Purple Hearts 💜
Song by Kendrick Lamar, Ghostface Killah, Summer Walker
One song that doesn’t get enough love on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is Purple Hearts, which sucked me in at the beginning because the beat immediately reminds me of the 90s, which is fitting, especially with Ghostface Killah towards the end of the record.
Note: I’m backwards, I’m analyzing while writing this, no edits. I have no format for this page yet. I’m currently reading through the lyrics and writing what comes up for me.
Before I get to the lyrics, I want to talk about the color purple, which brings me back to the 1986 movie The Color Purple, which I feel ties into the movie that I’ll talk about later. Purple is associated with a variety of meanings, including wisdom, creativity, royalty, power, ambition, and luxury. I’m going to skip over the first two lines of the song because I’ve written about it before. You can read that below.
I want to talk about these two lines.
I know y'all love it when the drugs talkin’, but if God be the source, then I am the plug talkin’
Imagine you’re at a family function and your high-conspiracy theorist uncle takes up your time discussing aliens. You’ll ignore him because you think he’s either high or drunk and not making any sense, but if you remove the substances and think about what’s actually being said, your uncle isn’t too far gone. In those two lines, I figure Kendrick is saying, “Call me crazy if you want, but whatever I say shouldn’t be questioned because God is speaking through me.”
A woman's worth, I barely went to church, I'd rather fast with you.
When you think of fasting, you think of eliminating distractions and using that time to show gratitude and grace. I feel like he’s saying I already am aware of your worth. We can skip fasting and spend time together; since you’re not eating, it’s like fasting.
Two-steppin' away from rappers, I don't trust their true intentions
If you’ve been glued to Kendrick’s tour and dancing, he’s always had his own two-step going. It gives me a mixture of LA and Chicago. If you are a fan of Love Jones, like I am, you will remember that Darius asked Nina if she knew how to step.
I bless it that you have an open heart, I bless that you forgive
I bless it that you can learn from a loss, I bless it that you heal
I bless one day that you attract somebody with your mind exact
A patient life, flaws, bless 'em twice, and they'll bless you back
This comes off as a prayer to me, but also gives a snapshot of what the entire album is about: heart, forgiveness, learning new habits, healing, clarity, peace of mind, and knowing your intentions for being better and doing better, you will be blessed.
Public remarks above.
Cabinet conversation below.
