K'NAAN (Keinaan, meaning traveller in Somali, born 1978) is a Somali-Canadian poet and hip-hop artist. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, at age 13 he left for New York City with his mother and brother and finally settled in the Rexdale neighbourhood of Toronto.  In 2001 K'naan performed in Geneva at the 50th anniversary of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.  In 2005, he performed with DobaCaracol during the Live 8 concert in Barrie, Ontario. His full-length debut album, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, was released in 2005. 

K'NAAN (Keinaan, signifie voyageur en Somali, né en 1978) est un poète. Sa musique est un mélange de hip-hop (samples, beats), de soul et de sons traditionnels est-africains (instruments à cordes, percussions et chants). Ses textes se nourrissent de son histoire personnelle.  C'est dans un climat de chaos lors de la chute du régime de Mohamed Siad Barre en 1991, que K'naan alors âgé de 13 ans, prend ce qui s'avèrera être le dernier vol commercial pour New York avec sa mère, ses frères et ses s

K'naan (Kaynaan Warsame), geboren 1978 in Mogadischu, Somalia, ist ein in Kanada lebender Hip-Hop-Musiker.   &quot;I'ma spit these verses because I feel annoyed And I'm not going to quit until I fill the void If I rhymed about home and got descriptive I'd make 50 Cent look like Limp Bizkit.&quot;  Vermutlich stimmt das sogar. Die Frage &quot;What's Hardcore?&quot; kann K'naan vermutlich ausführlicher beantworten als so mancher Rap-Kollege, der sein angebliches Gangstertum vor sich her trägt wie ein Demonstrant sein Transparent.

K'naan es un poeta y cantante de hip hop, originario de Somalia. Es uno de los raperos más reconocidos nacidos en África, a pesar de que desde pequeño se mudó a Canadá. Es famoso por sus líricas en las que hace referencia al orgullo de sus raíces somalíes y africanas. Su nombre significa Viajero en somalí.

A ------------------------------------------
E -2-2-4-6-2-7-7-7-6-4-6-6-6-4-2-4-4-4-2-1-2
C ------------------------------------------
G ------------------------------------------

Wavin Flag

From K'naans Album (Troubadour) The Song Is Called 'Take a Minute'. He starts by explaining that all the greatest names of the world made it to the top by giving to others generously. Taking his mother as example of generosity , thanks her and all who helped him to reach his success.   The song calls for giving and caring as that is the best way to get respect and love from others, willingness to give is the key to happiness.

CHORUS

        Am     G      C
And any man who knows a thing knows
               Am        G       Am
He knows not a damn, damn thing at all
          Am    G       C
And every time I felt the hurt
                              Am   G      Am
And I felt the givin' gettin' me up off the wall

    Am        G      C
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
    Am        G      Am
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze
    Am        G      C
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
    Am        G      Am
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze


VERSE 1

            Am         G                        C
How did Mandela get the will to surpass the everyday
         Am             G      Am
When injustice had him caged and trapped in every way?
         Am         G            C
How did Gandhi ever withstand the hunger strikes and all?
       Am           G         Am
Didn't do it to gain power or money if I recall
        Am   G      C
It's to give,       I guess, I'll pass it on
        Am          G      Am
Mother thinks it'll lift the stress of Babylon
       Am   G         C
Mother knows,       my mother she suffered blows
        Am          G            Am
I don't know how we survived such violent episodes
      Am        G    C
I was so worried,  and hurt to see you bleed
        Am             G        Am
But as soon as you came out the hospital you gave me sweets
Am   G       C
Yeah,     they try to take you from me
              Am      G        Am
But you still only gave 'em some prayers and sympathy
     Am   G         C
Dear mama,       you helped me write this
    Am          G      Am
By showing me to give is priceless


CHORUS

        Am     G      C
And any man who knows a thing knows
               Am        G       Am
He knows not a damn, damn thing at all
          Am    G       C
And every time I felt the hurt
                              Am   G      Am
And I felt the givin' gettin' me up off the wall

    Am        G      C
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
    Am        G      Am
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze
    Am        G      C
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
    Am        G      Am
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze


VERSE 2

    Am       G     C
All I can say is the worst is over now
       Am            G        Am
We can serve the hard times, divorce, it's over now
            Am        G           C
They try to keep us out    but they doors is open now
          Am        G     Am
My nigga, Akon is gettin' awards and covers now
        Am    G       C
This is K'naan     and still reppin' the S
       Am         G         Am
Comin' out of Mogadishu and still draped in the mess
      Am             G      C
And no matter how we strong, homie
                     Am             G      Am
It ain't easy comin' out of where we from, homie
                           Am           G       C
And that's the reason why, I could never play for me
                           Am        G       Am
Tell 'em the truth is what my dead homies told me
                 Am         G            C
Ooh yeah, I take inspiration from the most heinous of situations
  Am         G           Am
Creating medication out my own tribulations
     Am    G        C
Dear Africa,     you helped me write this
     Am          G       Am
By showing me to give is priceless

Take A Minute

According to Songfacts,  Wavin' Flag was originally released on K'naan's second studio album, Troubadour. It was the long player's third single and peaked at #99 on the Billboard Hot 100, the Toronto-raised hip-hop artist's first entry on the chart. A remixed version was chosen as the official song of the FIFA 2010 World Cup. It features revised lyrics with a new focus on football.  Wavin' Flag lyrics  When i get older, they'll call me freedom Just like a Waving Flag.   

C                     F
When I get older, I will be stronger,
Am                         G                 C
They'll call me freedom, just like a Wavin' Flag

[Chorus]
C                  F
When I get older, I will be stronger,
Am                          G
They'll call me freedom, just like a Wavin' flag
C                       F
And then it goes back, and then it goes back,
Am                   G
And then it goes back oh oh oh

C                  F
Born to a throne, stronger than Rome
Am                 G
a Violent prone, poor people zone,
C                 F
But it's my home, all I have known,
C                  G
Where I got grown, streets we would roam.
Am                       F
But out of the darkness, I came the farthest,
C                 G
Among the hardest survival.
F                         C
Learn from these streets, it can be bleak,
F                   G
Except no defeat, surrender retreat,

So we struggling, fighting to eat and
We wondering when we'll be free,
So we patiently wait, for that fateful day,
It's not far away, so for now we say

[Chorus]

So many wars, settling scores,
Bringing us promises, leaving us poor,
I heard them say, love is the way,
Love is the answer, that's what they say,
But look how they treat us, Make us believers,
We fight their battles, then they deceive us,
Try to control us, they couldn't hold us,
Cause we just move forward like Buffalo Soldiers.

But we struggling, fighting to eat,
And we wondering, when we'll be free
So we patiently wait, for that faithful day,
It's not far away, but for now we say,

[Chorus] 2x

(Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhhh Ohhhh)
And everybody will be singing it
(Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhhh Ohhhh)
And you and I will be singing it
(Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhhh Ohhhh)
And we all will be singing it
(Ohhh Ohh Ohh Ohh)

[Chorus] 2x

When I get older, when I get older
I will be stronger, just like a Waving Flag,
Just like a Waving Flag, just like a Waving flag
Flag, flag, Just like a Waving Flag

Wavin' Flag

Troubadour

Dm     Am     Dm Am
Waiting for the sun then
Dm     Am     Dm  Am
Waiting for the rain
Dm     Am     Dm   Am
Waiting for the night then
Dm     Am     Dm  Am
Waiting for the day

Dm           Am        Dm
Waiting for a holiday so we can get away
Dm             Am              Dm
Waiting to come home ,at home we never wanna stay
Dm     Am     Dm   Am Dm     Am   Dm  Am
Waiting for the love, oh, waiting for a love
Dm     Am     Dm   Am Dm     Am   Dm  Am
Waiting for the love, oh, waiting for a love
Dm     Am Dm Am   Dm Am     Dm   Am
Waiting for me, - the sun got the stars
Dm   Am Dm Am Dm     Am  Dm   Am
Girls for you, -  waiting is a drug

Continue chord progression

Waiting Is A Drug

Country, God Or The Girl

LA RE
Jo et duré a casa si fa mal temps
MI FA#m
Jo t’empararé si un cas tens por
SIm MI
Jo te cuidaré si estàs malalta
RE LA
De tot cor, de tot cor
RE REm LA
De tot cor

MI RE DO#m-SIm-LA

FA#m DO#m
Estic a punt d’anar-me’n
RE LA RE
Mes abans de partir et diré
REm LA
Que et duc dins es pensament

FA#m DO#m
No deix de recordar-te
RE LA RE
I alen els teus alens tot calents
REm SIm MI
De lluny i de prop me tens


Jo et duré...

