☝️ Key Points
- The song is about self-confidence, hope, and belief in one's own abilities.
- The recurring line 'I believe I can fly' is a metaphor for striving for seemingly unattainable goals.
- R. Kelly speaks of a time of hopelessness, but finds solace in true love and personal strength.
- The song deals with overcoming personal setbacks and obstacles.
- The song is a powerful anthem to the ability to achieve personal success through self-determination and faith in oneself.
Interpretation
The song "I Believe I Can Fly" by
R. Kelly is about self-confidence, hope, and believing in one's own abilities. In the opening lines of the song "I used to think that I could not go on / And life was nothing but an awful song", the singer talks about a time when he thought he couldn't go on and felt his life was meaningless and sad. However, over time he finds the meaning of true love and strength within himself ("But now I know the meaning of true love / I'm leaning on the everlasting arms").
The recurring line 'I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky' is a metaphor for believing in one's own abilities and striving for goals, even if they seem unreachable. The singer doesn't just dream about it, he spends every day and every night thinking about it and spreading his wings (another metaphor for his own abilities and talents) to fly.
In these lines "See I was on the verge of breaking down / Sometimes silence can seem so loud", he talks about how he was on the verge of giving up and how silence can sometimes be deafening. But he recognizes that there are miracles in life that he must reach for, and it starts within himself.
The chorus repeats the central message of the song: believing in oneself, the ability to overcome obstacles ("I see me running through that open door") and the ability to achieve personal goals ("I believe I can fly").
Overall, the song is a powerful anthem to self-determination, belief in one's own abilities, and the ability to achieve personal successes through tough times.