Monday, January 9, 2012

Jay-Z's "Glory" Song to His Daughter

Okay, so I think it's a little ridiculous that Jay-Z and Beyonce shut down parts of a hospital to give birth. And, even though I understand their security and privacy concerns, I think it's more than a little ridiculous that they kept parents from being able to visit their children in the NICU in the process (and, I'm not Miss Manners, but I'm pretty sure (at the very least) an apology is in order right now if that's true).

But I have to set all that aside for a second to say that Jay-Z's song "Glory" (which you can listen to here) is amazingly candid and sweet.

In such a short space, it captures many of those overwhelming emotions of the first fews days of parenthood and reveals some very personal struggles with fertility and pain:

The amazingness of seeing a piece of yourself in someone else ("So a pinch of Hov, a whole glass of Bey") and hoping for that little person to reach every goal she ever makes ("A younger, smarter, faster me")

The overwhelming feeling that all those moments you've been watching through this whole pregnancy ("Your mama said that you danced for her/Did you wiggle your hands for her?") is now just a tiny fraction of this new person's whole life

And the almost terrifying relief of seeing a pregnancy through to a successful delivery if there have been complications ("Last time the miscarriage was so tragic/We was afraid you disappeared/But nah, baby, you magic")

To me, this song demonstrates that no matter how famous or rich you are, becoming a parent is an amazing experience that knocks you flat. I love the sincerity of these lyrics.

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