Powerless
Juanes & Nelly Furtado Lyrics
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Make it look whiter than it seems
Paint me over with your dreams
Shove away my ethnicity
Burn every notion that I
May have a flame inside to fight
And say just what is on my mind
Without offending your might
'Cause this life is too short
To live it just for you
But when you feel so powerless
What are you gonna do?
So say what you want
Say what you want
I saw her face outside today
Weatherworn, lookin' all the rage
Took her passion and her gaze
And made a poster
Now it's moccasins we sport
We take the culture and contort
Perhaps only to distort
What we are hidin'
'Cause this life is too short
To live it just for you
But when you feel so powerless
What are you gonna do?
But say what you want
Say what you want
Say, say
Hey you, the one, the one outside
Are you gonna get in, get in?
Hey you, the one that don't fit in
How you, how you gonna get in?
Hey you, the one outside
Are you ever gonna get in with your
Broken teeth, broken jaw, broken mojo?
Yeah, this life is too short
To live it just for you
But when you feel so powerless
What are you gonna do?
'Cause this life is too short
To live it just for you
But when you feel so powerless
What are you gonna do?
'Cause this life is too short
To live it just for you
But when you feel so powerless
What are you gonna do?
Say what you want (life is too short)
Say what you want
Say what you want (just for you)
Say what you want
Say what you want (feel powerless)
Say what you want
Say, say, say, say, yeah (gonna do)
(Life is too short)
(Just for you)
(Feel powerless)
(Gonna do)
The lyrics of "Powerless" by Juanes and Nelly Furtado discuss themes of identity, power dynamics, and cultural influence. The opening lines depict a struggle with societal expectations of beauty and conformity. By highlighting the pressure to conform to a certain standard of appearance and behavior, the lyrics suggest a loss of cultural identity in favor of mainstream acceptance. The mention of whitening one's face in magazines and suppressing one's own ethnicity reflects the struggle many individuals face in navigating their cultural heritage within dominant cultural narratives.
The chorus emphasizes the feeling of powerlessness that comes from trying to meet these external expectations and conform to societal norms. The singers acknowledge the constraints placed upon them, recognizing the shortness of life and the futility of living solely for the approval of others. The repeated question of "What are you gonna do?" highlights the internal conflict faced when feeling powerless and trapped within these constraints.
The second verse delves deeper into the idea of cultural appropriation and distortion. The imagery of taking someone's passion and turning it into a commodity, such as a poster, reflects the commodification and distortion of cultural elements for mainstream consumption. The reference to moccasins and the distortion of culture speak to the tendency to appropriate and misrepresent cultural symbols, losing their original meaning and significance.
In the final verse, the lyrics address the outsider, the one who does not fit into societal norms. The mention of physical imperfections like broken teeth and a broken jaw suggests a defiance against societal standards of beauty and perfection. The repeated question of "Are you gonna get in?" encapsulates the struggle to find acceptance and belonging while staying true to oneself. Overall, the song invites listeners to speak their truth, resist societal pressures, and challenge power structures that seek to diminish their individuality and agency.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Trevor Charles Horn, Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren, Anne Dudley, Gerald Eaton, Nelly Furtado, Brian West
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JoHR!
Esta canción me dio la fuerza cuando la necesitaba me hizo recordar quien soy en realidad. Me motivo cada día por más difícil que fuese cantantes como ella ya no hay, tengo fe que algún día habrá nuevas promesas.
Henry
❤
Henry
1aq😅
Rossan
Esta versión en español me encanta hermosa canción 😍
Ventas Por Catalago Metamorfosis (MULTIMARCAS)
apenas escucho esta hermosa versión. tiene una voz bella ❤ las letras de sus canciones
pompinrecords
Jamás había escuchado esta versión. Pero qué buena esta!!
Mannuel
Que hermosa voz la de nelly Wooooow me encanta !!!!
luis duran
por eso me encanta nelly y soy fande desde que la escuche con su album whoa nelly ^-^ siempre tan original y no plasica y claro que a ella todo se le perdona ^-^ es la mejor para mi :D
viktorsadiki
totalmente de acuerdo la amo!
Teresita de Jesus Montoya Davila
Esta canción es muy bella, le estaba buscando hasta que la encontré.