TRUE COLOURS
Marina Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
Its hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful

Show me a smile then
Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy

And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up

Because you know I'll be there
And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show




Your true colors
True colors are beautiful

Overall Meaning

In Marina's song True Colours, the lyrics express a message of hope and encouragement for anyone going through hardship. The opening lines of the song, "You with the sad eyes, Don't be discouraged, Oh, I realize, It's hard to take courage" recognize the struggles that people face and the difficulty of finding the strength to carry on in a world that can be harsh and challenging. The lyrics then go on to acknowledge that the darkness inside of us can make us feel small and insignificant. Marina acknowledges that it can be easy to lose sight of ourselves in a world full of people.


However, the chorus provides a glimmer of hope by declaring "But I see your true colors, Shining through, I see your true colors, And that's why I love you, So don't be afraid to let them show, Your true colors, True colors are beautiful". Marina reminds us that we are all unique and beautiful and encourages us to embrace our true selves without hesitation. The lyrics also acknowledge the importance of having someone to lean on in difficult times, "And you've taken all you can bear, You call me up, Because you know I'll be there".


Overall, the lyrics of True Colours promote self-love, acceptance, and support for one another. Its message serves as a reminder for all to embrace our uniqueness and to find strength in the love and support of others.


Line by Line Meaning

You with the sad eyes
Addressing someone who seems to be sad or downhearted.


Don't be discouraged
Encouraging the person to not lose hope.


Oh I realize
Acknowledging that it may be difficult to remain optimistic.


Its hard to take courage
Admitting that remaining courageous can sometimes be a challenge.


In a world full of people
Describing the world as a place that is crowded with many different people.


You can lose sight of it all
Recognizing that in such a busy world, it's easy to lose sight of the important things.


And the darkness inside you
Acknowledging that sometimes people go through dark periods or emotions.


Can make you feel so small
Understanding that such feelings can cause someone to feel insignificant or powerless.


But I see your true colors
Noticing the qualities within the person that may not be visible to others.


Shining through
Acknowledging that these qualities are present and noticeable.


And that's why I love you
Stating that these qualities are what the singer loves about the person.


So don't be afraid to let them show
Encouraging the person to not be afraid to show these qualities to others.


Your true colors
Referring to the qualities that the singer sees within the person.


True colors are beautiful
Stating that the qualities that the singer sees are beautiful.


Show me a smile then
Asking the person to smile.


Don't be unhappy, can't remember
Encouraging the person to be happy and not let negative emotions take over.


When I last saw you laughing
Reminding the person of happy times where they were laughing.


If this world makes you crazy
Recognizing that the world can be overwhelming and can cause people to feel overwhelmed.


And you've taken all you can bear
Acknowledging that sometimes people feel like they have reached their limit.


You call me up
Offering to be there for the person if they need support.


Because you know I'll be there
Assuring the person that the artist will be there to support them.


And I'll see your true colors
Promising to continue seeing the qualities in the person that make them special.


Shining through
Noticing that these qualities are still present.


I see your true colors
Reassuring the person that the artist still sees and appreciates their true qualities.


And that's why I love you
Affirming that these qualities are what the singer loves about the person.


So don't be afraid to let them show
Encouraging the person to embrace their true qualities and let them shine.


Your true colors
Referring to the unique qualities and traits that make the person special.


True colors are beautiful
Stating that these qualities are what make the person beautiful and unique.




Contributed by Charlie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@kindaouttaluck8410

You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow

Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing

If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow

Can't remember, when I last saw you laugh.

If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there



@markdecena4559

You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Though I realise it's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you makes you feel so small

[Chorus]
But I see your true colours shining through
I see your true colours and that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colours, true colours are beautiful

[Verse 2]
Show me a smile and don't be unhappy
Can't remember when I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy and you've taken all you can bear
You call me up cos you know i'll be there

[Chorus]
And I see your true colours shining through
I see your true colours and that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colours are beautiful



@rmcewan10

This song, whether it's a cover or the original, always really hits me hard.

I read a wikipedia article today (don't ask me how I got there) about a boy called Giovanni di Giovanni. He was a boy who lived in Florence in the 14th Century, in the immediate aftermath of the first big outbreak of the Black Death. The mortality rates in the Northern Italian cities were, frankly, horrific - 40, or even 50, percent. The reaction to the plague was very typical of the Middle Ages - the local clergy blamed 'sinners', and in particular, 'sodomites'. Giovanni di Giovanni was arrested and charged with sodomy. His punishment, which he probably suffered beneath the implacable glare of the May Sun, was to be paraded naked through the streets on the back of a donkey, and then - and if you are squeamish, stop reading now - he was publicly castrated, and then had a red-hot poker inserted into his anus, the latter act a sick parody of the fact that he took the passive role during sex. It is presumed that he didn't survive this, though these specific injuries are unlikely to have granted him a quick death - he would have died of blood loss or shock, both of which would have taken several minutes. He was 15 years old.

