2000s songs, insecurity

#480 Superman (It’s Not Easy)- Five For Fighting

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Even Heroes have the right to dream/
It’s not easy to be me.

In Five For Fighting’s “Superman”, John Ondrasik imagines Superman voicing his insecurities as he flies and stops trains. He worries about kryptonite and feels silly in his red cape. He says, “It’s not easy to be me”, not because saving the world is a tough task, but because of silly feelings of insecurity.

Superman (It's not Easy) Meaning
Five for Fighting

The message is an important one: if Superman can feel insecure while saving the world, it is normal for me to feel insecure in my everyday life, as everyone experiences it-even superheroes.  It is clearly irrational for superman to feel insecure, so perhaps it is irrational when I have those feelings too.

The delicate piano playing creates a great sound that is antithetical to the Superman persona. Similarly, his tender vocals don’t sound like how we’d imagine Superman. This helps to hit the message home that perhaps we all feel uncomfortable inside our own skin. Perhaps it is a fundamental aspect of the human experience.

Superman (It’s Not Easy) Lyrics

I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naïve
I’m just out to find
The better part of me

I’m more than a bird, I’m more than a plane
I’m more than some pretty face beside a train
And it’s not easy to be me

I wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I’ll never see

It may sound absurd, but don’t be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed, but won’t you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
And it’s not easy to be me

Up, up and away, away from me
Well, it’s all right, you can all sleep sound tonight
I’m not crazy or anything

I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naïve
Men weren’t meant to ride
With clouds between their knees

I’m only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
Inside of me
Inside me
Inside me
Inside of me

I’m only a man
In a funny red sheet
I’m only a man
Looking for a dream

I’m only a man
In a funny red sheet
And it’s not easy
It’s not easy to be me

Songwriters: John Ondrasik

1980s songs, outcasts

#479 White Wedding- Billy Idol

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Hey little sister shot gun!
It’s a nice day to start again.

Speaking of Superman. In “White Wedding” Billy Idol imagines himself as Superman to his little sister, and now he finds out she is pregnant out of wedlock. He obviously didn’t protect her. He has feelings of remorse and wonders who this new guy is. But he is a pragmatic guy: “It’s a nice day to start again.” How about a shotgun wedding?

White Wedding Meaning
Billy Idol

So why “white” wedding? So traditionally white is only worn by virgins. Obviously if his sister is pregnant, she is not a virgin. I think Idol is coming back and trying to protect his sister’s reputation and saying, “screw tradition, we’ll have a white wedding anyways because that is what my little sister deserves.” Remember, he is her superman, and he’ll help his sister get the special wedding she deserves. Tradition be damned.

White Wedding Lyrics

Hey little sister, what have you done?
Hey little sister, who’s the only one?
Hey little sister, who’s your superman?
Hey little sister, who’s the one you want?
Hey little sister, shotgun!

It’s a nice day to start again.
It’s a nice day for a white wedding.
It’s a nice day to start again.

Hey little sister, who is your whip?
Hey little sister, what’s your vice and wish?
Hey little sister, shot gun (oh yeah).
Hey little sister, who’s your superman?
Hey little sister, shot gun.

It’s a nice day to start again (come on).
It’s a nice day for a white wedding.
It’s a nice day to start again.

Take me back home.
Hey little sister, what have you done?
Hey little sister, who’s the only one?
I’ve been away for so long (so long).
I’ve been away for so long (so long).
I let you go for so long.

It’s a nice day to start again (come on).
It’s a nice day for a white wedding.
It’s a nice day to start again.

There is nothin’ fair in this world, baby.
There is nothin’ safe in this world.
And there’s nothin’ sure in this world.
And there’s nothin’ pure in this world.
Look for something left in this world.
Start again!

Come on
It’s a nice day for a white wedding.
It’s a nice day to start again.
It’s a nice day to start again.
It’s a nice day to start again.

Songwriters: Billy Idol

1970s songs, escape

#478 Breakfast in America- Supertramp

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Take a look at my girlfriend/
She’s the only one I got.
Not much of a girlfriend…

I always smile when I hear the above introductory lyrics to “Breakfast in America” by Supertramp. Roger Hodgson is in England with his plain girlfriend (just take a look at her!) and dreams of what it would be like in America. If only he could take a trip to see the girls in California or hang out with all the millionaires in Texas.

Breakfast in America Meaning
Supertramp

As he begins to vocalize his wish he realizes that perhaps he is further away from fulfilling his dream than he thinks and then starts to get possessive of his girlfriend: “She’s the only one I got.” She’s still “not much of a girlfriend” though.

I like these unique songs where the story is very particular to the song, even though the message is  universal.

The instrumentation on this song is great and unique. I hear a clarinet play prominently and an electric piano. Also, the “bass” is played by a trumpet (I think) which gives this such a unique sound. It sounds like a carnival, but it is distinctly a rock song. The harmonies are well done, and the falsettos are tastefully used throughout.

Breakfast in America Lyrics

Take a look at my girlfriend
She’s the only one I got
Not much of a girlfriend
Never seem to get a lot

Take a jumbo across the water
Like to see America
See the girls in California
I’m hoping it’s going to come true
But there’s not a lot I can do

Could we have kippers for breakfast
Mummy dear, mummy dear
They got to have ’em in Texas
‘Cause everyone’s a millionaire

I’m a winner, I’m a sinner
Do you want my autograph
I’m a loser, what a joker
I’m playing my jokes upon you
While there’s nothing better to do

Ba-ba-ba-dow, ba-bow-dum-doo-de-dow-de-dow, de
Ba-ba-ba-dow, ba-bow-dum-de-doo-de-dow
Na na na, nana na na na na

Don’t you look at my girlfriend (girlfriend)
She’s the only one I got
Not much of a girlfriend (girlfriend)
Never seem to get a lot (what’s she got, not a lot)

Take a jumbo cross the water
Like to see America
See the girls in California
I’m hoping it’s going to come true
But there’s not a lot I can do

Ba-ba-ba-dow, ba-bow-dum-doo-de-dow-de-dow, de
Ba-ba-ba-dow, ba-bow-dum-de-doo-de-dow

Hey oh, hey oh, hey oh, hey oh,
Hey oh, hey oh, hey oh, hey oh
Na na na, nana na na na nana

Songwriters: Richard Davies / Roger Hodgson