shine On
Tarsha Vega Lyrics


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Up in a no where town
Where there's no where to go but down
Ariba en un pueblo, que no esta en nada

Walkin' round in circles in the pouring rain
Waitin' for ya luck to change, the weather
Vane is spinning out of control wit no directional plane
And that's a metaphor for u cause yo ya feelin' the same

A shame ya didn't go to college get the G E D
Ya play the hoochie up at Hooters on the J O B
Complacency I see the boredom slip a tip in ya bra
Yo what's happening? It's like ya flippin' burgers for Rob

Ayyo, you still got time to shine on
You can decorate yo life any way that you like
You still got time to shine on but you gots ta get out tonight

Up in a nowhere town
Where there's nowhere to go but down
And we're just kickin' around
Where we swim and we sink and drown

Ya teachers use ta tell ya you were smarter than this
They pinch ya booty, fake a smile and then you tease [unverified] a kiss
Ya shift'll end at 1 AM and then you cruisin' the strip
And you think, you the shit but girl it gets old quick
You flick a butt, you know what's up

I tell ya ass to elevate but you be all about the fantasy
Ya future can wait, so make sure you collect the money first
Before you lie down in the bed, free loadin' never pay ya folks no rent
Ya hook up with some kid from down the block and hit the shower
Sleep walkin' through ya role like Heather Graham in Austin Powers

Yo, I calls it like I sees it wanna front grown up
Now everybody in together now shut the fuck up
Ayyo, you still got time to shine on, Heaven knows
Yo, I'm feelin' yo fears, you still got time to shine on
But'cha gots ta get the Hell out of here

Up in a nowhere town
Where there's nowhere to go but down
And we're just kickin' around
Where we swim and we sink & drown

Standin' in the shadow up inside of ya room
Wonder when the vibe had turned so blue yo it's the truth
Ayyo, sometimes you feel so small, you wanna crawl in the womb
The summertime it come and gone

You said, "You'd move back in June"
So free yourself from the fears that surrounds you
The tide might be high silly girl ain't gonna drown ya
You wear your life preserver float into the silver lining
And Bob Marley sing, 'Sun Is Shining'

Ayyo, you still got time to shine on
You can decorate yo life anyway that you like
You still got time to shine on but you gots ta get out tonight

Up in a nowhere town
Where there's nowhere to go but down
And we're just kickin' around




Where we swim and we sink and drown
Ariba en un pueblo, que no esta en nada

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tarsha Vega's "Shine On" depict the struggles of someone living in a small town with limited opportunities for growth and success. The first verse begins with a bleak image of the town, where there's only one direction to go--down. The singer sings about walking in circles in the pouring rain, waiting for change that never seems to come. The metaphor of the weather vane spinning out of control without direction represents the feeling of being lost and directionless. The second verse focuses on the daily routine of the individual, who didn't go to college and is working at Hooters, feeling complacent and bored. The chorus serves as a reminder that there's still time to "shine on," but one has to take action and get out of the current situation.


In the third verse, the singer sings about the societal pressure that the person faces. Their teachers used to tell them they were smarter than this, but now they're working at a job where they're objectified and belittled. They stay out late, hook up with someone from down the block, and "sleep walk" through their life. The bridge serves as a moment of introspection, where the person is standing in their room, feeling small and vulnerable. The singer tells them to free themselves from the fear that surrounds them, to wear their life preserver and float towards the silver lining.


Overall, "Shine On" is a message of hope and empowerment for those who may feel stuck or directionless in life. The lyrics encourage taking action and making changes in order to achieve one's goals and dreams.


Line by Line Meaning

Up in a no where town Where there's no where to go but down Ariba en un pueblo, que no esta en nada
Living in a small town with limited opportunity feels like there's no escape from the cycle of failure.


Walkin' round in circles in the pouring rain Waitin' for ya luck to change, the weather Vane is spinning out of control wit no directional plane And that's a metaphor for u cause yo ya feelin' the same
Feeling trapped and hopeless while waiting for a change, which feels as unpredictable and directionless as the weather.


A shame ya didn't go to college get the G E D Ya play the hoochie up at Hooters on the J O B Complacency I see the boredom slip a tip in ya bra Yo what's happening? It's like ya flippin' burgers for Rob
Feeling disappointed for not getting an education and being stuck in a dead-end job at Hooters, dealing with boredom and objectification from customers.


Ayyo, you still got time to shine on You can decorate yo life any way that you like You still got time to shine on but you gots ta get out tonight
Despite feeling stuck, there's still time to change things and pursue one's dreams if one takes action and leaves the current situation behind.


Ya teachers use ta tell ya you were smarter than this They pinch ya booty, fake a smile and then you tease [unverified] a kiss Ya shift'll end at 1 AM and then you cruisin' the strip And you think, you the shit but girl it gets old quick
Feeling undervalued and objectified while working late hours in a menial job, ultimately leading to disillusionment.


I tell ya ass to elevate but you be all about the fantasy Ya future can wait, so make sure you collect the money first Before you lie down in the bed, free loadin' never pay ya folks no rent Ya hook up with some kid from down the block and hit the shower Sleep walkin' through ya role like Heather Graham in Austin Powers
Preferring to hold onto fantasy and immediate gratification rather than working towards a better future, even if it means freeload on family or resorting to shallow relationships.


Standin' in the shadow up inside of ya room Wonder when the vibe had turned so blue yo it's the truth Ayyo, sometimes you feel so small, you wanna crawl in the womb The summertime it come and gone You said, "You'd move back in June"
Feeling overwhelmed and isolated, questioning how things got so negative, and wishing to go back to a time when things felt better.


So free yourself from the fears that surrounds you The tide might be high silly girl ain't gonna drown ya You wear your life preserver float into the silver lining And Bob Marley sing, 'Sun Is Shining'
Encouraging oneself to overcome fear and keep moving forward towards a brighter future, where one can find silver linings and happiness.


Up in a nowhere town Where there's nowhere to go but down And we're just kickin' around Where we swim and we sink & drown Ariba en un pueblo, que no esta en nada
Reiterating the suffocating nature of living in a small town where failure feels inevitable and it's easy to give up.




Contributed by Olivia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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