Burch's voice takes cues from old timers like Dusty Springfield and Patsy Cline to create throaty mountains and valleys of sound. It's retro country and soul in the best way. Growing up in Los Angeles with a writer/producer father and a casting director mother, Burch's childhood was filled with old Hollywood musicals and the sounds of Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. After finding her voice in adolescence, Burch packed up for the University of North Carolina in Asheville to study Jazz Vocal Performance.
Good Behavior
Molly Burch Lyrics
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Don't you, do you see that I'm trying?
It can be tough when things keep changing
One day I'm there and then I'm not
How can I explain myself
When I can hardly control it well?
Do I need time, do I need a savior?
I think I want to be better
Better than you and all the rest
I don't think that's quite possible, oh
Let's all just try and be our best
How can I explain myself
When I can hardly control it well?
Do I need time, do I need a savior?
Will I ever know good behavior?
Will I ever know good behavior?
Will I ever know good behavior?
Will I ever know good behavior?
Ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh
The lyrics in Molly Burch's "Good Behavior" explore the challenges of trying to live up to the standards of others and societal expectations. The opening line "Be good, be good," spoken by someone who Burch refers to as "my baby," suggests that there is a pressure to conform and meet certain expectations. Burch acknowledges that she is trying to comply with these demands, but it isn't easy, especially when things keep changing. She's not always able to be there in the way that's expected of her, and this inconsistency may lead her to question whether she is capable of knowing "good behavior." The refrain "How can I explain myself when I can hardly control it well?" captures her sense of frustration around feeling like she's failing to live up to the expectations that she has internalized.
As the song progresses, Burch seems to come to a realization that perhaps these expectations are unrealistic. She sings, "I think I want to be better / Better than you and all the rest / I don't think that's quite possible, oh / Let's all just try and be our best." Here, she suggests that her desire to exceed the expectations of others may be unrealistic, and instead, she suggests that we should all strive to be our best by our own standards. Overall, "Good Behavior" is a thoughtful exploration of the challenges that come with living up to the expectations of others, and the way these expectations can impact our sense of self and self-worth.
Line by Line Meaning
"Be good, be good," you said, my baby
You always ask me to be good and well-behaved.
Don't you, do you see that I'm trying?
Don't you realize that I try to be good?
It can be tough when things keep changing
It's difficult to maintain good behavior when the circumstances around me keep shifting.
One day I'm there and then I'm not
Some days I feel on top of things, and other days I can't seem to get it right.
How can I explain myself
I am not sure how to convey my situation.
When I can hardly control it well?
I struggle to maintain good behavior.
Do I need time, do I need a savior?
Maybe I need more time to learn, or perhaps I require external help to become better.
Will I ever know good behavior?
I am unsure if I will ever reach the people's accepted standards for good behavior.
I think I want to be better
I have a desire to improve myself and my behavior.
Better than you and all the rest
I aspire to be the very best in all aspects of my life, including behavior.
I don't think that's quite possible, oh
However, I acknowledge that it may be an unrealistic goal.
Let's all just try and be our best
Despite any limitations, we should all strive to achieve the highest possible standard.
Will I ever know good behavior?
Again, I wonder if I will ever become the epitome of good behavior.
Will I ever know good behavior?
This thought continues to linger in my mind.
Will I ever know good behavior?
I question whether true good behavior is ever attainable.
Ahh, ahh
An expression of emotion or thought.
Ahh, ahh
Another expression of emotion or thought.
Ahh, ahh
Yet another expression of emotion or thought.
Ahh, ahh
A final expression of emotion or thought.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Molly Jenna Burch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind