It is often said that our biggest battle in life takes place in our own minds. The lyrics to the song “Jesus Walks” by Kanye West is sending exactly that message. In the beginning of the song he states that we are at war. He says that we are at war with terrorism and racism but that most of all, we are war with ourselves.
In the video for the song, there are individual stories of the war that some people face within themselves, but the lyrics delve deeper into what that battle may be or why it may have developed. For example, he uses the phrase young and restless. He says, “the restless might snatch your necklace or jack your Lexus”. This is symbolic of how the battle among many disadvantaged youth find it’s roots. Their circumstances have yielded a way of thinking that has become problematic to society but more so to their own minds. The war we fight within ourselves stems outwardly and becomes societal issues. The battles we endure in our minds drive us to committing acts that are primarily centered around these battles.
Another example Kanye uses is of racism. In the song he uses the words ‘harass and arrest us’. This symbolically references the ongoing and unfair treatment of many African Americans by police officers. The inner thoughts of the mentally troubled can manifest into physical mistreatment of others. His song is saying that it is Jesus that walks with us and helps through our mental battles we fight on a day to day basis.
The song was originally sung by a choir composed of people who had recently overcome substance abuse. Kanye heard the song and made it his own however the origins of the song can further prove the meaning behind it which is that we often need to look to a higher power for help or solutions to our personal afflictions. Often there are not many options or resources for people to get the mental help they need. For those who had overcome their substance abuse problems, they looked to Jesus for their help and have since been recovering.
During the song Kanye says, “like Kathie Lee needed Regis that’s the way I need Jesus”. This translates to the severity of having Jesus in his life. Without whom he would be lost without because without Regis, Kathie Lee’s career could no longer be sustained. She depended on Regis for her career needs the same as Kanye and others depend on Jesus for all of their needs, specifically those mental afflictions that many people struggle with every day.
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