Manifest Destiny – English Lyrics

• By: Jamiroquai

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into the historical and social themes of Jamiroquai's 'Manifest Destiny,' a song that uses funk and acid jazz to explore colonization, slavery, and the impact of the 'Manifest Destiny' belief. Discover insightful lyrics and historical context, and understand the song's emotional depth and lasting message.

[English]

'Cause I remember

It was four hundred years or more

Since you came to crucify

And they were taken far away from home

There were promises of paradise

But if they had been told that day

That they would be sold this way

To satisfy the souls of chosen men

See I had to look carefully

At the shame of my ancestry

To redefine the story line again

Hey, if I was taken for a day and shown another way

Now every child can learn a different thing

See I tried a million times but I had to change my mind

Oh, sadness was the best thing I can bring

On the inside he was dead and this is what he said

As he took away the bloom above the clouds

Oh, superiority was clearly meant to be

So destiny will manifest in time

So where has love all gone?

A troubled trail of tears will tell the take

Of how I was put down where I don't belong

Woman, child and man for sale

For ethical slavery is just an absurdity

How can you be alive when you are dead?

With these chains of hypocrisy, the shame of my ancestry

Forever stained by blood in which you tread

Hey, if I was taken for a day and shown another way

Oh, now every child can learn a different thing

See I tried a million times but I had to change my mind

Oh, sadness was the best thing I can bring

On the inside he was dead, oh, and this is what he said

As he took away the bloom above the clouds

Oh, superiority was clearly meant to be

So destiny will manifest in time

So where has the love all gone

So wanna know where, wanna know where

Wanna know where, wanna know where

Somebody tell me where the love has all gone

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
crucify /ˈkruːsɪfaɪ/ C1	verb - to execute by nailing or binding to a cross
paradise /ˈpærədaɪs/ B2	noun - a place or state of perfect happiness
satisfaction /ˌsætɪsˈfækʃən/ B2	noun - the feeling of pleasure or fulfillment
destiny /ˈdɛstɪni/ B2	noun - the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future
manifest /ˈmænɪfæst/ (adjective/noun/verb depending on context) B2	verb - to display or show plainly adjective - clear or obvious to the eye or mind noun - a document listing cargo, passengers, etc. on a ship or plane
trail /treɪl/ B1	noun - a path or track made across a wild area or through woods verb - to follow or track somebody or something
stigmatized /ˈstɪɡmætɪzaɪd/ C1	verb (past participle) - to describe or characterize as disgraceful or disapproval
hypocrisy /hɪˈpɒkrəsi/ C1	noun - the practice of pretending to have moral standards or beliefs that one does not actually possess
stained /steɪnd/ B2	adjective (past participle) - marked or colored with dirt, ink, or other substances
chains /tʃeɪnz/ B1	noun - series of connected metal links used for fastening or restraint
hypocrisy /hɪˈpɒkrəsi/ C1	noun - the practice of pretending to have moral standards or beliefs that one does not actually possess
apparent /əˈpærənt/ B2	adjective - clearly visible or understood
meaning /ˈmiːnɪŋ/ A2	noun - what is meant by a word or action
future /ˈfjuːtʃər/ A2	noun - the time yet to come

Key Grammar Structures

• 'Cause I remember

  ➔ Contraction of 'because' + 'I'

  ➔ Used to explain the reason for something; informal contraction.

• Since you came to crucify

  ➔ Preposition 'since' indicating point in time

  ➔ 'Since' introduces the starting point in the past from which an action or event is considered.

• To satisfy the souls of chosen men

  ➔ Infinitive 'to' + base verb indicating purpose or intention

  ➔ Used to express the purpose of an action; indicates what the action aims to achieve.

• How can you be alive when you are dead?

  ➔ Interrogative sentence with modal 'can' + subject + base verb

  ➔ Questions expressing possibility or ability, often with 'can' and a base verb.

• And they were taken far away from home

  ➔ Passive voice in past tense ('were taken') + adverbial phrase

  ➔ The subject receives the action; 'were taken' is passive voice in past tense.

• So destiny will manifest in time

  ➔ Simple future tense with 'will' + base verb

  ➔ Expresses an action or event that will happen in the future.

• Wanna know where, wanna know where

  ➔ Informal contraction of 'want to' + 'know'

  ➔ A casual way of expressing desire to find out information.