Wavin' Flag

K'NAAN

About Wavin' Flag

"Wavin' Flag" is a song by Somali-Canadian artist K'naan from his album Troubadour. The song was originally written for Somalia and aspirations of its people for freedom. The original single was a hit in Canada and reached #2 on the Canadian Hot 100 as the third official single from the album, after the singles "ABCs" and "Bang Bang", which were minor hits. After a devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, a remake of the song by an ad hoc supergroup of Canadian artists, credited as Young Artists for Haiti, became a charity single in Canada, reaching #1 on the Canadian Hot 100 in its own right. The song became a truly global hit when it was chosen as Coca-Cola's promotional anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, hosted by South Africa. This amended international version with additional lyrics reached the top ten in more than twenty different charts around the world. The English version was released as "Wavin' Flag (Celebration Mix)" by K'naan to differentiate it from the original Canadian hit or from the Canadian Haiti charity hit. The Spanish cover featuring David Bisbal became very popular. A version of the song featuring will.i.am and David Guetta was targeted for international markets. Many other bilingual and country-specific versions were released. 


Year:
2012
3:41
35 
#1

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When I get older, I will be stronger
They'll call me freedom
Just like a waving flag

When I get older, I will be stronger,
They'll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag,
And then it goes back, and then it goes back,
And then it goes back

To the throne, stronger than Rome
But violent prone, poor people zone,
But it's my home, all I have known,
Where I got grown, streets we would roam.
But out of the darkness, I came the farthest,
Among the hardest survival.
Learn from these streets, it can be bleak,
Accept no defeat
Surrender retreat

So we struggling, fighting to eat and
We wondering when we'll be free,
So we patiently wait, for that fateful day,
It's not far away, so for now we say

When I get older, I will be stronger,
They'll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag,
And then it goes back, and then it goes back,
And then it goes back

So many wars, settling scores,
Bringing us promises, leaving us poor,
I heard them say, love is the way,
Love is the answer, that's what they say,
But look how they treat us, make us believers,
We fight their battles, then they deceive us,
Try to control us, they couldn't hold us,
'Cause we just move forward like Buffalo Soldiers.

But we struggling, fighting to eat,
And we wondering, when we'll be free
So we patiently wait, for that faithful day,
It's not far away, but for now we say,

When I get older, I will be stronger,
They'll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag,
And then it goes back, and then it goes back,
And then it goes back

When I get older, I will be stronger,
They'll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag,
And then it goes back, and then it goes back,
And then it goes back

And everybody will be singing it
And you and I will be singing it
And we all will be singing it

When I get older, I will be stronger,
They'll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag,
And then it goes back, and then it goes back,
And then it goes back

When I get older, I will be stronger,
They'll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag,
And then it goes back, and then it goes back,
And then it goes back

When I get older, when I get older
I will be stronger, just like a waving flag,
Just like a waving flag, just like a waving flag
Flag, flag, just like a waving flag

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K'NAAN

K'naan ( /ˈkeɪnɑːn/, born Keinan Abdi Warsame (Somali: Keynaan Cabdi Warsame, Arabic: كينان عبدي ورسمه‎ Keynān ‘Abdī Warsamah); in 1978), is a Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist. He rose to prominence with the success of his single "Wavin' Flag", which was chosen as Coca-Cola's promotional anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Besides hip-hop, K'naan's sound is influenced by elements of Somali music, Ethio-jazz and world music. He is also involved in various philanthropic initiatives. more »

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Written by: Jean Guillaume Daval, Keinan Abdi Warsame, Peter Gene Hernandez, Philip Martin Lawrence Ii

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Origins
"Wavin' Flag" was originally written and recorded by Somali-Canadian artist K'NAAN. The song gained significant popularity and success in 2009.
Inspiration
K'NAAN wrote and released the song in 2009 as an inspirational anthem for freedom and hope, drawing on his experiences growing up in war-torn Somalia.
Coca-Cola Anthem
The song was chosen by Coca-Cola as the promotional anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, hosted by South Africa. For this version, some lyrics were altered to have more of a universal theme.
World Cup Version
The World Cup version of "Wavin' Flag" was translated into various languages and reached number one in 19 countries.
Young Artists for Haiti
In response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, a Canadian supergroup called "Young Artists for Haiti" was formed, which included K'NAAN. The group performed a special rendition of "Wavin' Flag".
Charity Release
The "Young Artists for Haiti" version of "Wavin' Flag" was released in March 2010 with proceeds going to various charities such as Free The Children, War Child Canada and World Vision Canada.
Chart Success
The charity version of "Wavin' Flag" reached number one in the Canadian Hot 100 in its first week of release.
Multiple Artists
The "Young Artists for Haiti" version of the song features more than 50 Canadian artists, such as Justin Bieber, Drake, Avril Lavigne, Nelly Furtado, among others.
Music Video
A music video was also produced for the "Young Artists for Haiti" version, featuring all the contributing artists. It was directed by Paul A. Rosenberg and Ben Knechtel.
Global Recognition
Over the years, this song became an iconic symbol of hope and perseverance, often used in various global events where resilience is celebrated.

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    Wavin' Flag

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 2010

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