The Mirror
Rebecca Mayes Lyrics
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Conforming to the one acceptable template
What's this game we play with our plastic fantasies
So that reality can disappoint us
And when we look in the mirror we look nothing like we're meant to
Who's telling you what's beautiful
Did you even get a chance to make your mind up
Cause you know there's more than one
There's every flavour under the sun
And I wanna see them all
Where are the real men, the ones who are smiley
The ones who are round and a little bit geeky
The ones who are wild, the ones who are skinny
The ones who are short and a little bit cheeky
Where are the women big boned and proud
With a mouth unafraid to tell you what it's all about
Where are the small breasts like the tenderest, delicate, feather kiss
And when you look in the mirror you look just like you're meant to
Who's telling you what's beautiful
Did you even get a chance to make your mind up
Who's telling you what's desirable
Cause you know that they dictate
What we love and what we hate
And it really ain't what we deserve
We're addicted to perfection
We're critics of our creation
We're creators of abstraction
Cause what can't we feel in this plastic thrill?
Who's telling you what's beautiful
Who's telling you you're beautiful
In The Mirror, Rebecca Mayes sings about our obsession with unrealistic beauty standards and the impact it has on our self-image. She begins by reflecting on the consistent appearance of bodies in video games, conforming to a particular and unrealistic ideal. This leads her to question the nature of our obsession with plastic fantasies, and why we allow them to influence our perception of ourselves. In the chorus, Mayes asks who is telling us what is beautiful and desirable, and whether we have had the opportunity to form our own opinions on these matters. She suggests that there is a wide variety of beauty that is constantly marginalized and underrepresented in media, and she urges us to embrace it. Mayes then goes on to describe different types of people that are often overlooked in terms of societal beauty standards. She celebrates these people and their bodies, insisting that they are beautiful and worthy of respect.
Overall, The Mirror is an examination of the limited beauty standards that are imposed on us by society and the media. Rebecca Mayes encourages us to question these standards and embrace the diversity that exists in beauty. She champions the idea that true beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, and that we should be proud of who we are, no matter what.
Line by Line Meaning
In every game I play, the bodies are the same
The media portrays an image of what is deemed the perfect body, reducing diversity to a single stereotype.
Conforming to the one acceptable template
We feel pressure to conform to this image of what is considered perfect, regardless of our individual differences.
What's this game we play with our plastic fantasies
We create idealized versions of ourselves, but in doing so, distance ourselves from our true selves and desires.
So that reality can disappoint us
We set high expectations that reality cannot live up to, leaving us feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled.
And when we look in the mirror we look nothing like we're meant to
We feel dissatisfaction with our appearance because we hold ourselves to unrealistic standards of beauty.
Who's telling you what's beautiful
Society sets unattainable beauty standards that make people question the validity of their own beauty.
Did you even get a chance to make your mind up
Individuals rarely have a say in what is deemed beautiful, and it is often imposed on them.
Who's telling you what's desirable
Society dictates what is considered desirable, creating a monolithic idea of desirability that doesn't cater to diversity.
Cause you know there's more than one
Diversity exists and beauty comes in many shapes, sizes, and forms.
There's every flavour under the sun
Beauty exists in various forms, and we should celebrate our differences as much as our commonalities.
And I wanna see them all
True beauty is diverse, and the artist wants to see all the unique attributes and characteristics that contribute to it.
Where are the real men, the ones who are smiley
The song questions why society portrays only a single type of male beauty and neglects those who do not fit this narrow ideal.
The ones who are round and a little bit geeky
The song calls for the acceptance of different male body types, including those that have been silenced and marginalized for being perceived as not fitting the norm.
The ones who are wild, the ones who are skinny
The song advocates for the acceptance of skinny males, who have often been criticized and bullied for being too thin.
The ones who are short and a little bit cheeky
The song advocates for the acceptance of shorter males, who are overlooked and ridiculed for not fitting the stereotype of the perfect man.
Where are the women big boned and proud
The song questions why society portrays only a single type of female beauty and neglects those who do not fit this narrow ideal.
With a mouth unafraid to tell you what it's all about
The song advocates for women who break traditional gender roles and norms, and speak up and defend their beliefs in a male-dominated world.
Where are the small breasts like the tenderest, delicate, feather kiss
The song questions why breasts are sexualized and often portrayed as the ultimate symbol of a woman's beauty, dismissing other important aspects of her appearance.
And when you look in the mirror you look just like you're meant to
The song calls for self-acceptance and self-love, and encourages people to embrace their unique beauty rather than striving for an unattainable standard.
We're addicted to perfection
Society instills the need for perfection in people, creating a cycle of addiction to an unachievable ideal.
We're critics of our creation
We become our own harshest critics, constantly scrutinizing ourselves for every fault and imperfection.
We're creators of abstraction
We give life to a false image of ourselves that we can never achieve, losing touch with our true selves and desires.
Cause what can't we feel in this plastic thrill?
The song points out that the artificial world of plastic surgery and idealized images cannot provide the emotional fulfillment and satisfaction that comes with self-acceptance and love.
Who's telling you you're beautiful
The artist questions the source of the message that tells individuals that they are beautiful.
Contributed by Gabriella B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.