vanity
Nevada Rose Lyrics

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I stand for the right
But fall for the wrong
No matter how many times I fail
I just can't succeed

I have dreamed a dream
But now that dream has gone from me
This is not what we've been

Not what we've been
This is who we are

We surround ourselves with mirrors just to see the reflection's of ourselves

I'll, I'll twist the truth. To spin this web right

I stand the right but fall for the wrong
I say the words but they never affect me

I have dreamed a dream but now that dream has gone from me
This is not what we've been, not what we've been
This is who we are

We surround ourselves with mirrors just to see the reflections of ourselves

Pride is my downfall

I have hated, discriminated, despised, and idolized
I have hated, discriminated, despised, and idolized

I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream has gone from me
This is not what we've been not what we've been
This is who we are

We surround ourselves with mirrors just to see the reflections of ourselves

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Nevada Rose’s song Vanity explore the notion of self-image, self-deception, and the downfall of pride. The first stanza establishes the premise of the song, the conflict between doing what is right and making the wrong choices. The singer admits that despite trying to do the right thing, they continually fall for the wrong things, leading to failure. The next stanza speaks of dreams, and how the dream of who they were meant to be has faded. The primary theme of Vanity is introduced in the chorus, 'We surround ourselves with mirrors just to see the reflection's of ourselves.' When the singer delivers the line 'Pride is my downfall,' it summarizes the central message of the song. That self-obsession leads to a downfall, which is represented by the repeated lines, 'I have hated, discriminated, despised, and idolized.'

Line by Line Meaning

I stand for the right
I believe in what is just and ethical

But fall for the wrong
But sometimes end up making unethical or immoral choices

No matter how many times I fail
Despite facing failure multiple times

I just can't succeed
I can't seem to achieve my goals

I have dreamed a dream
I had an aspiration or ideal vision

But now that dream has gone from me
But that dream no longer exists

This is not what we've been
This is not what we used to be

Not what we've been
Not what we have experienced

This is who we are
This is our true identity

We surround ourselves with mirrors just to see the reflection's of ourselves
We constantly seek confirmation of our identity and worth by looking at our own reflection

I'll, I'll twist the truth. To spin this web right
I sometimes manipulate the truth to achieve my desired outcome

I say the words but they never affect me
I utter certain statements but they don't have any impact on me

Pride is my downfall
My excessive pride is the reason for my failure

I have hated, discriminated, despised, and idolized
I have experienced different emotions and followed various idols

I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream has gone from me
I had an aspiration or ideal vision, but it has faded away

This is not what we've been not what we've been
This is not our past identity or experience

This is who we are
This is our current identity and experience

We surround ourselves with mirrors just to see the reflections of ourselves
We constantly seek confirmation of our identity and worth by looking at our own reflection

Contributed by Sebastian G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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