This is a song I have been fond of for years. At first I thought it was a purely spiritual song, as I somehow just listened only partially to the lyrics. Hey, that's not my mother tongue!
Not a long time ago, I heard it again when I played three songs in a row from my MP3 collection on random. These songs all three meant something to me (Depeche Mode - "Enjoy The Silence", Lauryn Hill - "To Zion" and Peter Gabriel - "Digging in the Dirt"), and then the experience was over.
I looked the lyrics up for each one, if I missed something. I knew these could be messages. And then something struck me as odd.
I knew Lauryn Hill had not brought out a full album for quite some time after the smash success album this was on. I thought she was procrastinating on her star fame like some do. This song made me think, and I looked her up in Wikipedia.
She has a son named Zion! It is both a spiritual song in the tradition of Carribean theology/gospel on the Zion/New Jerusalem topic, but also a love letter to her yet unborn son.
And here it is:
("To Zion" by Lauryn Hill)Unsure of what the balance held
I touched my belly overwhelmed
By what I had been chosen to perform
But then an angel came one day
Told me to kneel down and pray
For unto me a man child would be born
Woe this crazy circumstance
I knew his life deserved a chance
But everybody told me to be smart
Look at your career they said,
"Lauryn, baby use your head"
But instead I chose to use my heart
Now the joy of my world is in Zion
Now the joy of my world is in Zion
How beautiful if nothing more
Than to wait at Zion's door
I've never been in love like this before
Now let me pray to keep you from
The perils that will surely come
See life for you my prince has just begun
And I thank you for choosing me
To come through unto life to be
A beautiful reflection of his grace
See I know that a gift so great
Is only one God could create
And I'm reminded every time I see your face
That the joy of my world is in Zion
Now the joy of my world is in Zion
Now the joy of my world is in Zion
Now the joy of my world is in Zion
Marching, marching, marching to Zion
Marching, marching
Marching, marching, marching to Zion
Beautiful, beautiful Zion
Ain't that just lovely? She chose having a child over a world-class R&B career right there.
Oliver
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