Expectations
Courtney Jade Lyrics
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Like the colour of my eyes or how my stretch marks are not right
(Without these barriers we would be so free)
I'm so tired of being confused
Overwhelmed I feel so abused
My problem is not as big as yours
But I′m staring at closed doors
I can't fish but there's a need to reel in
My feelings, stuck in my head I just need a sign
I′m so tired, my heart works over time
Contemplating my expectations
Too high
And my self worth's fading as income′s changing
It's too high
The world wants me to be the opposite of me
My money is never enough, I′m nothing if I'm not on top
Yesterday I woke up thinking,
What I have become is not worth any prize
Forgot myself as I started to love
The money in the pocket, it′s not enough
And I've told myself so many lies
Like how my beauty depends on the
Likes that pop up on my gram every day
Sometimes I wish it would all go away
Contemplating my expectations
Too high
No I can't be what they expect from me
Their standard′s too high
The song "Expectations" by Courtney Jade explores the expectations that society puts on individuals and the resultant pressure that one feels to conform to these expectations. The first verse touches on the physical expectations that we are faced with, such as how we look or how we should live our lives. It highlights the fact that the pressure to fit into these molds can be overwhelming and oppressive. The performer speaks to the emotional burden she carries as a result of trying to meet these expectations, even though she knows that it’s not feasible. She recognizes that her problems are small in relation to the bigger problems of the world but are still causing her distress. The chorus is where the artist makes the statement that our expectations of ourselves and those that society places on us are too high. It’s a refrain that plays on the theme of the song and highlights the significance of the message.
In the second verse, Courtney Jade questions the undue importance we give to monetary wealth and material possessions. She reflects on how easy it is to lose ourselves in our pursuit of such things and how they don’t ultimately bring us any lasting satisfaction. She also touches on the importance we place on social media popularity and the impact that gratification-seeking behavior has on mental health. The line "Sometimes I wish it would all go away" speaks to the idea that social media can be a destructive force that one wishes they could escape from.
Overall, the song "Expectations" by Courtney Jade is a commentary on the pressures that we face in society to meet certain standards and the emotional burden that can come with such ideals.
Line by Line Meaning
The world wants me to be something I can′t reach
I feel the world expects me to become something that is beyond my reach.
Like the colour of my eyes or how my stretch marks are not right
The world expects me to change even the smallest details about myself that I fundamentally cannot change.
(Without these barriers we would be so free)
I think life would be much more liberating and enjoyable if these unrealistic expectations did not exist.
I'm so tired of being confused
It's exhausting to constantly feel lost and unsure of what the world expects of me.
Overwhelmed I feel so abused
I often feel like the world's expectations are unjustified and unfair, leaving me feeling overwhelmed and mistreated.
My problem is not as big as yours
I acknowledge that my problems may not be as significant as others', but they still weigh on me and affect me deeply.
But I′m staring at closed doors
Despite my efforts, I often feel like I am hitting a dead end and cannot progress towards meeting the world's expectations.
I can't fish but there's a need to reel in
I cannot perform certain tasks, but still feel the pressure to do so in order to meet the world's expectations.
You don′t see what I see
Others may not understand the burden that comes with the world's expectations and the pressure to meet them.
My feelings, stuck in my head I just need a sign
I often feel like my emotions are trapped within me, and wish for some sort of guidance or clarity.
I′m so tired, my heart works over time
The constant pressure to meet the world's expectations weighs heavily on my mind and my heart, leaving me feeling drained and overworked.
Contemplating my expectations
I spend a lot of time reflecting on the expectations placed on me and how they affect me.
Too high
I feel like the expectations placed on me are too lofty and impossible to reach.
And my self worth's fading as income's changing
My sense of self-worth dwindles as my financial situation changes and I feel like I cannot meet the world's expectations in this regard.
The world wants me to be the opposite of me
The world expects me to become someone who is completely different from my true self.
My money is never enough, I′m nothing if I'm not on top
I feel like my value and self-worth are directly tied to my financial and social status, leaving me striving for more even when it is never enough.
Yesterday I woke up thinking,
I had a realization or reflection on my situation recently.
What I have become is not worth any prize
I feel like I have lost a sense of myself and that any success or achievement is not worth it if it means losing who I truly am.
Forgot myself as I started to love
I lost touch with my true self while focusing on things like money or social status.
The money in the pocket, it's not enough
Money alone cannot make me happy or fulfill my needs.
And I've told myself so many lies
I have convinced myself of things that are not true, likely related to the world's expectations.
Like how my beauty depends on the likes that pop up on my gram every day
I have been convinced that my physical appearance is tied to social media validation, which is not true.
Sometimes I wish it would all go away
I feel overwhelmed and wish that the pressure of meeting the world's expectations would disappear.
No I can't be what they expect from me
I acknowledge that I cannot meet the unrealistic expectations placed on me.
Their standard's too high
I feel like the expectations placed on me are unreasonable and unattainable.
Writer(s): Cole Travis Moodley, Courtney Jade Macaulay
Contributed by Tristan R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.