An actress revered for her choice of roles in edgy indie films, Maggie Gyll… Read Full Bio ↴An actress revered for her choice of roles in edgy indie films, Maggie Gyllenhaal has nearly 30 credits to her name. Maggie first appeared in films as a child actor in six films and television movies directed by her father, Stephen Gyllenhaal, from 1992 to 1999. She occasionally shared the screen with her brother Jake in these projects, a tradition that continued beyond her father's influence when she appeared as Elizabeth in Jake's indie breakthrough project, Richard Kelly's Donnie Darko.

Maggie's breakthrough arrived in the form of Secretary, a dramatic comedy in which she appeared as James Spader's secretary, with whom she has a heavy S&M affair. She won several awards for this film, including a nomination for the Golden Globe and for an Independent Spirit Award.

She was again nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in 2005 for her appearance in Don Roos's Happy Endings, in which she plays a vocalist for a band. Maggie did her own singing for the film, and the result was three songs that appear on the film's soundtrack, explaining her presence on last.fm.

Her credits include such high-profile films as: John Waters's Cecil B. Demented, Penny Marshall's Riding in Cars with Boys, Michael Lehmann's 40 Days and 40 Nights, Spike Jonze's Adaptation, George Clooney's Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, John Sayles's Casa de los babys, and several forthcoming collaborations with such distinguished directors as Olvier Stone, Marc Forster and Bart Freundlich.

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
Maggie Gyllenhaal Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't go changing, trying to please me
You never let me down before
I don't imagine you're too familiar
And I don't see you anymore
I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble
We never could have come this far
I took the good times, I'll take the bad times
I'll take you just the way you are

Don't go trying some new fashion
Don't change the color of your hair
You always have my unspoken passion
Although I might not seem to care

I don't want clever conversation
don't want to work that hard
I just want some someone to talk to
I want you just the way you are.

I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew
What will it take till you believe in me
The way that I believe in you.

I said I love you and that's forever
And this I promise from my heart

I could not love you any better
I love you just the way you are.

Overall Meaning

In Maggie Gyllenhaal's song "Just the Way You Are," the singer tells their partner not to change or try to please them because they love them just the way they are. The singer explains that they have never been let down before and that they would not leave their partner in times of trouble. They want their partner to know that they are loved for who they are, without needing to change to please anyone or try to be someone else. The singer reassures their partner that they do not need to have clever conversations or be anyone other than themselves. The singer promises to love their partner forever and that they could not love them any better, just the way they are.

The song was written by Billy Joel and released in 1977 as part of his album "The Stranger." It was a major hit for Joel, peaking at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Maggie Gyllenhaal's cover of the song was released in 2005 as part of the "Happy Endings" soundtrack.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't go changing, trying to please me
Don't alter yourself to satisfy me

You never let me down before
You have always been dependable

I don't imagine you're too familiar
I'm not overly familiar with you

And I don't see you anymore
I don't see you regularly

I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble
I will not abandon you during difficult times

We never could have come this far
We wouldn't have made it this far

I took the good times, I'll take the bad times
I accept the good and tough moments

I'll take you just the way you are
I accept you completely as you are

Don't go trying some new fashion
Don't attempt a new fashion trend

Don't change the color of your hair
Don't dye your hair a different color

You always have my unspoken passion
You always have my hidden passion