☝️ Key Points
- Lily is a woman from Somalia who comes to Paris and is confronted with racism.
- She works hard and takes dirty jobs to survive.
- Lily falls in love with a white man who is willing to marry her, but his family does not accept her because of her skin color.
- She decides to go to the United States hoping that it will be better there, but she also experiences racism there.
- Lily meets Angela Davis, a civil rights activist, who encourages her to unite and fight against discrimination.
Interpretation
In the lyrics of the song "Lily" by
Pierre Perret, it's about a woman named Lily who comes from Somalia to Paris. She believes that all people are equal and that she has arrived in a country of freedom and equality. But unfortunately, she quickly realizes that is not always the case.
When she arrives in Paris, she becomes aware of the differences. For example, she is told that only white people are welcome in a hotel. Despite that, Lily works hard and even takes on dirty jobs, like selling vegetables on the street. Her black brothers accompany her and help her with the work.
Lily finds it amusing when she is called "Snow White," although she is aware that it is meant in a racist way. She falls in love with a blond man who is willing to marry her, but his family does not accept her because she has a different skin color.
Lily decides to go to the United States, hoping that things will be better there. But even there, she experiences racism and injustice. At an event in Memphis, she meets Angela Davis, a civil rights activist. Angela encourages Lily to unite with others and fight against discrimination together.
At the end of the song, it is said that Lily will meet a man who truly loves her, and that their child will have the color of love, against which nothing can be done.
The lyrics of the song "Lily" tell the story of a woman who is confronted with prejudice and racism, but who continues her fight and hopes that love and equality will prevail.