Wavin' Flag by K'naan (2009)

Give me freedom, give me fire, give me reason, take me higher
See the champions, take the field now, you define us, make us feel proud

In the streets our heads are lifting, as we lose our inhibition,
Celebration, it's around us, every nations, all around us

Singing forever young, singing songs underneath that sun
Let's rejoice in the beautiful game, and together at the end of the day.
We all say,

[Chorus:]
When I get older
I will be stronger
They'll call me 'Freedom'
Just like a wavin' flag
And then it goes back, and then it goes back
And then it goes back, and then it goes...

Born to a throne, stronger than Rome
But violent-prone, poor people zone,

But it's my home, all I have known,
Where I got grown, streets we would roam

Out of the darkness, I came the farthest
Among the hardest survival
Learn from these streets, it can be bleak,
Accept no defeat, surrender retreat

[Bridge:]
So we strugglin'
Fightin' to eat
And we wonderin'
When we'll be free
So we patiently wait
For that fateful day
It's not far away,
But for now we say:

[Chorus]

So many wars, settlin' 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

[Bridge]
[Chorus]

Source: azlyrics.com

Analysis

At first look this does not fit the theme of the other songs and poems in this blog? Why is that? It has nothing in it about sports. It has no symbolism or imagery representing sports. Why is it being used, then? This song was the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Portraying a young refugee's life as he made it out of his childhood hell by fighting, it was the official song of one of the largest championships in the world. I chose this song because it shows that sports are much more than athletes hitting each other out on the open field. It brings together people from different backgrounds to be on one side. People who speak different languages to become a family. All of this different people with one common goal—to win. 

The first literary device seen is repetition and imagery. The writer uses repetition to place emphasis on the motion of a flag. Providing a mental picture through imagery, this flag is meant to represent freedom. An idea that this boy chased after his entire childhood. The tone of this part of the song is desire. The author is very serious about wanting to be free. Next the tone shifts to very dark as he describes what he had to go through as a young boy. "Born to a throne, stronger than roam" is a metaphor used to show how strong his tyrannic government was. The tone then shifts back to motivating again. He shows what it took to get out of this place. "Out of the darkness, I came the farthest/ Among the hardest survival/ Learn from these streets, it can be bleak/ Accept no defeat, surrender retreat". I believe this is where the song ties into a sports theme. This refugee escaped his childhood home, which the odds were very low. He accepted nothing less and did whatever it took to get there, An athlete must have the same attitude to become the best. There will be times when an athlete goes up against someone who is much better than them. However, heart is one of the most important aspects of a sport. It takes more than natural talent to be the best. One must have the heart and will to do whatever it takes to win—just as this refugee did to become free.