I am me, i ain't pretentious no more. You gotta know me to find it out. And, music definitely is in me ;)
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There is this song that i've been listening to since i was 4 years old, when dad started playing this song in the car. At that time, i didn't really know the meaning of the song. Like duh, i was only 4, how could i have interpreted the lyrics of the song? I didn't even know the meaning of my name when i was at that age. I only found the song beautiful because of the singer's voice and the song's melody. I didn't really bother finding out what the song meant until when i was in Sec 2, when i started to fall in love with Literature and trying to find out what hidden meanings there are behind every sentences. That was when i really sat down and listened to this particular song again. And yes, i found the meaning of the song, which is sort of,  heart wrenching. This song, which is titled 'I've never been to me' is actually the voice of a whore, who had chosen luxuries rather than being herself, and now, in her golden years, she realised she was wrong and regrets her decision. She's giving her advice to a younger female, in hope that she does not make the same mistake as her. If you do a search for this song in youtube, you will find rather nasty comments from many viewers calling her a whore, saying she's materialistic and stupid and saying that she deserves it because she chose to betray her body and whatnot. (I'm not talking about the singer, i'm referring to the 'personnel' in the song). But think, and ask yourself, which female out there would really want to be a whore if given better options or routes? Yes, you may despise whores, when you look at them, you may be disgusted by their behaviours. But have you wondered why they chose to be one? You might know their names, you might know how they look like, but there's one thing you definitely do not know of them, and that is, their STORY.
I know, this is rather subjective. Some people may agree with me while some may argue. It really depends on how you perceive certain things in life. I'm just sharing my views on this because i felt sad after seeing all the negative comments.
Anyway, here is the song, you might wanna take some time to listen to it.
And i did some explanation of some of the lyrics, just for those of you who may be interested in understanding this song :)




Hey lady, you, lady, cursin' at your life
You're a discontented mother and a regimented wife
(She's talking to a young mother who doesn't appreciate what she has in life)

I've no doubt you dream about the things you never do
But I wish someone had a talk to me like I wanna talk to you
(No one has respected her enough to want to talk to her sincerely)

Ooh I've been to Georgia and California, and, anywhere I could run
Took the hand of a preacherman and we made love in the sun
(She has been to beautiful places with men, and made love with them is these luxurious places)

But I ran out of places and friendly faces because I had to be free
(There comes a time when she realised she's not being herself)
I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me

Please lady, please, lady, don't just walk away
'Cause I have this need to tell you why I'm all alone today
(Like i've mentioned, she's sharing her experiences and giving her advice, to this younger female)I can see so much of me still living in your eyes
Won't you share a part of a weary heart that has lived a million lies
(She's tired, she has come across too many lies throughout her entire life)

Oh I've been to Nice and the isle of Greece
Where I sipped champagne on a yacht
(Again, travelling to beautiful countries and 'enjoying' her life over there with those men)

I moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo and showed 'em what I've got
I've been undressed by kings and I've seen some things
That a woman ain't supposed to see
(The kings refer to the rich men who hired her, and the things that a woman aint supposed to see are the various parts of a man's body, if you now what i mean)
I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me

Hey, you know what paradise is? It's a lie
A fantasy we create about people and places as we'd like them to be
But you know what truth is?
It's that little baby you're holding, and it's that man you fought with this morning
The same one you're going to make love with tonight. That's truth, that's love
(This is what she perceive as the truth, as reality - A woman who is married, and has borne the man of her life, a child. This is what she has regretted not doing so in her life)

Sometimes I've been to cryin' for unborn children
That might have made me complete
(There, the children that she regretted not having. Now, she feels that her life is not complete)But I, I took the sweet life and never knew I'd be bitter from the sweet
(A wrong decision she made years ago, when she thought that that was the life she wanted)I spent my life exploring the subtle whoring that cost too much to be free
(She spent much time defining the term "whoring")Hey lady, I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me
(She's gotten the riches and the luxuries she wanted, but she's not the person she wants to be, in the end)