In 2000, Ferrick founded her own record label, Right On Records. The first studio album released on her own label was Valentine Heartache.
Her 2011 album was entitled "Still Right Here".
Website: www.melissaferrick.com
Real
Melissa Ferrick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Laugh at everything you say
Falling at your feet
Like you are a God
Like you are a God
And I got in here through the side door
Watchin it all go down like a fly on the wall
Underneath it all
Thinkin' to myself
Where? Where did real go?
I mean how long has it been?
Since you have felt like a part of
And not the friend
That everyone claims they are friends with
I mean how long has it been?
Cause you to me are like a cutout
Technicolor form crazy kid
You got everybody around you movin
You seem content to sit there
Watch us all spin
Thinkin' to yourself
Where? Where did real go?
Round here
I mean how long has it been
Since you have felt like a part of
And not the friend
That everybody claims they are friends with
I mean how long has it been?
Ohhhh Wa Do do do do do do do do
mmmmm mmmm mmmm
In you arms a dreamer
Who needs everything from you
And in your eyes I can see no distance
At all between the two of you
I thought to myself...
Here it is...here is real now
I mean I'm lookin right at it
From this wall
And the truth is that in her presence
Everything else just falls
The lyrics of Melissa Ferrick's song "Real" describe the experience of feeling like an outsider in a social circle where one person seems to be the center of attention. The singer observes their friends laughing at everything this person says and falling at their feet as if they are a god. This person is a cutout, a technicolor form of a crazy kid who seems content to watch everyone else spin around them. The singer is searching for signs of life, questioning where "real" has gone and how long it has been since they have felt like a part of their friend group rather than just a friend that everyone claims to have.
The second verse emphasizes the disconnection that the singer feels. They see themselves as a fly on the wall, watching everything go down through the side door. They wonder where they fit into this scene and where "real" has gone. The final verse brings a glimmer of hope as the singer reflects on the presence of someone who seems to embody "real". They describe a dreamer who needs everything from the person everyone is falling over, and note that in her presence, everything else falls away, suggesting a moment of genuine connection.
Overall, the song explores the tension between the desire to be a part of a social circle and the feeling of being disconnected from it, as well as the search for authenticity and genuine connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Watchin all my friends
Observing all my acquaintances
Laugh at everything you say
Chuckling at your every word
Falling at your feet
Adulating you greatly
Like you are a God
As if you are divine
And I got in here through the side door
I managed to enter through an unconventional way
Watchin it all go down like a fly on the wall
Viewing it all as an unobtrusive observer
I'm just searchin for signs of life here
I'm looking for indications of authenticity
Underneath it all
Beneath the surface-level spectacle
Thinkin' to myself
Musing internally
Where? Where did real go?
Where did the truth disappear to?
I mean how long has it been?
It's been quite a while, hasn't it?
Since you have felt like a part of
Since you've felt like an inclusive member of the group
And not the friend
Rather than merely being an acquaintance
That everyone claims they are friends with
Whom everyone purports they're close with
Cause you to me are like a cutout
To me, you seem like a flat, superficial representation
Technicolor form crazy kid
Vivid and bizarre
You got everybody around you movin
You make everyone around you active and lively
You seem content to sit there
You appear comfortable remaining in that position
Watch us all spin
Watching us all revolve
Ohhhh Wa Do do do do do do do do
No meaning detected
mmmmm mmmm mmmm
No meaning detected
In you arms a dreamer
Nestled within your embrace, an idealist
Who needs everything from you
Requiring everything from you
And in your eyes I can see no distance
In your gaze, I sense no separation
At all between the two of you
Between you and the other person
I thought to myself...
Pondering internally...
Here it is...here is real now
Ah, here it is, the genuine thing
I mean I'm lookin right at it
I'm currently staring directly at it
From this wall
From my position on the wall
And the truth is that in her presence
In her company, the veracity becomes evident
Everything else just falls
Everything else merely pales in comparison
Contributed by Riley A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.