Augustine by Blood Orange Lyrics Meaning – The Redemptive Symphony of Identity and Love
Lyrics
My mother off the boat
My eyes were fresh at twenty-one
Bruised but still afloat
Our heads have hit the pavement
Many times before
You stroke his face to soothe him
While knowing that there’s more
Saint Augustine
Late have I loved and chose to see (what did I choose to see?)
Skin on his skin
A warmth that I can feel with him
And no one even told me
The way that you should feel
Tell me did you lose your son?
Tell me did you lose your love?
Cry and burst my deafness, while Trayvon falls asleep
The things that I can’t do to you
The things that I can’t do to you
Saint Augustine
Late have I loved and chose to see (what I chose to see, what I)
Skin on his skin
A warmth that I can feel with him
Nontetha (Nontetha)
We heard it all from you (we heard it all from you)
Nontetha
We waited here for you (waited here for you)
Nontetha (Nontetha)
We heard it all from you (we heard it all from you)
Nontetha
We waited here for you (waited here for you)
Nontetha
We heard it all from you (we heard it all from you)
Nontetha
We waited here for you (we weaited here for you)
Nontetha
Kushé-o aw di bodi
Nontetha
Devonté Hynes, known by his stage name Blood Orange, has consistently delivered music that is not just meant to be heard, but felt—deeply and personally. His song ‘Augustine’ from the 2016 album ‘Freetown Sound’ is a testament to his sonic alchemy, weaving historical references, personal introspection, and a cry for social justice into a tapestry that hangs in the gallery of modern soul.
The profound lyrical journey of ‘Augustine’ is a complex narrative that deftly intertwines the tapestries of Hynes’s personal history, racial identity, and the longing for a connection that transcends earthly constraints. Each verse is laden with symbolism and allusion, demanding an exploration beneath its melodious surface.
The Genesis of Augustine: Blood Orange’s Multilayered Opening Act
The opening lines of ‘Augustine,’ set the stage for a personal odyssey rooted in heritage—Hynes points to his parents, one a young man, another a new arrival, framing his own existence as a tapestry of fresh youth and resilience. The notion of ‘bruised but still afloat’ encapsulates an inherent struggle that hints at a deeper, unspoken history.
The visceral imagery of heads hitting pavement constructs a metaphorical and, at times, literal interpretation of the violence experienced by the marginalized. The tender act of soothing a loved one conveys not only a moment of comfort but an acknowledgment of the inexorable ‘more’ — the systemic injustices that persist beyond the immediate pain.
Saint Augustine and the Quest for Divine Love
Invoking the name of Saint Augustine, Hynes draws a parallel between the saint’s personal journey toward spiritual awakening and his own path toward understanding and love. The lyrics ‘Late have I loved and chose to see’ reflect Augustine’s confession of coming to God later in life—symbolizing Hynes’s awakening to deeper truths about identity, love, and social consciousness.
The intimacy of ‘skin on his skin’ goes beyond the physical to a profound connection that can be felt soulfully. This line invites a reflection on the universal human experience of seeking a love that is as redemptive as it is tangible, as transformative as it is intimate.
The Unsilencing of Heartache in the Cry for Trayvon
One of the song’s most heartrending moments surfaces when Hynes evokes the memory of Trayvon Martin, the Black teenager whose tragic death in 2012 became a watershed moment for the Black Lives Matter movement. The plaintive ‘Cry and burst my deafness’ does more than bear witness—it shatters the silence and complacency that allow such injustices to recur.
The confession ‘The things that I can’t do to you’ echoes with a haunting powerlessness that confronts the listener with the limitations faced by individuals in the quest for personal and societal change. This powerful condemnation is rendered more compelling when juxtaposed with the recognition of love’s inability to shield from the visceral consequences of systemic racism.
Nontetha’s Echo: The Call from History’s Shadows
The repeated invocation of ‘Nontetha’ points to a historical figure, the religious leader Nontetha Nkwenkwe, who led a movement in 1920s South Africa. Hynes, in this act of lyrical reclamation, sheds light on the often-forgotten narrative of a woman who challenged colonialism and was silenced—a thematic bridge linking the past’s struggles to the present.
The mantra-like repetition of ‘We heard it all from you’ and ‘We waited here for you’ serve as a call to awareness and remembrance for movements and figures who have been marginalized or erased from the historical narrative. It is a sobering reminder that the quest for justice and recognition is a continuous struggle that spans generations.
Lingering Questions and Haunting Echoes in ‘Augustine’
Devonté Hynes doesn’t simply tell a story with ‘Augustine’; he opens a dialogue with his listeners, allowing the song’s unanswered questions and memorable lines to linger long after the last note fades. Each repeated phrase and poignant query invites a personal and communal reckoning with the themes woven so intricately throughout the song.
Through ‘Augustine,’ Blood Orange crafts a space where the personal is undeniably political, the yearning for connections spans epochs, and the drive for love and understanding becomes a universal anthem. It’s more than just a song; it’s a soliloquy of the soul that compels us to listen with our hearts as much as our ears.
