Change - J. Cole｜中英歌詞、解析

Artist: J. Cole Produced by Ron Gilmore, Elite & J. Cole

[Intro: J. Cole]

My intuition is telling me there'll be better days, yeah 我的直覺告訴我日子會好轉的，沒錯。

My intuition is telling me there'll be better days 我的直覺跟我說日子將會變得更好。

I like this tone 我喜歡這個調子。

[Verse 1: J. Cole]

Yeah, my intuition is telling me there'll be better days 我的直覺跟我說日子將會變得更好。

I sit in silence and find whenever I meditate 我靜坐冥想並尋覓著答案。

My fears alleviate, my tears evaporate 我的恐懼緩和了、眼淚消散了。

My faith don't deviate, ideas don't have a date 我的信念毫無偏移，思緒永不過時。

But see I'm growing and getting stronger with every breath 每一次呼吸，我瞭解自己變得更加堅強。

Bringing me closer to Heaven's doors with every step 每一步腳印，都使我越趨近於天堂之門。

As we speak I'm at peace, no longer scared to die 我心靜如止水，不再害怕死亡。

Most niggas don't believe in God and so they terrified 我兄弟大多不信任神會幫助他們，因此戒慎恐懼。

It's either that or they be fearing they gon' go to Hell 害怕自己有天會墮入地獄。

Asking the Father for forgiveness, got 'em overwhelmed (Please, God, I want to go to Heaven) 無法承受時，他們向主祈求原諒。 （拜託主啊，我好想上天堂。）

As if He's spiteful like them white folks that control the jail 彷彿上天會如同掌管監獄的白人般充滿惡意。

See I believe if God is real, He'd never judge a man 我相信若神真實存在，他不會輕易定奪一個人的好壞。

Because He knows us all and therefore He would understand 因為他了解我們，並且能體會我們的際遇。

The ignorance that make a nigga take his brother life 他知道是無知使得兄弟們骨肉相殘。

The bitterness and pain that got him beating on his wife 是苦痛使得家庭破碎。

[Chorus: J. Cole]

I know you desperate for a change let the pen glide 我瞭解你為了圖一個改變而竭力創作。

But the only real change come from inside (Come from inside) 但真正的改變必須是從內心出發。

But the only real change come from inside (Come from inside) 但真正的改變必須是從內心出發。

But the only real change come from— 但真正的改變來自……

In cemeteries or in chains I see men cry 喪禮或牢獄總伴隨著無數淚水。

But the only real change come from inside (Come from inside) 但真正的改變只能夠從內心出發。

But the only real change come from inside (Come from inside) 但真正的改變只能夠從內心出發。

But the only real change come from— 但真正的改變來自……

[Verse 2: J. Cole]

Yeah, my chosen religion. Jesus piece frozen from sinnin' 對，那閃亮的耶穌項鍊來自於罪惡，那是我的信仰。

Doin' dirt, hoping to God, He know my intentions 雖然做盡骯髒事，但希望主能瞭解背後的原因。

To see a million 'fore I see a casket 是為了在我死前能賺進千金。

I got a baby on the way, know he gon' be a bastard 我未婚卻有了個私生子。

I'm living fast like I'm in a drag race, how that cash taste 過著放縱的生活，嘗盡榮華富貴。

When I was a senior, I was ballin' on my classmates 在學時，我總是同儕之間的焦點。

Niggas put three bullets in my car, one hit the gas tank 曾有人向我的車射了三發子彈，其中一發擊中油箱。

Know I got a angel cause I'm supposed to have a halo 我才得知大概有個天使正守護著我。

Right now, my lifestyle destined for a federal facility 現在，我的生活似乎脫不了警方關切。

For my ability to make them birds fly 隨著我的才能如鳥兒一飛衝天。

Fiends wanna get higher than a bird's eye view 朋友們也想企及我所擁有的眼界。

And who am I to tell a nigga what to do? 但成功的原因我根本不知道如何言說。

I just supply, it's economics 我只負責供貨，經濟便會自動運作。

My business ain't got the suit and tie 我的事業不需要穿西裝打領帶。

Keep a pistol at all times, niggas want what's mine 隨時帶著槍，以免仇人覬覦我的版圖。

I can't oblige, dog, I work too hard 我可不能為誰效勞，我只專注在自己的事業。

So reach for it, get referred to God, I'm going hard, nigga 所以自己爭取吧，去爭取上帝的認可，但我可是不留情的。

[Chorus: J. Cole]

I know you desperate for a change let the pen glide 我瞭解你為了圖一個改變而竭力創作。

But the only real change come from inside (Come from inside) 但真正的改變必須是從內心出發。

But the only real change come from inside (Come from inside) 但真正的改變必須是從內心出發。

But the only real change come from— 但真正的改變來自……

In cemeteries or in chains I see men cry 喪禮或牢獄總伴隨著無數淚水。

But the only real change come from inside (Come from inside) 但真正的改變只能夠從內心出發。

But the only real change come from inside (Come from inside) 但真正的改變只能夠從內心出發。

But the only real change come from— 但真正的改變來自……

[Verse 3: J. Cole]