More recently, in 1811, after the public outcry around the discovery of a gay brothel dubbed the Vere Street Coterie, ten men were arrested, mostly the poor, often teenaged, male prostitutes rather than the aristocratic patrons. Of these ten, most were sentenced to hard labour in prison, but two of them were sentenced to death. Ensign John Hepburn, 25, and Thomas White, a drummer boy and Hepburn's alleged lover. They were hung at Newgate Prison, on the 7th of March. Thomas White was 16.

These are just a few examples. There are, of course, many others, and many more recent. Some of you may actually remember Thomas Shephard. He was beaten to a bloody pulp, tortured, and then left to die, chained to a fence in the middle of nowhere in near freezing temperatures. When they found him, he was alive, but in a coma (he would later die in hospital). The only parts of his face not encrusted with blood were the white streaks where his tears had run down. This happened in 1998, the year before I was born.

I am only beginning to appreciate the massive privilege I have in being born in a tolerant society. The last executions of homosexuals in my country, the UK, took place in 1835, and homosexuality was legalised in Scotland, where I live, in 1980. It is by the sheer, unadulterated luck of the draw that I was not born in 14th Century Italy, or in 19th Century England. It is by sheer luck that I was not born in Saudi Arabia, or Iran, or Chechnya. Western Europe is perhaps the most accepting place in the world to be born gay, and Scotland is the best place to be gay in Western Europe, according to surveys. My mother, despite her flaws, couldn't be more accepting of my sexuality. PREP is becoming more widespread among gay males in the UK - I will probably never have to worry about HIV. The odds of me being attacked for my sexuality are practically nil. I can marry the man I love here, and I can start a family with him, if that is what I want to do.

This song grounds me. It gives me perspective.

Despite Trump, despite all the famine and war and poverty, this is the best time in history, and in my case, the best place in history, to be alive. But we should not forget. We should not forget Giovanni di Giovanni.



@theflatinus3215

you with the sad eyes, don't be discouraged, oh I realize it's hard to take courage in a world full of people
you could lose sight of it all, and the darkness inside you makes you feel so small
but I see your true colors shining through
I see your true colors and that's why I love you, so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colors
your true colors are beautiful
show me a smile then, don't be unhappy can't remember when I last saw you laughing
if this world makes you crazy and you've taken all you can bear
you call me up 'cause you know I'll be there
and I see your true colors shining through
I see your true colors and that's why I love you, so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colors are beautiful



@davidkeenan5642

+Angie Oakland

I can't disagree. Cyndi took this song, & as one of the writers, Billy Steinberg said, Cyndi completely dismantled the traditional arrangement and came up with something that was breathtaking and stark."
Marina used her beautiful voice & unique phrasing, took away some of the starkness, but added a purity of tone that made this cover absolutely beautiful.

Linda Ronstadt, with her vocal range, perfect tone, and seemingly effortless control, had that ability to take a great song & and, well, make it greater.

Mention the song "I will always love you", and most people under 30 will think of Whitney Houston. But she divaed the song. (Is "divaed a word?)
Anyhow, she blasted what was a quiet love song. Linda's cover still has a country twang, her voice always came through more when she had an orchestral backing.

Back to Marina. As a big Cyndi fan, I loved Marina's cover, & I would put it on a par with the original. Actually, if I had to choose between the two to take on a desert island, right now I'd have to take Marina's cover. But it is so close, tomorrow I may choose Cindy :-)

Thankfully I don't have to make a choice. But I would always choose Linda over Whitney.



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@twaimz

cryiNG

@Sam-qf5pq

YASSS QUEEN

@AraGoesGlobal

ME TOO

@jessicapogson2645

Omg<3

@inezd9663

+twaimz ME TOO BOO

@kamaaliyev3954

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@jamescheeks6518

A whole year since the last upload....... Gonna cry.

Its now been 2 years. Damn. That's a long time, a lot of going back and listening to her stunning back catalogue over and over. Its almost been three years since any new material as well. 😢

@sunny-xe9cc

James Cheeks aayyyyee spirited away, my shit!

@jamescheeks6518

Ze_Big_CheeZ - One of my favourite movies of all time. No-Face is life! ❤

@sunny-xe9cc

James Cheeks 👌👌👌😍

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