue naturelle
February, 2002
Février 2002
I went on and did what I had to do
J'ai fait ce que je devais faire
Because it was time to change my life
Parce qu'il était temps de changer ma vie
To become the woman that I am inside
Pour devenir la femme que je suis à l'intérieur
Ninety-seven dreadlocks all gone
Quatre-vingt-dix-sept dreadlocks toutes parties
I looked in the mirror for the first time and saw that
Je me suis regardée dans le miroir pour la première fois et j'ai vu ça
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
Je ne suis pas mes cheveux
I am not this skin
Je ne suis pas cette peau
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Je ne suis pas vos attentes, non (hey)
I am not my hair
Je ne suis pas mes cheveux
I am not this skin
Je ne suis pas cette peau
I am the soul that lives within
Je suis l'âme qui vit à l'intérieur
Good hair means curls and waves (no)
De bons cheveux signifient des boucles et des ondulations (non)
Bad hair means you look like a slave (no)
De mauvais cheveux signifient que tu ressembles à un esclave (non)
At the turn of the century
Au tournant du siècle
It's time for us to redefine who we be
Il est temps pour nous de redéfinir qui nous sommes
You can shave it off like a South African beauty
Tu peux te raser la tête comme une beauté sud-africaine
Or get in on lock like Bob Marley
Ou te faire des dreadlocks comme Bob Marley
You can rock it straight like Oprah Winfrey
Tu peux les porter raides comme Oprah Winfrey
If it's not what's on your head, it's what's underneath, and say
Si ce n'est pas ce qui est sur ta tête, c'est ce qui est en dessous, et dis
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
Je ne suis pas mes cheveux
I am not this skin
Je ne suis pas cette peau
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Je ne suis pas vos attentes, non (hey)
I am not my hair
Je ne suis pas mes cheveux
I am not this skin
Je ne suis pas cette peau
I am the soul that lives within
Je suis l'âme qui vit à l'intérieur
Who cares if you don't like that?
Qui se soucie si tu n'aimes pas ça ?
With nothin' to lose, postin' with the wave cap
Sans rien à perdre, postant avec le bonnet de vague
And the cops wanna harass 'cause I got waves
Et les flics veulent me harceler parce que j'ai des vagues
Ain't see nothin' like that in all my days
Je n'ai jamais rien vu de tel de toute ma vie
Man, you gotta change all these feelings
Mec, tu dois changer tous ces sentiments
Steady judging one another by their appearance
Jugeant constamment les autres par leur apparence
Yes, India, I feel ya, girl
Oui, India, je te sens, fille
Now go ahead, talk to the rest of the world 'cause
Allez, parle au reste du monde parce que
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
Est-ce que la façon dont je porte mes cheveux fait de moi une meilleure personne ?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Oh
Est-ce que la façon dont je porte mes cheveux fait de moi une meilleure amie ? Oh
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity?
