Marcie's Lyric Picks Vol. 2: Being Real

We all feel like outsiders at times. Even amongst friends and families, we all have times when we are not comfortable in our own skin. We worry about how we are viewed by others, and how to fit in. We think about what we have in common with each other, & what our differences are. We struggle with feelings of inadequacy when we compare ourselves with others. We look down on people whom we make the mistake of viewing only superficially. We are afraid be our real selves and we take on personas that might not reflect who we really are or want to be.

Here are some of my favorite tracks that deal with the struggle to be comfortable and happy with who we are.

1) DJ Tiesto- Just Be

"They say learning to love yourself
Is the first step
That you take when you want to be real
Flying on planes to exotic locations
won't teach you
How you really feel"

I feel this track laid some lyrical groundwork for Trance Music. Trance music is meant to take a listener to a state of euphoria where love for others and self acceptance prevail.

2) First State feat. Sarah Howells- Brave

"If I was brave
I’d never get this wrong"

I love how this lyric admits a vulnerability. We all want to be strong and perfect, but we all have times of self doubt, mistakes, and disappointment. We make demands of ourselves that are hard to live up to.

3) Sunlounger feat. Zara- Lost

"Now that you have lost yourself,
oh can anything help you now"

In "Behind The Lyric Episode 7", Zara says this song is about losing control to her desires, betraying herself, and losing her self respect. She realized that without self respect, she felt lost in the world. Writing a song was a way to find herself again.

"Lost" is another track that speaks about following a true path. It's easy to lose ourselves when we give in to temptations and instant gratification. Listening to this track makes me feel that I am not alone, that everyone makes mistakes, and that I can rely on the strength inside myself during challenging times.

4) John O'Callaghan feat. Sarah Howells - Find Yourself

"Looking at life through a loaded gun
Take your best shot, aim it at the sun
Looking at life through a loaded gun
You know you’ll find
You’ll find yourself, you’ll find yourself alone"

This track seems to say that if you focus on superficial, selfish pursuits, then when you finally reach your goals, you will find you're all alone. Are our goals worth achieving if we alienate ourselves and hurt others along our path?

5) Andain- Beautiful Things:

"Stopped pushing on for just a second
Then nothing’s changed
Who am I this time?
Where’s my name?
I guess it crept away"

For me this track is about losing ourselves in a created identity, and then reminding ourselves that natural beauty exists around us all the time.

6) Doppler Effect- Beauty Hides In The Deep:

"Beauty hides in the deep
But its so hard to find
Being wrapped up inside"


7) Kirsty Hawkshaw & Tenisha - Outsiders

"Take a look at yourself as an outsider
Do you like what you see?
You can't see what you're thinking
You can't feel what you're feeling
You could be anyone"

The way Kirsty delivers these lines always makes me stop and think. The melody is part sung, part spoken, and I think that style works very well to get the point across, and set the mood for the rest of the vocal.

8) DJ Hashish feat. Marcie- Look Around

"What is the answer to this fear?
I can't just watch and see
Should I take the easy way out, or should I
Should I just be me?"

When we're afraid, we might let our fear dictate our actions. We need to work hard to find the best solutions to our problems. We can't sit back and let other people do things for us, or try to take the easy way out.

9) OceanLab – On A Good Day

"Been talking to myself forever, yeah
And how I wish I knew me better, yeah
Still sitting on a shelf but never
Never seen the sun shine brighter"

How many of us truly feel we know ourselves? What does it take to know oneself?

10) Julian Vincent Feat. Cathy Burton – Here For Me

"You say I can love me for who I am
Don’t need to change or pretend
To see my own beauty is like breathing happiness
Just trust in my heart
Be real"

I like how this track describes someone telling her that she doesn't have to pretend to be anything other than herself. Love works best when it comes with acceptance.

Stay tuned for more of Marcie's Lyric Picks right here. For more thoughts straight from your favourite Artists on their own lyrics, check out "Marcie presents Behind The lyric" at http://www.mugasha.com/browse/Behind-The-Lyric.