The Politics: When We’re Human

Angela Davis talks about the symbolism that lies deep in blues and jazz music that tells the story of American history in Blues Legacies and Black Feminism. Through jazz and blues music blacks were able to tell stories of struggles that are embedded in the fibres of history, while some may believe that some of these songs are only talking about love or whatever subject matter is apparent at first glance many of them have tertiary layers of truth. Throughout history people have analyzed poetry and music to uncover hidden meanings nested in each text. Below is a song taken from The Princess and The Frog entitled ‘When We’re Human,’ at face value the song tells us what the main characters and their sidekicks would do when they became human and while anyone familiar with the film might dismiss the song as a catchy tune with no other culturally political significance this song seems to be saying something else at the same time. Consider for a moment that in American history blacks were enslaved and treated unfairly under the pretense that they were not actually human, now revisit the context of this song and the film as a whole where two of the main characters, both of which are black have been turned into animals. Tiana’s character evokes the American dream in her verse when she says ‘I worked hard for everything I got, and that's the way it's supposed to be.’ The beckoning words of the title that are reiterated throughout the song are remnant of the age of slavery. The song is modeled after a yearning for being recognized as a human being which simultaneously calls to mind the history of blacks fighting to be recognized as human.

When we're Human

If I were a human being

I'd head straight for New Orleans
And I'd blow this horn so hot and strong
Like no one they'd ever seen

Louis Armstrong, Mister Sidney Bechet
All the boys gonna step aside
When they hear this old ex-gator play
Listen!

When I'm human
As I hope to be
I'm gonna blow this horn till the cows come home
And everyone's gonna bow down to me
Thank you! Thank you! Aw, thank you! I love you too, baby!

When I'm myself again
I want just the life I had
A great big party every night
That doesn't sound too bad

A redhead on my left arm
A brunette on my right
A blonde or two to hold a candle
Doesn't that seem just about right
Eh, Louis?

Life is short
When you're done, you're done
We're on this Earth to have some fun
And that's the way things are

When I'm human
And I'm gonna be
I'm gonna tear it up like I did before
That's a royal guarantee

Your modesty becomes you
And your sense of responsibility
I worked hard for everything I got
And that's the way it's supposed to be

When I'm a human being
At least I'll act like one
If you do your best each and every day
Good things are sure to come your way

What you give is what you get
My daddy said that and I'll never forget
And I recommend it to you

When we're human
And we're gonna be
I'm gonna blow my horn
I'm gonna live the high life
I'm gonna do my best to take my place in the sun
When we're human!