Est-ce que la façon dont je porte mes cheveux détermine mon intégrité ?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
I am expressing my creativity
J'exprime ma créativité
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Breast cancer and chemotherapy
Le cancer du sein et la chimiothérapie
Took away her crownin' glory
Ont emporté sa gloire couronnée
She promised God if she was to survive
Elle a promis à Dieu que si elle survivait
She would enjoy every day of her life, oh
Elle profiterait de chaque jour de sa vie, oh
On national television
À la télévision nationale
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Ses yeux de diamant brillent
Bald-headed like a full moon shining
Chauve comme une pleine lune qui brille
Singing out to the whole wide world like, hey
Chantant pour le monde entier comme, hey
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
Je ne suis pas mes cheveux
I am not this skin
Je ne suis pas cette peau
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Je ne suis pas vos attentes, non (hey)
I am not my hair
Je ne suis pas mes cheveux
I am not this skin
Je ne suis pas cette peau
I am the soul that lives within
Je suis l'âme qui vit à l'intérieur
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
Je ne suis pas mes cheveux
I am not this skin
Je ne suis pas cette peau
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Je ne suis pas vos attentes, non (hey)
I am not my hair
Je ne suis pas mes cheveux
I am not this skin
Je ne suis pas cette peau
I am the soul that lives within
Je suis l'âme qui vit à l'intérieur
See, I can kinda recall a lil' ways back
Siehst du, ich kann mich ein kleines Stück zurück erinnern
Small, tryin' to ball, always been black
Klein, versuchte zu spielen, war immer schwarz
And my hair, I tried it all I even went flat
Und meine Haare, ich habe alles versucht, ich bin sogar glatt gegangen
Had a lumpy curly top and all that crap, now
Hatte eine unebene lockige Spitze und all diesen Mist, jetzt
Just tryin' to be appreciated
Versuche nur, geschätzt zu werden
Nappy headed brothers never had no ladies
Nappy-headed Brüder hatten nie keine Damen
And I hit the barber shop real quick
Und ich ging schnell zum Friseur
Had 'em give me lil' twist and it drove 'em crazy (crazy)
Lies sie mir kleine Drehungen geben und es machte sie verrückt (verrückt)
Then I couldn't get no job
Dann konnte ich keinen Job bekommen
'Cause corporate wouldn't hire no dreadlocks
Denn die Unternehmen würden keine Dreadlocks einstellen
Then I thought about my dogs from the block
Dann dachte ich an meine Hunde aus dem Block
Kinda understand why they chose to steal and rob
Verstehe irgendwie, warum sie sich entschieden zu stehlen und zu rauben
Was it the hair that got me this far
War es das Haar, das mich so weit gebracht hat
All these girls these cribs these cars?
All diese Mädchen, diese Krippen, diese Autos?
I hate to say it but it seem so flawed
Es tut mir leid, es zu sagen, aber es scheint so fehlerhaft
'Cause success didn't come till I cut it all off
Denn der Erfolg kam erst, als ich alles abgeschnitten hatte
Little girl with the press and curl
Kleines Mädchen mit der Presse und Locke
Age eight, I got a Jheri curl
Mit acht bekam ich eine Jheri Locke
Thirteen, and I got a relaxer
Mit dreizehn bekam ich eine Relaxer
I was a source of so much laughter
Ich war eine Quelle so vieler Lacher
At fifteen when it all broke off
Mit fünfzehn, als alles abbrach
Eighteen and went all natural
Mit achtzehn wurde ich ganz natürlich
February, 2002
Februar 2002
I went on and did what I had to do
Ich machte weiter und tat, was ich tun musste
Because it was time to change my life
Denn es war Zeit, mein Leben zu ändern
To become the woman that I am inside
Um die Frau zu werden, die ich im Inneren bin
Ninety-seven dreadlocks all gone
Siebenundneunzig Dreadlocks alle weg
I looked in the mirror for the first time and saw that
Ich sah zum ersten Mal in den Spiegel und sah das
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
Ich bin nicht meine Haare
I am not this skin
Ich bin nicht diese Haut
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Ich bin nicht deine Erwartungen, nein (hey)
I am not my hair
Ich bin nicht meine Haare
I am not this skin
Ich bin nicht diese Haut
I am the soul that lives within
Ich bin die Seele, die darin lebt
Good hair means curls and waves (no)
Gutes Haar bedeutet Locken und Wellen (nein)
Bad hair means you look like a slave (no)
Schlechtes Haar bedeutet, du siehst aus wie ein Sklave (nein)
At the turn of the century
Zu Beginn des Jahrhunderts
It's time for us to redefine who we be
Ist es Zeit für uns, zu definieren, wer wir sind
You can shave it off like a South African beauty
Du kannst es abrasieren wie eine südafrikanische Schönheit
Or get in on lock like Bob Marley
Oder es einschließen wie Bob Marley
You can rock it straight like Oprah Winfrey
Du kannst es gerade tragen wie Oprah Winfrey
If it's not what's on your head, it's what's underneath, and say
Wenn es nicht das ist, was auf deinem Kopf ist, ist es das, was darunter ist, und sag
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
Ich bin nicht meine Haare
I am not this skin
Ich bin nicht diese Haut
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Ich bin nicht deine Erwartungen, nein (hey)
I am not my hair
Ich bin nicht meine Haare
I am not this skin
Ich bin nicht diese Haut
I am the soul that lives within
Ich bin die Seele, die darin lebt
Who cares if you don't like that?
