Retrospect for Life

Common

About Retrospect for Life

"Retrospect for Life" is the first single from rapper Common's third album One Day It'll All Make Sense. It features production from James Poyser and No I. D., vocals from Lauryn Hill and bass guitar playing by Vere Isaacs. Its autobiographical lyrics weigh the choices of abortion and birth for a woman impregnated by Common. The lyrics as well as a "mellow, piano-driven beat" has caused Dan Menella to call it the most memorable track on Common's third album. Kevin Powell of Rolling Stone considers it to be the centerpiece of its album, and Leo Stanley of Allmusic similarly boasts of its significant emotional impact. Lauryn Hill's verse embodies portions of "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" by Stevie Wonder, while the song's beat samples "A Song for You" by Donny Hathaway. A music video directed by Lauryn Hill was made for it. Two of its b-sides, "Invocation" and "Hungry," received low budget music videos. 


Year:
1997
6:23
155 

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Yo  we gotta start respecting life more y'all 
You look at your brother man you gotta see yourself 
Gotta see the God within him 
Brothers getting changed real quick over nothing 
We losing too many of ours 
Gotta recreate y'all 

Yo  check it,
Knowing you the best part of life  do I have the right to take yours 
Cause I created you  irresponsibly 
Subconsciously knowing the act I was a part of 
The start of something, I'm not ready to bring into the world 
Had myself believing I was sterile 
I look into mother's stomach, wonder if you are a boy or a girl 
Turning this woman's womb into a tomb 
But she and I agree, a seed we don't need 
You would've been much more than a mouth to feed 
But someone, I would of fed this information I read 
to someone, my life for you I would of had to leave 
Instead I lead you to death 
I'm sorry for taking your first breath, first step, and first cry 
But I wasn't prepared mentally nor financially 
Having a child shouldn't have to bring out the man in me 
Plus I wanted you to be raised within a family 
I don't want to, go through the drama of having a baby's momma 
Weekend visits and buying J's ain't gon' make me a father 
For a while bearing a child is something I never wanted to do 
For me to live forever I can only do that through you 
Nerve I got to talk about them niggas with a gun 
Must have really thought I was God to take the life of my son 
I could have sacrificed going out 
To think my homies who did it I used to joke about, from now on 
I'ma use self control instead of birth control 
Cause $315 ain't worth your soul 
$315 ain't worth your soul 
$315 ain't worth it 

[Lauryn Hill] 
I, never dreamed you'd leave, in summer 
You said you would be here when it rained 

[Common] Yo 
Why didn't you stay 
Seeing you as a present and a gift in itself 
You had our child in you, I probably never feel what you felt 
But you dealt with it like the strong black woman you are 
Through our trials and tribulations, child's elimination 
An integration of thoughts I feel about the situation 
Back and forth my feelings was pacing 
Happy deep down but not joyed enough to have it 
But even that's a lie in less than two weeks, we was back at it 
Is this unprotected love or safe to say it's lust 
Busting, more than the sweat in somebody you trust 
Or is it that we don't trust each other enough 
And believe, having this child'll make us have to stay together 
Girl I want you in my life cause you have made it better 
Thinking we all in love cause we can spend a day together 
We talking spending the rest of our lives 
It's too many black women that can say they mothers 
but can't say that they wives 
I wouldn't chose any other to mother my understanding 
But I want our Parenthood to come from Planning 
It's so much in my life that's undone 
We gotta see eye to eye, about family, before we can become one 
If you had decided to have it the situation I wouldn't run from 
But I'm walking, finding myself in my God 
So I can, discipline my son with my writing 
Not have a judge telling me how and when to raise my seed 
Though his death was at our greed, with no one else to blame 
I had a book of African names, case our minds changed 
You say your period hasn't came, and lately I've been sleepy 
So quit smoking the weed and the beadies and let's have this boy 

[Lauryn Hill] 
I, never dreamed you'd leave in summer 
You said you would be here when it rained 
You said you would be here when it rained 
Oh I, never dreamed you'd leave in summer 
Now the situation's made things change 
Things change 
Why, didn't you stay 
Why didn't you stay
I, never dreamed you'd leave, in summer 
In summer 
You said you would be here when, it rained 
When it rained, it rained 
Oh I, never dreamed, you'd leave in summer 
You said you wouldn't leave 
Now the situation's made things change 
Things change, why didn't you stay? 
Stay, stay stay stay stay stay stay 
Stay
Oh why didn't you stay

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Common

Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. (born March 13, 1972), better known by his stage name Common (formerly Common Sense), is an American rapper and actor. more »

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Written by: JAMES JASON POYSER, LONNIE RASHID LYNN, ERNEST WILSON, STEVIE WONDER, SYREETA WRIGHT

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Release Information
"Retrospect for Life" is a soulful hip-hop song by rapper Common. It was the lead single from his third studio album, "One Day It'll All Make Sense," which was released in 1997.
Collaboration
The song features vocals from Grammy-winning artist Lauryn Hill of the acclaimed group, The Fugees. Common and Lauryn Hill's collaboration produced a deep and emotional song.
Subject Matter
"Retrospect for Life" is notable for its serious subject matter. The lyrics tackle the topic of abortion from a pro-life perspective, detailing Common's fictional encounter with an unwanted pregnancy and the thoughts of a potential father – a theme rarely addressed in rap music.
Music Video
The accompanying music video, which features both Common and Lauryn Hill, is as compelling as the song itself. It dramatizes the narrative of the song by showcasing a couple going through the emotional struggle of contemplating abortion.
Sample Usage
The song cleverly samples "The 8th Wonder" by The Sugarhill Gang and "I Loved And I Lost" by Curtis Mayfield – classic tunes that add a layer of depth to the song.
Accolades
"Retrospect for Life" didn't chart very high in commercial terms, but it was widely praised for its lyrical content and the impactful performances by Common and Lauryn Hill. It is regarded as one of Common's best works.
Influence
Due to its profound thematic value, "Retrospect for Life" has often been cited as a song that pushed the boundaries of hip-hop by incorporating social issues and making serious moral observations.
Personal Connection
Common has stated that the song was inspired by a real-life situation he experienced when he was younger. Although the child was never born, Common uses the track to reflect on the life that could have been.
Legacy
Even after over two decades since its release, "Retrospect for Life" is still regarded as one of the most emotionally truthful and resounding hip-hop songs about an issue as sensitive as abortion.
Covers and Tributes
While there isn't a long list of covers for "Retrospect for Life," the song has been honored and tributed by many artists and fans for its emotional depth and its daring approach to a sensitive topic.

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