On the Inside
Nanette Workman Lyrics
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Life was just beginning, life had just begun..Oh yeah
There was only me, there was only you
We were only scratching on the surface of the truth
If you could see me on the inside
Not like the pictures on the wall
I'm still the same girl on the inside
I was going nowhere, you were going to
But now that we're together,
there ain't nothing we can't do
If you follow me boy, I will follow you
We can go forever if we hang on to the truth
You know I see you o the inside
Don't care 'bout pictures on the wall
I love you truly on the inside
I need you here to break my fall
The lyrics to Nanette Workman’s song “On the Inside” tell the story of two young individuals who find themselves on the brink of adulthood and are trying to navigate the complexities of their changing lives. The opening lines are indicative of this sentiment as they croon, “I was only 19, you were 21/Life was just beginning, life had just begun.” The two are still naive to the realities of life, and the world is still a blank canvas they can paint with their dreams and passions.
The next set of lines, “There was only me, there was only you/We were only scratching on the surface of the truth,” suggest that the two haven’t yet discovered who they truly are and have only just begun to explore their inner selves. It is only when they look beyond the surface level of each other that they can truly connect and forge a deep and meaningful relationship. The chorus ties it all together as they sing, “If you could see me on the inside/Not like the pictures on the wall/I’m still the same girl on the inside/I’ll be there to break your fall.” The singer is essentially saying that if you can see beyond the physical exterior and into my soul, you will see that I am the same person on the inside who needs someone to lean on and offer support.
Overall, “On the Inside” is a song that speaks to the transformative power of love and finding someone who accepts you for who you truly are, warts and all. It’s a reminder that everything we need to flourish and thrive is already within us, and all we need is someone to see it and nurture it.
Line by Line Meaning
I was only 19, you were 21
We were young and at the beginning of our lives.
Life was just beginning, life had just begun..Oh yeah
The possibilities were endless, and we were excited about our future together.
There was only me, there was only you
We were each other's everything.
We were only scratching on the surface of the truth
We were still getting to know each other, and our relationship was in its early stages.
If you could see me on the inside
If you could see my true self beyond my exterior appearance.
Not like the pictures on the wall
Don't judge me based on my physical appearance or any superficial factors.
I'm still the same girl on the inside
My true self is still the same, regardless of how I may change or grow as a person.
I'll be there to break your fall
I will be there for you and support you, especially during difficult times.
I was going nowhere, you were going to
We were each on our own paths and may not have been successful without each other.
But now that we're together,
Being together has changed everything.
there ain't nothing we can't do
As a team, we are capable of achieving anything we set our minds to.
If you follow me boy, I will follow you
We will support each other and have each other's backs.
We can go forever if we hang on to the truth
If we are honest with ourselves and each other, our relationship can endure forever.
You know I see you on the inside
I recognize your true self and accept you for who you are.
Don't care 'bout pictures on the wall
I don't care about your appearance or any superficial factors.
I love you truly on the inside
I love you for who you are deep down, beyond what is on the surface.
I need you here to break my fall
I need your love and support to get through tough times and overcome obstacles.
Contributed by Colton G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.