"Stronger" is the third track from Kanye West's third studio album, Graduation (2007). It released as a single on July 31, 2007.[1] It is Kanye's second most streamed song of all time, only behind "Ni**as in Paris".[2]
In the song, Kanye speaks about the resolve that comes when one is faced with adversity, with lyrics at the song's refrain that paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche's dictum "What does not kill me makes me stronger". He also describes "Stronger" as an "emancipation", using the track to vent his frustration over mistakes he made in the past year.
On the iTunes Remixes single, two remixes of "Stronger" were released. They were made by A-Trak and Andrew Dawson.[1]
Production[]
Kanye heavily utilizes a vocal sample of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by Daft Punk.[3]
Background[]
It has been rumored that around 50 to 75 versions of "Stronger" exist, but only a handful have been leaked. A snippet of the song was played on Kanye's 2007 mixtape, Can't Tell Me Nothing[4], but the final song was released on July 31, 2007. An early version of "Stronger" features only one verse with completely different lyrics[5]:
"When the fast life takes its tole
That act right makes everything slow
Them black lights make everything glow
One of those nights where everything goes
Everybody goes through something
People be talking to you like you nothing
Then you be like bitch I'm me
Then your boss be like bitch then leave
You covered up your tats too long with them sleeves
You've gotta hit the club let the real you breathe
Would you believe, you'll never shine if you're not seen
So get all in they face like Noxzema
I know you mesmerized about that ass in them jeans
Please don't hit that raw, it's not clean
Please don't forget that all when it seems"
Music video[]
Kanye West - Stronger
The music video for "Stronger" was mainly shot in Tokyo,and Los Angeles and was directed and produced by Hype Williams. In the video, Kanye lives in a robot world set in Tokyo. Many of the scenes in the video are inspired by scenes from the 1988 anime film, Akira.[6]
Lyrics[]
Work it, make it, do it, makes us
Harder, better, faster, stronger
N-Now th-that that don't kill me
Can only make me stronger
I need you to hurry up now
‘Cause I can't wait much longer
I know I got to be right now
‘Cause I can't get much wronger
Man, I've been waiting all night now
That's how long I been on ya
(Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger)
(I need you right now!)
(More than ever, hour after hour
Work–)
(I need you right now!)
Let's get lost tonight
You could be my black Kate Moss tonight
Play secretary, I'm the boss tonight
And you don't give a fuck what they all say, right?
Awesome, the Christian in Christian Dior
Damn, they don't make 'em like this anymore
I ask, ‘cause I'm not sure
Do anybody make real shit anymore?
Bow in the presence of greatness
‘Cause right now, thou hast forsaken us
You should be honored by my lateness
That I would even show up to this fake shit
So go ahead, go nuts, go apeshit!
'Specially in my Pastellé, on my Bape shit
Act like you can't tell who made this
New Gospel, homie, take six
And take this, haters!
N-Now th-that that don't kill me
Can only make me stronger
I need you to hurry up now
‘Cause I can't wait much longer
I know I got to be right now
‘Cause I can't get much wronger
Man, I've been waiting all night now
That's how long I been on ya
(Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger)
(I need you right now!)
(More than ever, hour after hour
Work–)
(I need you right now!) Me likey!
I don't know if you got a man or not
If you made plans or not
If God put me in your plans or not
I'm trippin', this drink got me saying a lot
But I know that God put you in front of me
So how the hell could you front on me?
There's a thousand you's, there's only one of me
I'm trippin', I'm caught up in the moment, right?
‘Cause it's Louis Vuitton Don night
So we gon' do everything that Kan like
Heard they'd do anything for a Klondike
Well, I'd do anything for a blonde dyke
And she'll do anything for the limelight
And we'll do anything when the time's right
Uh, baby, you're makin' it–
(Harder, better, faster, stronger)
N-Now th-that that don't kill me (Oh)
Can only make me stronger (Oh)
I need you to hurry up now (Oh)
‘Cause I can't wait much longer (Oh)
I know I got to be right now (Oh)
‘Cause I can't get much wronger (Oh)
Man, I've been waiting all night now
That's how long I been on ya
(Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger)
(I need you right now!)
(I need you right now!)
You know how long I've been on ya
Since Prince was on Apollonia
Since had Isotoners
Don't act like I never told ya
Don't act like I never told ya
Don't act like I never told ya
Don't act like I never told ya
Don't act like I never told ya
Baby, you're makin' it
(Harder, better, faster, stronger)
N-Now th-that that don't kill me
Can only make me stronger
I need you to hurry up now
‘Cause I can't wait much longer
I know I got to be right now
‘Cause I can't get much wronger
Man, I've been waiting all night now
That's how long I been on ya
(Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger)
(I need you right now!)
(I need you right now!)
Right now!
Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
(I need you right now!)
(I need you right now!)
You know how long I've been on ya
Since Prince was on Apollonia
Since had Isotoners
Don't act like I never told ya
You know how long I've been on ya
Since Prince was on Apollonia
Since had Isotoners
Don't act like I never told ya
Told ya, told ya
Never told ya…told ya, told ya
Never told ya…told ya, told ya
Never told ya…told ya, told ya
Never told ya…told ya, told ya
Never over…Never over… Never over… Never over…
Never over…Never over… Never over…
(Harder, better, faster, stronger)
Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
More than ever, hour after
Our work is never over
Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
More than ever, hour after—
Our work is never over
Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
More than ever, hour after hour
Work is never over
Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
More than ever, hour after hour
Work is never over
Credits[]
Adapted from Spotify[7]:
- Performed by Kanye West
- Written by Mike Dean, Edwin Birdsong, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Kanye West, Thomas Bangalter
- Produced by Kanye West
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stronger_(Kanye_West_song)
- ↑ https://kworb.net/spotify/artist/5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x_songs.html
- ↑ https://www.whosampled.com/Kanye-West/Stronger/
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Can't_Tell_Me_Nothing_(mixtape)
- ↑ https://genius.com/Mick-boogie-terry-urban-and-9th-wonder-stronger-original-unreleased-version-lyrics
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stronger_(Kanye_West_song)#Background_2
- ↑ https://open.spotify.com/track/0j2T0R9dR9qdJYsB7ciXhf