Lady
Carol Lyrics

The song "Lady" by Carol King is a poignant reflection on the pressures and expectations placed on women in society. The lyrics convey a sense of frustration and sadness as the singer addresses a woman who has been sold a certain image of beauty and femininity. The opening lines suggest that if the singer's thoughts could reach the woman, they would express a depth of emotion that words alone cannot convey. The implication here is that the woman's beauty and status have become a barrier to truly connecting with others on a deeper level.

As the song progresses, the singer continues to question the woman's choices and the impact they have had on her life. The chorus asks, "Lady, now are you a lady / Do you like the one your beauty's been sold to / How does it feel when he holds you" This line is particularly powerful, as it suggests that the woman's beauty has been commodified and used to fulfill someone else's desires. The phrase "reap the sad harvest of wanting too much" speaks to the idea that women are often told they can have it all - beauty, success, love - but that in reality, these expectations are impossible to meet.

The final two lines of the song are perhaps the most powerful: "Being who you are, couldn't you tell / Knowing what you know, how could you sell." Here, the singer is urging the woman to be true to herself, and questioning why she would ever compromise herself for someone else's expectations. The song's closing lines suggest that there is still hope for the woman - that she can reclaim her own identity and reject the limited definition of femininity she has been sold.

Overall, the song "Lady" is a powerful, deeply-felt reflection on the pressures placed on women to conform to societal expectations of beauty and femininity. Through her lyrics, Carol King encourages women to reject these limitations and to embrace their authentic selves.