FA#m DO#m
I a dalt de s’escenari
RE LA RE
Quan estic concentrat cantant
REm MI
Jo sempre te tenc present

FA#m DO#m
Perquè m’ets necessari
RE LA
Com s’aire que respir
RE REm SIm MI
Necessit estar amb tu en tot moment


Jo et duré... ( bis )

De tot cor

[intro]
F Am Dm Am A# Dm Gm C

[Verse 1]
             F 
Baby really hurt me
                Am 
crying in the taxi
                Dm
He dont wanna know me
                         Am                     A#     Dm
says you make the big mistake of dancing in my store 
Gm                  C
   Says it was poison
                 F
So I guess I go home 
          Am                     Dm
into the arms of the girl that I love
                Am 
the only love I havent screwed up
A#                  Dm
   She's so hard to please
             Gm      C  
but shes a forest fire
        F               
I do my best to meet her demands
Am
play it romance
         Dm
we slow dance in the living room
    Am                      A#
but all that a stranger would see
        Dm           Gm               C     
is one girl swaying alone stroking her cheek

[Chorus]

      F         Am            Dm 
They say, "you're a little much for me
         Am     A# 
You're a liability
          Dm         Gm    C
You're a little much for me"
               F              Am 
So they pull back make other plans
       Dm 
I understand
     Am     A# 
I'm a liability
        Dm         Gm    
Get you wild, make you leave
       C            Dm            F    A#       
I'm a little much for eh oh-na-na-na everyone

[Verse 2]
            F 
The truth is, I am toy
                Dm
that people enjoy
                Am               A#
till all of the tricks dont work anymore
Dm              Gm       C
And then they are bored of me
             
                    F
I know that its exciting
                     Am
running through the night but
              Dm                Am
every perfect summer's eating me alive
            A#    Dm
unitl youre gone
Gm          C
Better on my own

[Chorus]

      F         Am            Dm 
They say, "you're a little much for me
         Am     A# 
You're a liability
          Dm         Gm    C
You're a little much for me"
               F              Am 
So they pull back make other plans
       Dm 
I understand
     Am     A# 
I'm a liability
        Dm         Gm    
Get you wild, make you leave
       C            Dm            F    A#       
I'm a little much for eh oh-na-na-na everyone

[Outro]
             Dm           F           A#
They're gonna watch me disappear into the sun
                 Dm        F           A#
You're all gonna watch me disappear into the sun

Liability

A                                     E 
Roll into your town and I'm walking around
                                                Fm                        
Got some extra time think I'll throw some money down
                                                     D
And you follow me around, and you're asking for the time

Your asking what I found 
                         A
think I'm gonna rob you blind

maybe it's the tattoo on my arm
        E
that I drew while I was bored waiting tables in new york
Fm                                            D
 a  heart and two flowers intertwined with a vine

Up Here

INTRO:

A |---------------------|
E |--7--7--7----------- -|
C |---------------------|
G |---------------------|

VERSE 1:   

C#m          E       B      A                     C#m   E    B   A 
I’m going away to be alone I’m coming back with answers
C#m           E            B    A            C#m   E   B   A
Don’t try to call my telephone it’s disconnected
C#m           E          B       A               C#m   E   B   A
And I don’t know where I’m going but can you guide me
C#m              E        B        A              C#m   E   B   A
But if I find love where I’m going will it survive me


PRE-CHORUS 1:

C#m            B   A                         C#m         A   B
‘Cause in your own space you’re disconnected and in your own mind you’re not affected
C#m         B   A                           C#m         A   B
And in your own time you’re still attracted but in your own life


CHORUS:

A                                 C#m            B
This heart attack I’ve gotta get away not coming back
A                                 C#m                     B
I want some downtime so call me when you can and I’ll be fine


VERSE 2: [same chords as VERSE1]
I’ve found the time to be alone I don’t know what you’re asking
I’m waiting by the telephone and you’re still barking
My heart stops it isn’t… going could you revive me
I think I’m lost without knowing so come and find me


PRE-CHORUS 2:  [same chords as PRE-CHORUS1]
‘Cause in the same space we’re disconnected and in your own mind you’re not attracted
But in your own life over reacted and in your own time


{CHORUS x2}


Sometimes if we don’t go sometimes you don’t know
You don’t go I don’t go I don’t go you don’t go

C#5  B5  A5                      C#5  A5  B5
            I’ve got your back              but you don’t got mine
C#5  E5  A5                    C#5  A5  B5
            This heart attack              then I’m feeling fine


CHORUS x2

C#m          E       B    A 
I’m going away to be alone
C#m          E       B    A 
I'm going away to be alone ...............

