Stronger

Song Meaning of Stronger by Kanye

Released in 2007, "Stronger" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the second single from his third studio album, Graduation. The production was handled by West and co-produced with Mike Dean. Written by a four-man team, the composition is electronic in nature, employing drums and synthesizers.

West repeats a vocal sample of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by French house duo Daft Punk in the background while he delivers lyrics about the resolve that comes when one is faced with adversity, paraphrasing Friedrich Nietzsche's dictum "What does not kill me makes me stronger" for the song's refrain. West has described the song as an "emancipation" as it allowed him to vent his frustration over mistakes made in the year prior.

Kanye West said, “I applied a lot of the things I learned on tour with U2 and the Rolling Stones, about songs that rock stadiums. And they worked!” West sampled Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,”. West is a big fan of the French duo: “These guys really stick with the whole not-showing-their-faces thing. Just amazing discipline — that’s straight martial-arts status.”

Released as a single on July 31, 2007, "Stronger" would top the Billboard Hot 100 several weeks later, becoming West's third number-one single. It was a top ten single in ten countries, topping the charts in Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States.

The song was praised by music critics. It was awarded a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 50th Grammy Awards, and was named as one of the best songs of the year by Rolling Stone and Spin. 

Stronger lyrics by Kanye

[Daft Punk:]

Work it, make it, do it, makes us

Harder, better, faster, stronger

[Kanye West and Daft Punk:]

N-Now th-that that don't kill me

Can only make us 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!)

[Kanye West:]

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!

[Kanye West and Daft Punk:]

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!

[Kanye West and Daft Punk:]

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 O.J. 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 O.J. 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 O.J. had Isotoners

Don't act like I never told ya told ya told ya

Never told ya…told ya told ya told ya

Never told ya…told ya told ya told ya

Never told ya…told ya told ya told ya

Never told ya…told ya told ya told ya

Never over…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