The role of women in “Retrospect for Life” by Common and Lauryn Hill, shifts from the one depicted in “Another.” This song focuses on women in a better light, as mothers and caregivers. The song is about a man looking back on the decision him and his girl made to get rid of their unborn child, because as he says they were not ready for that responsibility and to be a family. Common brings up some interesting thoughts about life, and issues within certain communities. He sings, “It’s too many black women that can say they mothers, but can’t say that they wives.” That line is very real and serious and it shows that Common is concerned about the sad reality of the amount of single mothers, raising children on their own in the black community. …show more content…
There are a couple of metaphors in these lines, for example, summer could be referred to as a season of warmth and love where everything should be warm and bright. Rain could refer to crying and sadness, like the man promised to be there for her in the hard times. In the third verse, Common shifts his focus from the child to the mother, his girl. He admits that he will probably never understand what she went through physically and emotionally, but he commends her for handling it “like the strong black woman” she is. He said that he had conflicting feeling about having a child, deep down he was happy but “not joyed enough to have it.” After everything they went through, two weeks later they were back to having unprotected sex. He then brings up the question of whether or not they have unprotected sex because how much they trust each other or if it is just the opposite. Do they trust each other so little that they think having a child will make them stay together? Common goes on to say that he loves his girl and they are doing good at the moment, but there is a lot that he still wants to do in life before settling down and starting a family, which is a big commitment. He ends the song, alluding that his girl is pregnant again, and this time he wants to have the