BLOOD.

Album: DAMN. (2017)
Charted: 56 54
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The opening track of DAMN, this is also the album's shortest song. The stark scene-setter finds Kendrick Lamar narrating a story about helping an old woman, only to be shot in return. It introduces the listener to the main thread running the record, how his people have "lost" their way and become damned. The same "I was taking a walk the other day" thread, pops up again on the final track, "DUCKWORTH.". This time the scenario is reversed and Kendrick lives, breaking the chain of his people from being cursed because of the actions of Top Dawg choosing not to shoot the rapper's father.
  • A gunshot sounds and the track cuts to a clip of two Fox News presenters puzzledly reciting a lyric from Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly African-American anthem "Alright." One host comments: "Ugh, I don't like it." The rapper continues to muse on the broadcast, on the next two tracks, "DNA." and " YAH."

    Asked specifically of his thoughts on the segment, during an interview with Beats 1's Zane Lowe, Lamar said: "I thought it was a trip, click-bait. I represent my people and the culture the right way. To attack my character, I wasn't for it."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Kristian Bush of Sugarland

Kristian Bush of SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Gary Numan

Gary NumanSongwriter Interviews

An Electronic music pioneer with Asperger's Syndrome. This could be interesting.

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.