Wen kümmert es, wenn es dir nicht gefällt?
With nothin' to lose, postin' with the wave cap
Mit nichts zu verlieren, posten mit der Wellenkappe
And the cops wanna harass 'cause I got waves
Und die Polizei will belästigen, weil ich Wellen habe
Ain't see nothin' like that in all my days
Habe so etwas noch nie in all meinen Tagen gesehen
Man, you gotta change all these feelings
Mann, du musst all diese Gefühle ändern
Steady judging one another by their appearance
Ständig beurteilen sich gegenseitig nach ihrem Aussehen
Yes, India, I feel ya, girl
Ja, Indien, ich fühle dich, Mädchen
Now go ahead, talk to the rest of the world 'cause
Jetzt geh weiter, sprich mit dem Rest der Welt, denn
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Woah, woah, woah)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
Macht die Art, wie ich meine Haare trage, mich zu einer besseren Person?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Woah, woah, woah)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Oh
Macht die Art, wie ich meine Haare trage, mich zu einem besseren Freund? Oh
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Woah, woah, woah)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity?
Bestimmt die Art, wie ich meine Haare trage, meine Integrität?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Woah, woah, woah)
I am expressing my creativity
Ich drücke meine Kreativität aus
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Woah, woah, woah)
Breast cancer and chemotherapy
Brustkrebs und Chemotherapie
Took away her crownin' glory
Nahmen ihr die Krönungsglorie
She promised God if she was to survive
Sie versprach Gott, wenn sie überleben würde
She would enjoy every day of her life, oh
Sie würde jeden Tag ihres Lebens genießen, oh
On national television
Im nationalen Fernsehen
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Ihre Diamantenaugen funkeln
Bald-headed like a full moon shining
Glatzköpfig wie ein Vollmond, der leuchtet
Singing out to the whole wide world like, hey
Singt hinaus in die ganze weite Welt, wie, hey
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
Ich bin nicht meine Haare
I am not this skin
Ich bin nicht diese Haut
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Ich bin nicht deine Erwartungen, nein (hey)
I am not my hair
Ich bin nicht meine Haare
I am not this skin
Ich bin nicht diese Haut
I am the soul that lives within
Ich bin die Seele, die darin lebt
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
I am not my hair
Ich bin nicht meine Haare
I am not this skin
Ich bin nicht diese Haut
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Ich bin nicht deine Erwartungen, nein (hey)
I am not my hair
Ich bin nicht meine Haare
I am not this skin
Ich bin nicht diese Haut
I am the soul that lives within
Ich bin die Seele, die darin lebt
See, I can kinda recall a lil' ways back
Vedi, riesco a ricordare un po' indietro
Small, tryin' to ball, always been black
Piccolo, cercando di giocare, sempre stato nero
And my hair, I tried it all I even went flat
E i miei capelli, ho provato tutto, sono anche diventato liscio
Had a lumpy curly top and all that crap, now
Avevo un ciuffo riccio e tutte quelle schifezze, ora
Just tryin' to be appreciated
Sto solo cercando di essere apprezzato
Nappy headed brothers never had no ladies
Fratelli con capelli crespi non hanno mai avuto signore
And I hit the barber shop real quick
E sono andato dal barbiere molto velocemente
Had 'em give me lil' twist and it drove 'em crazy (crazy)
Mi hanno fatto un piccolo twist e li ha fatti impazzire (pazzi)
Then I couldn't get no job
Poi non potevo trovare un lavoro
'Cause corporate wouldn't hire no dreadlocks
Perché le aziende non assumerebbero dreadlocks
Then I thought about my dogs from the block
Poi ho pensato ai miei amici del quartiere
Kinda understand why they chose to steal and rob
Capisco un po' perché hanno scelto di rubare e rapinare
Was it the hair that got me this far
Era per i capelli che sono arrivato così lontano
All these girls these cribs these cars?
