The single received praise from critics. Paul Matthew from UKMIX gave the song 4 out of 5 stars, saying that it is strong, catchy, and different from anything she had released to date. Dr. Bruce L. Thiessen praised the song's stripped-down nature, stating that 'Pink has never been afraid to show her true colors. The haunting, yet urgently importuning nature of the music matches and magnifies the meaning. The intensity of every earnest guitar strum and run echoes the sense of longing for familial harmony expressed in the chorus. Pink's voice on “Family Portrait” further reflects the urgency underlying the song.'Malaimport from StudyMode.com gave Pink the credit for the song in his article, 'Pink positioned the audience to understand and accept her representations of pain and frustration was clear through the uses language choices and imagery devices such as repetition and use of strong and forceful words
Family Portrait
P!nk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Momma please stop crying, I can't stand the sound
Your pain is painful and its tearin' me down
I hear glasses breaking as I sit up in my bed
I told dad you didn't mean those nasty things you said
You fight about money, 'bout me and my brother
It ain't easy growing up in World War three
Never knowing what love could be, you'll see
I don't want love to destroy me like it has done my family
Can we work it out, can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out, can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, daddy please don't leave
Daddy please stop yellin', I can't stand the sound
Make mama stop cryin', 'cause I need you around
My mama she loves you, no matter what she says, its true
I know that she hurts you, but remember I love you, too
I ran away today, ran from the noise, ran away
Don't wanna go back to that place, but don't have no choice, no way
It ain't easy growin' up in World War three
Never knowin' what love could be, well I've seen
I don't want love to destroy me like it did my family
Can we work it out, can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out, can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, daddy please don't leave
In our family portrait, we look pretty happy
Let's play pretend, let's act like it comes naturally
I don't wanna have to split the holidays
I don't want two addresses
I don't want a step-brother anyways
And I don't want my mom to have to change her last name
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
Let's play pretend, act like it goes naturally
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
(Can we work it out, can we be a family?)
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that
(I promise I'll be better, mommy I'll do anything)
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
(Can we work it out, can we be a family?)
Let's play pretend act and like it comes so naturally
(I promise I'll be better, daddy please don't leave)
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
(Can we work it out, can we be a family?)
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that
(I promise I'll be better, daddy please don't leave)
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Turn around please
Remember that the night you left you took my shining star?
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Don't leave us here alone
Mum will be nicer
I'll be so much better, I'll tell my brother
Oh, I won't spill the milk at dinner
I'll be so much better, I'll do everything right
I'll be your little girl forever
I'll go to sleep at night
The song 'Family Portrait' by P!nk is a heart-wrenching portrayal of a family that is falling apart. The singer starts by talking to her mother, telling her to stop crying because her pain is tearing her down as well. The background to this seems to be a family argument, with glasses breaking, and the father has said some nasty things about the mother. The singer's parents fight about money, and she feels helpless about it. It's a tough world, and she has grown up in World War Three. She has never known what love could be, and she doesn't want it to destroy her like it has destroyed her family.
The chorus pleads with her parents to work things out and be a family. She promises to be better and wants her family to stay together. She wants to pretend like they are happy, and this is elicited by the melancholic yet upbeat tune of the song. The 'family portrait' represents the family's facade – While they may look happy, they are not. The singer wants to go back to when things were normal and when they looked pretty happy.
This emotional, heartfelt song expertly conveys the pain and anguish of growing up in a broken home. The singer's vocals are outstanding, conveying an intense emotional range that is both heartfelt and powerful. The lyrics resonate with listeners because they are so genuine and heartfelt, and they offer hope that things can go back to the way they were before.
Line by Line Meaning
Momma please stop crying, I can't stand the sound
I feel sad when I hear you crying, it hurts me too
Your pain is painful and its tearin' me down
I can feel your pain and it's affecting me too
I hear glasses breaking as I sit up in my bed
I can hear the arguments from my bedroom, it's scary
I told dad you didn't mean those nasty things you said
I defended you and said that you didn't mean to say those hurtful things
You fight about money, 'bout me and my brother
You argue about money and how to raise me and my sibling
And this I come home to, this is my shelter
I come home to this environment, this is supposed to be my safe place
It ain't easy growing up in World War three
It's hard to grow up in a home filled with constant fighting
Never knowing what love could be, you'll see
I don't know what true love is supposed to look like
I don't want love to destroy me like it has done my family
I don't want to be hurt by love like my family has been
Can we work it out, can we be a family?
Can we try to fix our problems and be a happy family?