Yeah, prodigal son, got a new gun 回首的浪子，文字是他的武器。

This one don't run out of ammo 一字一句如永遠耗不盡的子彈。

Lately been working on my handles 又重新拾起了寫作的筆。

Can I ball, become a star and remain my self? 我是否能夠大舉成名，並且常保初心？

If I fall, dust it off and regain my self 當我失足，拍去塵埃後就恢復了自信。

Fuck 'em all, they don't know all the pain I felt 那些不懂我痛苦的人去死吧。

I'm in awe, after all the fame I felt, I evolved 被名利所震顫後，我又更加進化。

I no longer bury demons, I be a vessel for the truth 我不再藏匿心魔，而是直指真相。

until I'm barely breathing, I'm singing 直到無法呼吸那刻，我仍然演唱著。

[Bridge: Ari Lennox & J. Cole]

Life is all about the evolution 人生就是在不斷進化呀。

I give up, I give in, I move back a little 時而頓挫、時而挺進，我向後歇一會兒。

I live up, I look up, now I'm back for more 履行目標、注視前方，現在我將強勢回歸。

You can dream but don't neglect the execution 勇敢做夢，但別忽略了實踐的重要性。

I give up, I give in, I move back a little 時而頓挫、時而挺進，我向後歇一會兒。

I live up, I look up, now I'm back for more 履行目標、注視前方，現在我將強勢回歸。

Time is short that's what somebody told me 曾有人跟我說人生苦短。

I give up, I give in, I move back a little 時而頓挫、時而挺進，我向後歇一會兒。

I live up, I look up, now I'm back for more 履行目標、注視前方，現在我將強勢回歸。

Too short to keep following your homies 短到轉瞬間，就跟你的兄弟天人永隔。

I give up, I give in, I move back a little 時而頓挫、時而挺進，我向後歇一會兒。

I live up, I look up, now I'm back for more 履行目標、注視前方，現在我將強勢回歸。

[Bridge: J. Cole]

I reminisce back to a time where niggas threw they hands 我回想那段兄弟們群聚鬥毆的時光。

All of a sudden niggas pop a trunk and then we scram 突然間有人抄傢伙，我們便倉皇逃走。

Finger on trigger make a little nigga understand 年輕人只有在指頭碰上扳機時才意識到。

What it's like to finally be the motherfuckin' man 當一個真男人的感覺。

Eyes wide that's from the power that the coward feels 親眼見證了，那些膽小鬼們所恐懼的力量。

Niggas die over bitches, disrespect, and dollar bills 兄弟們一一為了女人、尊重與金錢而死去。

Bloodshed that turned the city to a battlefield 嗜血殺戮使一座城市恍如戰場。

I call it poison, you call it real (pop, pop, pop, pop) 我說那是一種毒害，你卻稱那為真實。

That's how you feel? 這就是你的想法嗎？

[Verse 4: J. Cole]

Pistols be poppin' and niggas drop in a heartbeat 槍聲起落，人們轉瞬而死。

Scattered like roaches, a body laid on the concrete 人群像蟲子般逃竄，屍體倒在水泥路上。

A body laid on the concrete 屍體就這麼倒在路上。

Look, somebody laid on the concrete 看啊，人們就死在了路上。

No time for that, ain't no lookin' back, cause I'm running too 我沒時間去想這些，也無從回頭，因為當時我也正在奔走。

I made it home, I woke up and turned on the morning news 成功到了家，醒來後打開晨間新聞。

Overcame with a feeling I can't explain 一股無從解釋的思緒朝我襲來。

Cause that was my nigga James that was slain, he was 22 因為新聞播報的，是我的兄弟James，他死時才22歲。

He was 22 他才22歲啊⋯

[Outro: J. Cole]

(I swear to God, bruh) （兄弟，我向天發誓。）

We're gathered here today... 我們今天在此集結。

(I swear to God) （我向天發誓。）

To mourn the life of James McMillan Jr 為James McMillan Jr.的離去致哀。

(I swear to God—nigga, I'ma kill them niggas, man) （我向天發誓，我會把它們碎屍萬段。）

A tragedy, another tragedy in the black community 這是一個悲劇，又一個發生在黑人社群的悲劇。

(I promise you, bro...) （我答應你的，兄弟。）

We got to do better, people 各位，我們必須振作起來。

22 years old, this boy was too young 才22歲，這小子實在太年輕了。

(I promise you, bro, I'ma kill them niggas, yo...) （我答應你的，我絕對會痛宰那些人。）

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歌曲解析

〈Change〉收錄於J. Cole的第四張專輯《4 Your Eyez Only》，豐富的敘事手法，操弄著起承轉合是J. Cole的拿手絕活，使一字一句都值得細細品味。

從第一段以過來人的角度，敘述身處黑人社群需經歷的痛苦與掙扎；到第二段回憶曾經在道上討生活的日子，以及街頭生存的處心積慮，以至於到了第三段時，J. Cole決定洗心革面，致力透過創作來養活家人。

曲中的Bridge提及人生苦短，轉瞬間就可能和兄弟天人永隔，J. Cole見證了街頭生活的殘酷，並寫下「I call it poison, you call it real.」，是這一首歌的點睛之筆。淪為戰場的城市早就不是天方夜譚，而是鐵錚錚的事實。

最後一段歌詞無疑最為痛徹心扉，J. Cole以一段親身經驗，敘述好兄弟James的英年早逝。或許即使成名在望，對於曾身處於街頭生活的人而言，生命的易逝仍然是他們所要面對的課題，更是整個社會長期無視的暗處。

回到源頭，我們真的能夠憑一己之力帶來「改變」嗎？

SOURCE: GENIUS BANNER: Recreated from "4 Your Eyez Only" album cover TRANSLATED/WRITTEN BY @NOAHLIKETHISONE