James #2: It should go without saying that this song was a reaction to the ongoing epidemic of body image issues caused by the media's persistent portrayal of "ideal" beauty. Attraction is a very subjective force, and I fully believe that everyone is attractive to somebody. But I think it's fair to say that the majority of us feel the pangs of inadequacy in one way or another; assuming that we need to match up to some higher appeal. This applies of course to the millions of people who suffer from anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders, but also to people who may not feel dissatisfied with their bodies enough to act on it, yet feel less than perfect nonetheless. This song is for everyone who feels unhappy with their appearance in one way or another, and I fathom that to be most of us.
While the verses were driven by an anger at the media's role in driving people's confidence into the ground, this song wasn't intended to be a sort of enraged social commentary. The initial spark for the song came from a lecture by philosopher Alan Watts (a huge influence on my philosophical and spiritual beliefs). He shows a shell to his audience, and most people would agree that seashells tend to have a certain visual appeal. He then wonders if the creature that once lived in the shell was ever met with comments like "Oh, that shell isn't so hot" and "Her stripes aren't very nice" and so on. The message being that whatever the shellfish or its peers thought of the shell, we would generally agree that it looks good. It is then very likely that to another species, the majority of humans may appear very similar, and all the features of ourselves that we worry about may be all but unnoticeable. This is where the nature-based aspects of the song came from; the idea that if we see trees and clouds and birds and all these aspects of nature as beautiful, then why is it so hard to believe that we humans are all beautiful in the same way?
Overall, this song was an attempt to address the social issue of body image from a natural perspective, with a fair share of Taoist influence. With any luck, it makes for a fresh and convincing argument.
______________________________________________
lyrics
What do you see when you look at your echo?
A perfect portrait or an expressionist disaster?
The thought that you're not good enough is one that you should let go.
There's 7 billion people and not one is made of plaster.
What do you see when you look into a mirror?
Is it less than what you think it should be?
Well I know that this is no secret,
But that standard has been put there by society.
The media tells us what we need to be
And everyone believes that they need to get thinner.
They eat up the cosmetic propaganda
And promptly vomit up their dinner.
But why does the media get to make the rules?
Who made them the judges of us?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
And there's more eyes in this world than cameras.
There's no such thing as perfection
Nature thrives on variation
There's 7 billion living people and 7 billion types of beauty.
Have you ever seen an ugly star?
Perhaps you don't look close enough to tell them apart.
If the stars could see us would they find our flaws
Or see us as the constellation we are?
A single feather is a beautiful thing,
But you don't notice when it's part of a wing.
So don't put yourself down through comparison.
You're a perfect example of a human.
What do you see when you look at your photos?
Is it yourself that you're trying to channel?
Or are you trying to fit into a mould,
Catering to the judges of some unseen panel?
Pictures in the magazines should have an asterisk.
“This is only one niche, there's no need for chagrin.”
There's just as many proclivities as there are people.
And too fat and too thin are just media spin.
They say you need a gap between your thighs,
Some prefer thigh diameter to be higher
You don't need a tan or washboard stomach.
What some would call flaws, others desire.
Their perfection changes with time
So don't let it draw you in
You're the one who gets to draw what you think beauty is.
Have you ever seen an ugly star?
Perhaps you don't look close enough to tell them apart.
If the stars could see us would they find our flaws
Or see us as the constellation we are?
A single feather is a beautiful thing,
But you don't notice when it's part of a wing.
So don't put yourself down through comparison.
You're a perfect example of a human.
I looked up at the sun, as intimidating as it seemed,
And said “You're the brightest thing I've ever seen.
Your radiance is so intense it's blinding me
And you'll be imprinted on my eyes even if I can shake them free”
The sun replied “Don't be ridiculous, I'm ugly.
I'm a million km wide, it's plain for all to see.
My mass is 330,000 times that of the planet beneath your feet
I'm so fat that 8 whole planets orbit me!”
We find beauty in the trees
And they worry not about the texture of their leaves
We gaze up at the clouds
And about their size, they feel no need to grieve.
Why on earth would you think
That nature got everything right but messed up on you?
Of course there's perfection in you,
And people see it even if you don't think they do.
You're a perfect example of a human.
You're a perfect demonstration of a human.
You're a perfect manifestation of a human.
You're a perfect example of a human.
Goldstein were brought together by a unifying love of modern punk music. From their covers to their originals, you'll find
the power-chords and speed endemic to old school punk, mixed with more melodic vocals and skilful playing present in modern punk. Of course, variety is the spice of life, and Goldstein aren't afraid to mix some ska, rap or Muse into their set to keep things interesting....more
Specializing in bright, sunny "bedroom rock español," this Brooklyn singer-songwriter puts a unique spin on lo-fi music. Bandcamp New & Notable Jan 18, 2024
The Flipino musician returns with another album of shoegazing indie pop, joined by King Krule, DāM-FunK, Dent May, and many others. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 1, 2021
L.A.’s Eyedress delivers uber lo-fi pop with dour baritone vocals and gigantic hooks, at times recalling early Magnetic Fields. Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 7, 2020