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything
I'll try to be a better daughter and do anything to make things better
Daddy please stop yellin', I can't stand the sound
I don't like it when you yell, it's hard for me to handle
Make mama stop cryin', 'cause I need you around
Please make her stop crying, I need both of you in my life
My mama she loves you, no matter what she says, its true
Even though she gets upset, my mom still loves you
I know that she hurts you, but remember I love you, too
I know you both get hurt by each other, but I still love you both
I ran away today, ran from the noise, ran away
I ran away from the arguing because it's too much for me to handle
Don't wanna go back to that place, but don't have no choice, no way
I don't want to return to that environment, but I have nowhere else to go
In our family portrait, we look pretty happy
In our family picture, we look like we're happy
Let's play pretend, let's act like it comes naturally
Let's pretend we're a happy family and it feels natural
I don't wanna have to split the holidays
I don't want to have to divide my time between two separate homes during holidays
I don't want two addresses
I don't want to live in two different homes
I don't want a step-brother anyways
I don't want to have a step-sibling, I want our original family back
And I don't want my mom to have to change her last name
I don't want my mom to have to change her name if you get divorced
Daddy don't leave
I don't want you to leave
Remember that the night you left you took my shining star?
When you left, you took away my happiness and hope
Mum will be nicer
I hope things will change and my mom will be happier
I'll be so much better, I'll tell my brother
I'll try to be a better sibling and support my brother more
Oh, I won't spill the milk at dinner
I'll try to be more responsible and not make messes at dinner
I'll be so much better, I'll do everything right
I'll try to be perfect and do everything to make my family happy
I'll be your little girl forever
I'll always be your daughter, no matter what
Turn around please
Please come back to us
Don't leave us here alone
Please don't leave us to deal with everything by ourselves
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: ALECIA MOORE, ALECIA B MOORE, SCOTT STORCH, SCOTT SPENCER STORCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@theharshtruthoutthere
It is time to repent!
It is time to BORN AGAIN!
It is time to reject all sins!
it is time to pick up your cross and follow the one who redeems your soul.
This world serves BAAL, why you want to do the same?
Are your eyes still blind, that you see not, all the idols of yours are showing off freemasonry hand signs?, neither do you see the clear signs of being inverted? Publicly known as being trans.
GOD – the creator exist and god of this world exist also.
One redeems, the other deceives. Between these 2 a choosing is to make, WHOM SHALL WE SERVE?
Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
To the lgbtq++++:
the lgbtq++ club/cult became to be, because of the masons depopulation agendas. search about them. Judge based on knowledge not based on feelings. feelings lie, humans understandings are false. opinions useless. TRUTH alone is what always stays mattering.
@azmilman615
The trauma when your parents separated could last for years.
My parents separated when I was 17 yrs old. At the exact moment when I'm studying for my final exam in secondary school. My mom moved back to her parents house with my older sister. I was left with my dad. Weeks after that, my dad started showing serious signs of depression. He managed to get married with a new wife and weeks later, he went full PDD which causing him unable to work and meeting other people for more than 3 years.
I ran away from home, I slept at bus stops, my friend's house... I started working at any shops and restaurants around town. I felt hopeless. I don't even bother to tell my sister or my mom at the moment because I thought that they left me alone to survive. I broke up with my 1st love not long after that and I started to think that everyone was leaving me. I started taking alcohol & drugs to keep me away from being sad and miserable.
Then my stepmother (my dad's new wife manage to find me and I gave up on running since I couldn't afford to feed myself anymore). Then I ran again to the city where my mom was staying. I manage to continue my diploma in a private college where my I mixed myself up with other adolescent teenagers. There, I met a new love which was so sweet & kind. People started to gather around me as I became quite a popular kid. With a few girls flirting with me, I became so full of myself that I started to neglect my love and she left me.
Finally I graduated and my father recovered and he insisted on me staying with him again. I went and live with him again. I got a job at a hotel near to my father's house. I fell in love again with someone but we broke up after a few months. 2 years staying with my father and I started to look for a job at my mom's city again. I got one and managed to stay with my mom again. After 3 years, I managed to get another job with the government and I get married with my new love and had a daughter.
Now my dad went back to PDD again and it has been 3 years until now, he doesn't show any signs of recovering. Now I started to have some weird feeling of hopelessness after a few incidents throughout my career. I started to wonder is this what my father have been experiencing when I, my mom and my sister left him a few years ago? I felt afraid whenever I'm alone. Sometimes this feeling makes me started crying at any moment.
@giorgivashakidze2035
2024 ?
@fatimeabdoulaye8738
Me 😞
@screenshotofwords7839
One of the most powerful visualizations of what it feels like to realize the trauma you carried into your adulthood and realize you have an inner child that is begging to be heard and seen. P!nk has such a deep understanding of emotions - makes me appreciate her work more holistically as an adult.
@jeremycrockett2692
I will agree with you on that because this is a powerful song to listen to!
@celesteangelique9829
Agreed, very well put.
@jeremycrockett2692
@@celesteangelique9829 Thanks for agreeing with me and I hope that you will have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
@catisreckless4647
The song isn't about "trauma", it's about how the divorce of her parents affected her, and how said divorce made Pink blame herself for their problems.
@jeremycrockett2692
@@catisreckless4647 Yes, that must be difficult when it comes to dealing with parents who divorced each other
@igobothwaysallidoismakewav5039
I can't believe this song came from a poem she wrote when she was only 9. Pink is all of us and the collective trauma we went through. 🤟🏻
@michaelthacker7852
🤟🏻