Music

Over 10 million Streams on TikTok: A Deep Dive into Sam Okpo's "Old".

Sam Opoku - Old

Old, by the Ghanaian-American vocalist Sam Opoku is currently hitting the waves and you have to listen. The song released on December 9, 2022, has already amazed over 10 million listeners on TikTok and counting.

Here we take a look at what the lyrics of the song mean and why it's such a beautiful hit, but first the Lyrics.

I said Bartender, I need one shot whiskey,
Two shots of pain, and a dash of some memory
With life's lemons I made lemonade
Does it still taste the same if I mix it with some Hennessey
Dreams of being young and unafraid
But I loved somebody and it drained all my energy
Oh, and I thought that love was magnificent

I remember being 7 years old
Thinking "Oh My God" what's it feel to be 23
Now I'm 27 staring at a kid in the mirror
And all I do is wonder if he's proud of me
Broken promises made me this way I swear
I wasn't always numb and indifferent
Bartender,
I need one shot of whiskey
But what could I tip you to refund my innocence

Would I rather be rich in gold
Or rather be rich in the fire
What if I wake up alone
Maybe I'm sick and tired
Or maybe I'm just getting (oh hoo hoo hoo)
Maybe I'm just getting older

Hey bartender,
Happily ever after, why don't I don't see it happening
Hey bartender,
Have you ever been in love with someone but terrified of settling
Remember I was young and behaved
But I hurt somebody and I couldn't find a remedy
And I thought that love was like medicine

I remember being 7 years old
Thinking "Oh My God" what's it feel to be 23
Now I'm 29 starting at a kid in the mirror
And all I do is wonder if he's proud of me
Broken promises made me this way I swear
I wasn't always numb and indifferent
Bartender, I need one shot of whiskey
But what could I tip you to refund my innocence

Cause I don't wanna be rich in gold
I'd rather be rich in the fire
I don't wanna wake up alone
Maybe I'm sick and tired
Or maybe I'm just getting old
I'd rather have you to hold
Maybe I'm just getting

They say the older you get
Oh, the wiser you are I should be wiser by far
But I feel more like a child now
Heaven knows I'm a mess
But there's still some time to build us
A sandcastle inside of this hourglass
And I hope that it's with you when I say

Bartender, one shot of whiskey
Two shots of pain and a dash of some memory

Source: Musixmatch

Now the breakdown.

While young, free, and innocent, with the whole world out there waiting for us to conquer, we often get carried away forgetting what growing up really means and the troubles, challenges, and battles that come with it.

The song kicked off at the home of self-reflection, the bartender's table. No wonder drinks are served in transparent glasses. But if only whiskey can wash the pain away and dash the memory. Instead, it lights the fire on it and you could see all the wrong things that happened on a carousel show.

The track delved into the aftermath of a failed relationship, the feeling of hurt from first love, and a series of failures after that, which made love seem only magnificent on paper. But the death of innocence, the fear of the unknown wind, and unanswered questions fill one with an energy-draining self-doubt. 

The perplexity of being a father came up in the next hook, wondering if the child would be proud of who he has become. Judging by his past, present troubles, and the fear for the child's future. 

Being a father often comes with question tags like, "Do I have enough, resources, peace of mind, and wisdom, to help this child grow, avoid my mistakes, and become its own very best"? What if he's not able to keep his promises too, Will broken promises not make the child numb and indifferent too?.

My favorite part of the song is the chorus, "Would I rather be rich in gold, or rather be rich in the fire", What a beautiful piece.

Fire refines gold, with fire it can be beaten into different molds and shapes. But once it's refined, it maintains that shape forever, until taken back to the fire.

So often in life, it boils down to whether would you rather be flashy and unhappy, waking up alone, or keep trying to be the best version of yourself with someone you love. Or maybe it's just the old age talking and it doesn't matter at all.

So the 'oh, oh, oh', is really important.

Verse two went deeper into another scenario where you realize you are actually mostly responsible for how you are feeling. I guess the whiskey is starting to kick in.

In a situation where you love someone deeply but are terrified of a forever with them. Matters went from bad to worse now that there is a child between them. The question remained," When I was younger and imagined my future self, is this what I wanted it to look like"?.

The bridge of the track nailed it all, We are all just trying, age doesn't usually come with wisdom, but one thing we can be sure of is that wherever we are, in Gold or Fire, or at the bartender's table, if the people we love isn't with us, its not worth it.

Check out Sam Opoku's song, OLD. it's really beautiful.