This Heart Attack

Intro:

Bb - F - A

F                 C
I've been feeling lonesome
F                            C
I'm down, don't know what to do
D
I let you lie to me
F
plant seeds inside
            E
to see them grow
                      F
only to leave them to die

  C
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
    A
for you

F                  C
I've been lost and finding
F                           C
out that I've been such a fool
D           
you thought you'd stick around
F
until the day you found
    E                    F
someone to make me obsolete

  C
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm F
why cry
    Bb
for you... 


Guitar Solo:

Bb - F - A (2x)

  C     
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
    A
for you

Why Cry

[Verse 1]
 G                              D
You like New York City in the daytime
 Bm                   A
I like New York City in the nighttime
 G                          D
You say you like sleeping with the air off
Bm                  A
I don't, I need it on
G                  D
You like the light coming through the windows
 Bm                      A
I sleep late, so I just keep 'em all closed
G                  D
You ignore the music on the radio
Bm                 A
I don't, I sing-a-long


[Pre-Chorus]
G               D        Bm             A
I don't ask for you to change, baby no no no
    G              D          Bm    A
And you don't ask for me to change


[Chorus]
N.C.                     D
Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                   A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why
 G              D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time


[Verse 2]
G                        D
Cold outside and you're just in a T-shirt
Bm                   A
I have cold blood even in a sweater
G                         D
You start your night sippin' by the Kilo
Bm                   A
I don't, I know you know


[Pre-Chorus]
G               D        Bm             A
I don't ask for you to change, baby no no no
    G              D          Bm    A
And you don't ask for me to change



[Chorus]
N.C.                     D
Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                   A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why
 G              D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime (we don't even know)
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time (we don't even know)
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                   A
(We don't even know, know, know, know, know)




[Bridge]
G                          D
Somehow we end up on the same side
Bm                          A
And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright
G                      D            Bm             A
Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine
G                         D
Somehow we end up on the same side (up on the same side)
Bm                            A
And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright

(Think that we'd be alright)

G                      D            Bm             A
Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine


[Chorus]

 N.C.                     D
(Oh)Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why

('Cause we work so well and we don't even know why, why)
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                  A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why

(But we don't even know why)
G                D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why

('Cause we work so well and we don't even know why, why)

G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]

N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime (we don't even know)
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time (we don't even know)
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm             A
We like it in the nighttime

Intro  D     Bm7   G     A     x2


Verse 1
    D                              Bm7
We never spoke a word, but every thought she had 
                         G     A Asus A
I heard from across the room 
             D                               Bm7
If we were standin' face to face I couldn't find the words 
               G               A Asus A
To say give me one more move 
        G              A             G                   A
I don't even know her name, I guess foolish pride's to blame


Chorus 
          D                        D7
Now, I'm fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
        Bm7                 F#              G                    A
And my heart won't tell my mind to tell my mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
        Bm7 A   G                              Gm
Now I'm fallin' in love as she's walkin' away


Interlude   D     Bm7   G     A     x2


Verse 2
          D                           Bm7
Wise man next to me did say 'bout the one that got away
        G                    A
Son, I missed my chance 
           D                            Bm7
Don't you let regret take place of the dreams you have to chase
     G               A
Ask her to dance, go on, son
           G                 A              G                  A
You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith


Chorus
          D                        D7
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
           Bm7                   F#                G                    A
When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
         Bm7 A   G                               Gm
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away 


Solo   D    Bm7  Bm  F#  G   A  D    D7    Bm  F# |A   D 


           G                 A              G                  A
You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith
 