Tutte queste ragazze, queste case, queste auto?
I hate to say it but it seem so flawed
Mi dispiace dirlo, ma sembra così sbagliato
'Cause success didn't come till I cut it all off
Perché il successo non è arrivato fino a quando non ho tagliato tutto
Little girl with the press and curl
Piccola ragazza con la pressa e il ricciolo
Age eight, I got a Jheri curl
A otto anni, ho avuto un Jheri curl
Thirteen, and I got a relaxer
A tredici anni, ho fatto un trattamento lisciante
I was a source of so much laughter
Ero fonte di tante risate
At fifteen when it all broke off
A quindici anni quando tutto si è rotto
Eighteen and went all natural
A diciotto anni sono diventata completamente naturale
February, 2002
Febbraio, 2002
I went on and did what I had to do
Ho fatto quello che dovevo fare
Because it was time to change my life
Perché era ora di cambiare la mia vita
To become the woman that I am inside
Per diventare la donna che sono dentro
Ninety-seven dreadlocks all gone
Novantasette dreadlocks tutti andati
I looked in the mirror for the first time and saw that
Mi sono guardata allo specchio per la prima volta e ho visto che
Hey (hey)
Ehi (ehi)
I am not my hair
Non sono i miei capelli
I am not this skin
Non sono questa pelle
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Non sono le tue aspettative, no (ehi)
I am not my hair
Non sono i miei capelli
I am not this skin
Non sono questa pelle
I am the soul that lives within
Sono l'anima che vive dentro
Good hair means curls and waves (no)
Buoni capelli significano ricci e onde (no)
Bad hair means you look like a slave (no)
Capelli brutti significano che sembri uno schiavo (no)
At the turn of the century
All'inizio del secolo
It's time for us to redefine who we be
È ora per noi di ridefinire chi siamo
You can shave it off like a South African beauty
Puoi rasarti come una bellezza sudafricana
Or get in on lock like Bob Marley
O farli bloccare come Bob Marley
You can rock it straight like Oprah Winfrey
Puoi portarli lisci come Oprah Winfrey
If it's not what's on your head, it's what's underneath, and say
Se non è quello che hai sulla testa, è quello che c'è sotto, e dici
Hey (hey)
Ehi (ehi)
I am not my hair
Non sono i miei capelli
I am not this skin
Non sono questa pelle
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Non sono le tue aspettative, no (ehi)
I am not my hair
Non sono i miei capelli
I am not this skin
Non sono questa pelle
I am the soul that lives within
Sono l'anima che vive dentro
Who cares if you don't like that?
A chi importa se non ti piace?
With nothin' to lose, postin' with the wave cap
Senza nulla da perdere, postando con la cuffia per onde
And the cops wanna harass 'cause I got waves
E i poliziotti vogliono molestare perché ho le onde
Ain't see nothin' like that in all my days
Non ho mai visto nulla del genere in tutti i miei giorni
Man, you gotta change all these feelings
Uomo, devi cambiare tutti questi sentimenti
Steady judging one another by their appearance
Giudicando costantemente l'uno l'altro per il loro aspetto
Yes, India, I feel ya, girl
Sì, India, ti capisco, ragazza
Now go ahead, talk to the rest of the world 'cause
Ora vai avanti, parla al resto del mondo perché
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
Il modo in cui porto i miei capelli mi rende una persona migliore?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Oh
Il modo in cui porto i miei capelli mi rende un amico migliore? Oh
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity?
