Reflection
Lea Salonga (Children's) Lyrics
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I will never pass for a perfect bride, or a perfect daughter
Can it be
I'm not meant to play this part
Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself
I would break my family's heart
Who is that girl I see,
Why is my reflection someone I don't know
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am, though I've tried
When will my reflection show, who I am, inside
How I pray, that a time will come
I can free myself and meet their expectations
On that day, I'll discover someway to be myself
And to make my family proud
They want a docile lamb
No-one knows who I am
Must there be a secret me
I'm forced to hide
Must I pretend that I am someone else for all time
When will my reflection show, who I am inside
When will my reflection show, who I am inside
The song "Reflection" from the Disney movie Mulan, as sung by Lea Salonga, is a powerful and emotional expression of the struggle many young people face in trying to find their true identity while also trying to live up to the expectations placed upon them by their family and society. The first verse highlights the singer's realization that she is not cut out to play the role that has been assigned to her - that of a perfect daughter and bride. This realization is a painful one, as the singer has always wanted to please her family but now sees that doing so would mean denying who she really is. The line "Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my family's heart" shows the singer's sadness at this realization.
The chorus of the song expresses the singer's frustration at not being able to hide who she really is, despite her efforts to do so. She sees a stranger in her reflection, someone who is not the perfect, docile daughter her family wants her to be. She longs for the day when she can be free to be herself and make her family proud.
In the second verse, the singer feels trapped by the expectations placed upon her. She feels like there is a secret part of herself that she must keep hidden in order to please her family. The line "Must I pretend that I am someone else for all time" shows the singer's despair at the thought of having to live her whole life pretending to be someone she is not. The chorus repeats, highlighting the singer's ongoing struggle to reconcile who she is with who her family wants her to be.
Overall, "Reflection" is a powerful song about the struggle to find one's true identity in the face of societal expectations. It is a universal theme that speaks to many people, and its inclusion in Mulan - a movie about a young woman who defies expectations to save her country - makes it all the more resonant.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at me
The singer is inviting the audience to focus their attention on her.
I will never pass for a perfect bride, or a perfect daughter
The singer acknowledges that she does not fit the stereotypical mold of a perfect woman as expected by her family and society.
Can it be / I'm not meant to play this part
The singer questions and rejects the role that has been assigned to her as a daughter and bride-to-be.
Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself / I would break my family's heart
The artist recognizes that being true to herself would disappoint and alienate her family.
Who is that girl I see, / Staring straight back at me
The artist is looking at her own reflection and wondering who she truly is.
Why is my reflection someone I don't know
The singer does not recognize the reflection in the mirror, as she feels disconnected from her true self.
Somehow I cannot hide / Who I am, though I've tried
The singer acknowledges the difficulty of hiding her true self from others despite her efforts.
When will my reflection show, who I am, inside
The artist is desperate to discover and show her true self to the world.
How I pray, that a time will come / I can free myself and meet their expectations
The artist hopes for a future where she can break free from the expectations of her family and society.
On that day, I'll discover someway to be myself / And to make my family proud
The artist looks forward to finding a way to be true to herself and also gain the approval of her family.
They want a docile lamb / No-one knows who I am
The singer notes that her family wants a conformist daughter and that no one truly knows the real her.
Must there be a secret me / I'm forced to hide
The artist laments the fact that she feels like she has to keep her true self hidden away.
Must I pretend that I am someone else for all time
The singer questions whether she must continue to live a lie.
When will my reflection show, who I am inside
The singer repeats her desire to show the world her true self.
Lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company
Written by: DAVID ZIPPEL, MATTHEW WILDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marchamrafael6396
"Reflection"
("The Journey so Far" version)
Look at me
I will never pass for a perfect bride, or a perfect daughter
Can it be
I'm not meant to play this part
Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself
I would break my family's heart
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me
Why is my reflection someone I don't know
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am, though I've tried
When will my reflection show, who I am, inside
How I pray, that a time will come
I can free myself and meet their expectations
On that day, I'll discover someway to be myself
And to make my family proud
They want a docile lamb
No-one knows who I am
Must there be a secret me
I'm forced to hide
Must I pretend that I am someone else for all time
When will my reflection show, who I am inside
When will my reflection show, who I am inside
@MikeeYowee
The fact that Lea didn't get to sing 'Reflection' in the remake, not even a cameo, was a huge crime by Disney. The disrespect.
@rishimakhanlal8905
Disney has brought dishonor on us all :(
@dandenverlavapie2978
This is true 😞
@youtubeuser5808
Hollywood is more racist to Filipinos than any other race on earth.
@danic7266
She had a cameo at the end
@andrianfuksenfam6608
@@danic7266 that wasn't her.. it's CA
@Aerospace_Education
This is live. Not processed, or tuned. The power of her voice is absolutely incredible.
@budoyrush7144
Amen!
@lorenzpatricktamayo8466
Absolutely! This our Lea 💎
@gerdiesallirama7948
True