          D                        D7
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
           Bm7                   F#                G                    A
When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
         Bm7 A    Bm7 A       Bm7 A       G                      G   
Don't be fallin', fallin' in, fallin' in love as she's walkin' away


Outro  (G)   Gm  Bm7  E G  Gm  D

As She's Walking Away

F Am Dm C

    F              Am            Bb          C
The skirts go up, before the wall  among the madding crowds, 
    
     F                      Am                    Dm     C
They ruin, Like the rest of ruin, the rest of us ruin
          F                      Am           Bb           C
You are a living doll riding the circle tracks  behind the walls of clocks, 
        F                      Am                   Dm     C
In your ruin, Like the rest of ruin, the rest of us ruin     

 Bb                        F         C
Traffic will slow for the crash years
 Bb                             F         C      Dm     C
There's no other show like it 'round here, as a ru-u-ule
 Bb                        F            C
Windows will roll for the crash years 
        Bb                       F         C      Dm    C
There's no other show like it 'round here, as a ru-u-ule

F Ab F Ab
# (Whistlng part)

F Am Dm C

        F                     Am               Bb            C     
Now the candle's end, you are a light turned low  and like the rest of us,
                 F            Am               Dm     C
You've got those old, eternity blues, eternity blues
      F                              Am         Bb                C
Your fingers raised, you're looking for the word, what you want is accident
            F                 Am                 Dm    C
And not the drag, spectacular view, what you can lose

 Bb                         F         C
Traffic will slow for the crash years
 Bb                            F         C      Dm     C
There's no other show like it 'round here, as a ruuuule
 Bb                         F         C
Windows will close in the crash years 

Bb                          F        C      Dm     C
    Honey child, you're not safe here, as a ru-u-ule

F Ab F Ab
# (whistling part)

Bb 

F Am Dm C

 Bb                        F         C
Traffic will slow for the crash years
 Bb                             F         C      Dm     C
There's no other show like it 'round here, as a ru-u-ule
 Bb                        F            C
Windows will roll for the crash years 
        Bb                       F         C      Dm    C
There's no other show like it 'round here, as a ru-u-ule

F Ab F Ab
# (Whistling part)

        F                   Am            Dm                  C
And the ruins the wild, the ruins the wild, tonight will be an open mic.

# (Repeat six times and end on an F)

Crash Years

Am                              E
There are children standing here,
                              G
Arms outstretched into the sky,
                          D
Tears drying on their face.
              Am
He has been here.
                          E
Brothers lie in shallow graves.
                           G
Fathers lost without a trace.
                           D
A nation blind to their disgrace,
                        Am
Since he's been here.
                    E
And I see no bravery,
 G                  D
No bravery in your eyes anymore.

Only sadness.

(Continue the same chord progression)

Houses burnt beyond repair.
The smell of death is in the air.
A woman weeping in despair says,
He has been here.
Tracer lighting up the sky.
It's another families' turn to die.
A child afraid to even cry out says,
He has been here.

And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.

There are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
But no one asks the question why,
He has been here.
Old men kneel to accept their fate.
Wives and daughters cut and raped.
A generation drenched in hate.
Says, he has been here.

And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.

No Bravery

Intro:  D A E A D
        D A E A D  E

      A
I was goin? where I shouldn?t go
D
Seein? who I shouldn?t see
E
Doin? what I shouldn?t do
    A
And bein? who I shouldn?t be


A little voice told me it?s all wrong
        D
Another voice told me it?s alright
  E
I used to think I was strong
    A
But lately I just lost the fight

Chorus:
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D          
 For a little while
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D                    E
 For a little while

      A
I got tired of bein? good
        D
Started missing that old feeling free
     E
Stop actin? like I thought I should
    A
And went on back to bein? me

  
I never meant to hurt no one
  D
I just had to have my way
           E
If there's such a thing as too much fun
A
This must be the price you pay

Chorus:
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D          
 For a little while
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D
 For a little while
E                 A                D
 You never see it comin? till it?s gone
E                     A           D
 It all happens for a reason even when it?s wrong
  E
Especially when it?s wrong


Solo: A D E A x2


Chorus:
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D          
 For a little while
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D                    E
 For a little while

      A
I was goin? where I shouldn?t go
D
Seein? who I shouldn?t see
E
Doin? what I shouldn?t do
    A
And bein? who I shouldn?t be

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Troubadour

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