Il modo in cui porto i miei capelli determina la mia integrità?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
I am expressing my creativity
Sto esprimendo la mia creatività
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Breast cancer and chemotherapy
Il cancro al seno e la chemioterapia
Took away her crownin' glory
Hanno portato via la sua gloria coronata
She promised God if she was to survive
Ha promesso a Dio che se fosse sopravvissuta
She would enjoy every day of her life, oh
Avrebbe goduto ogni giorno della sua vita, oh
On national television
In televisione nazionale
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
I suoi occhi di diamante stanno brillando
Bald-headed like a full moon shining
Calva come una luna piena che brilla
Singing out to the whole wide world like, hey
Cantando a tutto il mondo, come, hey
Hey (hey)
Ehi (ehi)
I am not my hair
Non sono i miei capelli
I am not this skin
Non sono questa pelle
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Non sono le tue aspettative, no (ehi)
I am not my hair
Non sono i miei capelli
I am not this skin
Non sono questa pelle
I am the soul that lives within
Sono l'anima che vive dentro
Hey (hey)
Ehi (ehi)
I am not my hair
Non sono i miei capelli
I am not this skin
Non sono questa pelle
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Non sono le tue aspettative, no (ehi)
I am not my hair
Non sono i miei capelli
I am not this skin
Non sono questa pelle
I am the soul that lives within
Sono l'anima che vive dentro
See, I can kinda recall a lil' ways back
Lihat, aku agak ingat beberapa waktu lalu
Small, tryin' to ball, always been black
Kecil, mencoba bermain bola, selalu berkulit hitam
And my hair, I tried it all I even went flat
Dan rambutku, aku sudah mencoba semuanya bahkan aku pernah meluruskan
Had a lumpy curly top and all that crap, now
Memiliki rambut keriting yang tidak rata dan semua omong kosong itu, sekarang
Just tryin' to be appreciated
Hanya mencoba untuk dihargai
Nappy headed brothers never had no ladies
Saudara berambut kribo tidak pernah mendapatkan wanita
And I hit the barber shop real quick
Dan aku pergi ke tukang cukur dengan cepat
Had 'em give me lil' twist and it drove 'em crazy (crazy)
Mereka membuatku sedikit twist dan itu membuat mereka gila (gila)
Then I couldn't get no job
Lalu aku tidak bisa mendapatkan pekerjaan
'Cause corporate wouldn't hire no dreadlocks
Karena perusahaan tidak mau mempekerjakan orang dengan rambut gimbal
Then I thought about my dogs from the block
Lalu aku memikirkan teman-temanku dari blok
Kinda understand why they chose to steal and rob
Agak mengerti mengapa mereka memilih untuk mencuri dan merampok
Was it the hair that got me this far
Apakah rambut yang membuatku sejauh ini
All these girls these cribs these cars?
Semua gadis ini, rumah-rumah ini, mobil-mobil ini?
I hate to say it but it seem so flawed
Aku benci mengatakannya tapi sepertinya sangat cacat
'Cause success didn't come till I cut it all off
Karena kesuksesan tidak datang sampai aku memotong semuanya
Little girl with the press and curl
Gadis kecil dengan rambut yang dipress dan dikeriting
Age eight, I got a Jheri curl
Umur delapan, aku mendapatkan Jheri curl
Thirteen, and I got a relaxer
Tiga belas, dan aku mendapatkan pelurus
I was a source of so much laughter
Aku menjadi sumber tawa yang banyak
At fifteen when it all broke off
Pada usia lima belas saat semuanya patah
Eighteen and went all natural
Delapan belas dan menjadi alami sepenuhnya
February, 2002
Februari, 2002
I went on and did what I had to do
Aku melanjutkan dan melakukan apa yang harus aku lakukan
Because it was time to change my life
Karena sudah waktunya untuk mengubah hidupku
To become the woman that I am inside
Untuk menjadi wanita yang ada di dalam diriku
Ninety-seven dreadlocks all gone
Sembilan puluh tujuh rambut gimbal semuanya hilang
I looked in the mirror for the first time and saw that
Aku melihat ke cermin untuk pertama kalinya dan melihat itu
Hey (hey)
Hei (hei)
I am not my hair
Aku bukan rambutku
I am not this skin
Aku bukan kulit ini
