A music video directed by Lauryn Hill was made for it. Lauryn Hill's verse embodies portions of 'Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer' by Stevie Wonder, while the song's beat samples ' A Song for You' by Donny Hathaway.

Kevin Powell of Rolling Stone considers it to be the centerpiece of its album, and Leo Stanley of Allmusic similarly boasts of its significant emotional impact. The lyrics as well as a 'mellow, piano-driven beat' has caused Dan Menella to call it the most memorable track on Common's third album. Its autobiographical lyrics weigh the choices of abortion and birth for a woman impregnated by Common. It features production from James Poyser and No I.D., vocals from Lauryn Hill and bass guitar playing by Vere Isaacs. ' Retrospect for Life' is the first single from rapper Common's third album One Day It'll All Make Sense. I, never dreamed youd leave, in summer In summer You said you would be here when, it rained When it rained, it rained Ohhhohh i, never dreamed, youd leave in summer You said you wouldnt leave Now the situations made things change Things change, why didnt you stay Stay, stay stay stay stay stay stay Mmmmm, stayyy Uh-uh Ohh why didnt you stay. Tesseract - Of Matter - Retrospect Lyrics : Burning bridges as I cower beneath Trying to salvage the debris My devotion tied around your waist lest you fall. But when skilled MCs revisit familial relationships and attempt to deal with the feelings involved, thatвЂ™s when the real emotions pour out-as these 10 excellent family-centric hip-hop tracks prove.1997 single by Common featuring Lauryn Hill 'Retrospect for Life'ДЇrom the album One Day It'll All Make Sense

Lines like вЂњItвЂ™s a full-time job to be a good dad/You got so much more stuff than I had,вЂќ and a reference to a 101 Dalmatians CD-ROM, do not exactly tug at the heartstrings.

Will Smith may have etched out a role as the hip-hop generationвЂ™s upstanding father figure, but his own dedication to his son, вЂњ Just the Two of Us,вЂќ comes off as corny. Sure, on occasion family rap songs have flirted a little too closely with Hallmark-style sentimentality. As 2 Chainz rapped it, after accumulating a seven-figure bank balance, he selflessly bought his вЂњ momma a crib before I got my own place.вЂќД«eyond gifting kinfolk with cars and cribs, MCs have also turned their musings about familial relationships into some of hip-hopвЂ™s most honest songwriting. You look at your brother man you gotta see yourself Gotta see the god within him Brothers gettin changed real quick over nothin We losin too many of ours Gotta recreate y'all Yo check it Knowin you the best part of life do i have the. (Gaining Ones Definition) Featuring Ce-Lo My City Hungry All Night Long (feat. The album included such acclaimed hits as Reminding Me (of Sef), and Retrospect for Life. The session involved Lauryn Hill, Q-Tip, Black Thought and some other celebrities. Knowin you the best part of life do I have the right to take yours. Brothers gettin changed real quick over nothin. You look at your brother man you gotta see yourself. It got the name One Day Itll All Make Sense and hit the stores in 1997. Yo we gotta start respectin life more yall. RETROSPECT How had it been, my beloved, Had Fate united us sooner, In the bright days when our hearts First dreamed of loving When, a thrice exquisite. Featuring lauryn hill Yo we gotta start respectin life more y'all. Lauryn Hill) Gettin Down At the Ampitheater (feat. It took Common three years to prepare his third studio work. To the uninitiated, the culture might seem obsessed with flaunting material status symbols, but thereвЂ™s a deeper nuance to the вЂњget moneyвЂќ trope thatвЂ™s really about showing appreciation to those who supported you during the struggle. Lyrics for Retrospect for Life by Common. When a rapper reaches success, thereвЂ™s an unwritten rule in hip-hop that you pay back the family who held you down during those lean early days.

Retrospect for life lyrics