Motivation
Sheryl Crow Lyrics


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Little white girl
In a shiny black car
Hanging out with her friends
And doing black tar

Daddy pays for the wedding
With a fist full of dollars
Cost as much
As the state of Guatemala

Oh why
Even try?

Well I got a big car
And a flat screen TV
All my loser friends
And my boyfriend's family

Bring bags of food
And watch reality freak shows
Everybody's faking it
But nobody thinks so

Oh why
Even try?

[Chorus]
Got no grease on my hands
Got no serious plans
Whole world's waiting for me
'Cause all I gotta do is get it for free
Got no reason to bitch
Ain't no parties I've missed
Got to have it that way
'Cause baby I got, motivation
Motivation

Skinny young dude
In a hundred dollar tee shirt
In King James kicks
And a brand new manicure

Hotties doing pilates
With the snotties and the pleasers
Sneaking in the back door
At Coconut Teasers

Why
Even try?

Well, I dropped out of school
When I was seventeen
'Cause I didn't have time
To study my magazines

'Cause there's a lot to learn
From the privileged few
Like how to build a brand
Wearing high heeled shoes

Oh why
Even try?

Got no grease on my hands
Got no serious plans
Whole world's waiting for me
'Cause all I gotta do is get it for free

[Chorus]

I'm gonna own this town
I'm gonna own this town
I'm gonna own this town
Yeah, it's all mine

Oh why
Even try?

Got no grease on my hands
Got no serious plans
Whole world's waiting for me
'Cause all I gotta do is get it for free
Got no reason to bitch
Ain't no parties I've missed
Got to have it that way
'Cause baby I got

Got no grease on my hands
Got no serious plans
Whole world's waiting for me
'Cause all I gotta do is get it for free
Got no reason to bitch
Ain't no parties I've missed
Got to have it that way
'Cause baby I got, motivation
Motivation




Motivation
Motivation.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sheryl Crow's song Motivation provide a scathing critique of the excess and entitlement of the wealthy in America. The song is divided into two sections, each depicting a different character living a privileged lifestyle with seemingly no consequences for their actions. The first character is a young girl in a fancy car, doing drugs and spending her father's money on an extravagant wedding. Crow suggests that her life is empty and lacking meaning, as evidenced by the repeated refrain "Oh why even try?" The second character is a young man wearing expensive designer clothes and getting manicures, who dropped out of school in order to learn from the "privileged few" how to build a brand and assert dominance over others.


The song is a commentary on the hollowness and lack of substance that comes with a life of luxury and indulgence. Crow suggests that these characters are not truly happy or fulfilled, despite having all the material possessions they could desire. The repeated chorus emphasizes their lack of motivation and drive, contrasted with the many opportunities available to them simply because of their wealth and privilege.


Overall, Motivation expresses a deep skepticism and critique of the culture of wealth and excess that permeates many aspects of American society. It serves as an important reminder of the dangers of unchecked privilege, and the need for people to find meaning and purpose beyond material possessions.


Line by Line Meaning

Little white girl In a shiny black car Hanging out with her friends And doing black tar
A privileged girl is driving around in a fancy car with her friends and doing drugs.


Daddy pays for the wedding With a fist full of dollars Cost as much As the state of Guatemala
Her father is paying for her extravagant wedding with a large sum of money that could have been used to help a poor country.


Oh why Even try?
She feels like there's no point in trying when everything is handed to her on a silver platter.


Well I got a big car And a flat screen TV All my loser friends And my boyfriend's family Bring bags of food And watch reality freak shows Everybody's faking it But nobody thinks so
She has material possessions and people around her, but they all engage in superficial activities and entertainment, not realizing their emptiness and fake personas.


[Chorus] Got no grease on my hands Got no serious plans Whole world's waiting for me 'Cause all I gotta do is get it for free Got no reason to bitch Ain't no parties I've missed Got to have it that way 'Cause baby I got, motivation Motivation
She has no obligations, struggles or responsibilities, and she doesn't care about missing out on anything important because she can get whatever she wants easily, showing her lack of empathy, purpose, and direction in life.


Skinny young dude In a hundred dollar tee shirt In King James kicks And a brand new manicure Hotties doing pilates With the snotties and the pleasers Sneaking in the back door At Coconut Teasers
A superficially attractive and wealthy person is hanging out in expensive clothes and being with social climbers and fake people at a club.


Why Even try?
The same question is asked again, to highlight the emptiness and sense of entitlement these people feel.


Well, I dropped out of school When I was seventeen 'Cause I didn't have time To study my magazines 'Cause there's a lot to learn From the privileged few Like how to build a brand Wearing high heeled shoes
She left school early because she thought her magazines were more important, and she believes that only the elite know how to make it big, even if it involves superficial and shallow things like fashion.


Got no grease on my hands Got no serious plans Whole world's waiting for me 'Cause all I gotta do is get it for free
The sense of entitlement is reiterated again, as is the belief that not having anything to do is okay because the world exists to serve her.


[Chorus] I'm gonna own this town I'm gonna own this town I'm gonna own this town Yeah, it's all mine Oh why Even try?
The chorus repeats to show that there's nothing more to life than owning and possessing things, raising the question again whether all this is worth trying and working for.


Got no grease on my hands Got no serious plans Whole world's waiting for me 'Cause all I gotta do is get it for free Got no reason to bitch Ain't no parties I've missed Got to have it that way 'Cause baby I got, motivation Motivation Motivation Motivation.
The song again stresses the idea that she has no struggles, no problems, no efforts to make, and no wisdom to learn from, but only a sense of self-righteous motivation to get whatever she desires without putting in any genuine work or appreciation for life's value.




Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BILL BOTTRELL, SHERYL CROW

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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