A song that I have grown attached to after hearing it air on the radio several times is the song, "Try" by Colbie Caillat. The song reflects on society's beauty ideals and questions those who alter their image with makeup, clothes, etc. The question proposed is whether people alter their image to please others or themselves. She suggests that you don't have to try to please others but in fact please yourself. Many people accuse her of arguing that you should not change your physical appearance. They say she assumes that everyone changes for others. However, people don't understand that she is not opposed to changed. She understands that not all people change themselves for others. She just urges people to do it for the sake of your own happiness and not others.
Wait a second,
Why should you care, what they think of you
When you're all alone, by yourself
Do you like you? Do you like you?
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to bend until you break
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
Why should you care, what they think of you
When you're all alone, by yourself
Do you like you? Do you like you?
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to bend until you break
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
She clearly says you don't have to try meaning you have a choice. If you want to try and it makes you happy, then go ahead! No one's stopping you!
I fell in love with this song even more when I saw the music video. In the beginning, it showed women of different sizes, colors, shapes etc. They all were "dolled-up" with makeup, fake eyelashes, etc. As the video progressed, each one of them started to take off their makeup revealing their natural face. A woman even took off her wig revealing her bald head. Although the women took these stuff off, they were happy with themselves.
When I hear this song, it gives me a sense of confidence. It reminds me that I don't need to change myself in order to fit in. I can be happy just the way that I am. I wear makeup too and I do it because I love applying it on, not for society's idea of perfection. Others like to paint a canvas but I like to paint my face with makeup.
I totally agree with you. People should not change who they are, just because of how others think of them. I believe people should just be themselves, but I think it has become rather are these days because of the media. Today there are tons of beautiful female models, dressed up, with their make up on, and male models with their muscles and their abs. Because people see these so often it has become more of a social expectation to be those muscular men and beautiful ladies. I am not saying being muscular or beautiful is bad, but I believe that people should be able to be themselves, without being criticized, because they are perfect like the models.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I think that Colbie Caillat is trying to project to her audience that you are perfect just the way you are. And I feel that the media does put a lot of emphasis in appearance and how much it matters in society. She really emphasizes that beauty comes from within, not so much from the exterior. I thought that the video was really smart showing women taking off their make up, and I agree with you, I think it gives the people who are watching it confidence and inspiration. It shows that people should learn to be happy with who they are because no one is perfect.
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