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Aku bukan ekspektasi kalian, tidak (hei)
I am not my hair
Aku bukan rambutku
I am not this skin
Aku bukan kulit ini
I am the soul that lives within
Aku adalah jiwa yang hidup di dalamnya
Good hair means curls and waves (no)
Rambut bagus berarti keriting dan bergelombang (tidak)
Bad hair means you look like a slave (no)
Rambut buruk berarti kamu terlihat seperti budak (tidak)
At the turn of the century
Di pergantian abad
It's time for us to redefine who we be
Saatnya bagi kita untuk mendefinisikan kembali siapa kita
You can shave it off like a South African beauty
Kamu bisa mencukurnya seperti kecantikan Afrika Selatan
Or get in on lock like Bob Marley
Atau menguncinya seperti Bob Marley
You can rock it straight like Oprah Winfrey
Kamu bisa meluruskannya seperti Oprah Winfrey
If it's not what's on your head, it's what's underneath, and say
Jika bukan apa yang ada di kepalamu, itu apa yang ada di bawahnya, dan katakan
Hey (hey)
Hei (hei)
I am not my hair
Aku bukan rambutku
I am not this skin
Aku bukan kulit ini
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Aku bukan ekspektasi kalian, tidak (hei)
I am not my hair
Aku bukan rambutku
I am not this skin
Aku bukan kulit ini
I am the soul that lives within
Aku adalah jiwa yang hidup di dalamnya
Who cares if you don't like that?
Siapa peduli jika kamu tidak menyukai itu?
With nothin' to lose, postin' with the wave cap
Tanpa ada yang hilang, berpose dengan topi gelombang
And the cops wanna harass 'cause I got waves
Dan polisi ingin mengganggu karena aku punya gelombang
Ain't see nothin' like that in all my days
Tidak pernah melihat seperti itu dalam hidupku
Man, you gotta change all these feelings
Manusia, kamu harus mengubah semua perasaan ini
Steady judging one another by their appearance
Terus-menerus menilai satu sama lain berdasarkan penampilan
Yes, India, I feel ya, girl
Ya, India, aku merasakanmu, gadis
Now go ahead, talk to the rest of the world 'cause
Sekarang pergi, bicara ke seluruh dunia karena
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Wah, wah, wah)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
Apakah cara aku memakai rambutku membuatku menjadi orang yang lebih baik?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Wah, wah, wah)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Oh
Apakah cara aku memakai rambutku membuatku menjadi teman yang lebih baik? Oh
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Wah, wah, wah)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity?
Apakah cara aku memakai rambutku menentukan integritasku?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Wah, wah, wah)
I am expressing my creativity
Aku sedang mengekspresikan kreativitasku
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Wah, wah, wah)
Breast cancer and chemotherapy
Kanker payudara dan kemoterapi
Took away her crownin' glory
Mengambil mahkota kebanggaannya
She promised God if she was to survive
Dia berjanji kepada Tuhan jika dia selamat
She would enjoy every day of her life, oh
Dia akan menikmati setiap hari dalam hidupnya, oh
On national television
Di televisi nasional
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Matanya yang berkilau seperti berlian
Bald-headed like a full moon shining
Botak seperti bulan purnama yang bersinar
Singing out to the whole wide world like, hey
Menyanyikan ke seluruh dunia seperti, hei
Hey (hey)
Hei (hei)
I am not my hair
Aku bukan rambutku
I am not this skin
Aku bukan kulit ini
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Aku bukan ekspektasi kalian, tidak (hei)
I am not my hair
Aku bukan rambutku
I am not this skin
Aku bukan kulit ini
I am the soul that lives within
Aku adalah jiwa yang hidup di dalamnya
Hey (hey)
Hei (hei)
I am not my hair
Aku bukan rambutku
I am not this skin
Aku bukan kulit ini
I am not your expectations, no (hey)
Aku bukan ekspektasi kalian, tidak (hei)
I am not my hair
Aku bukan rambutku
I am not this skin
Aku bukan kulit ini
I am the soul that lives within
Aku adalah jiwa yang hidup di dalamnya
