32 Flavors
The Amalgamates Lyrics
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I′m not between you and your ambition
I am a poster girl with no poster
I am 32 flavors and then some
And I'm beyond your peripheral vision
So you might want to turn your head
Cause someday you are gonna get hungry
And eat most of the words you just said
Both my parents taught me about goodwill
And I have done well by their names
Just the kindness I′ve lavished on strangers
Is more than I can explain
Still there's many who've turned out their porch lights
Just so I would think they were not home
And hid in the dark of their windows
Till I′d passed and left them alone
God help you if you are an ugly girl
Course, too pretty is also your doom
Cause everyone harbors a secret hatred
For the prettiest girl in the room
And God help you if you are a phoenix
And you dare to rise up from the ash
A thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy
While you are just flying past
And I′ll never try to give my life meaning
By demeaning you
And I would like to state for the record
I did everything that I could do
I'm not saying that I am a saint
I just don′t want to live that way
No, I will never be a saint
But I will always say
Squint your eyes and look closer
I'm not between you and your ambition
I am a poster girl with no poster
I am 32 flavors and then some
And I′m beyond your peripheral vision
So you might want to turn your head
Cause someday you might find you are starving
And eating all of the words that you said
The Amalgamates's song “32 Flavors” is about the complex nature of one's identity and how it can be perceived by others. The first verse suggests that the singer is often overlooked and underestimated by others. Despite being a vibrant and multifaceted individual, she is like a poster girl without a poster. Her true colors and potential are lost on those who cannot see past their own ambition. The singer warns that those who disregard her may be in for a rude awakening later in life, when they are forced to reconcile with the words they said and the opportunities they missed.
The second verse is a reflection on the singer's own experiences with kindness and rejection. Despite the example set by her parents, there are some who do not reciprocate her goodwill. She describes houses where the lights were turned off in order to avoid her, and people who waited until she had passed before creeping out from the shadows. This highlights how people can be both benevolent and cruel, and that our actions are not always guided by our better natures.
The third verse tackles the concept of envy and how it can be directed towards those who stand out in some way. The singer notes that being too pretty can be a curse, as others may harbor a secret hatred towards you. Similarly, rising up from the ashes like a phoenix can inspire jealousy and bitterness in those who prefer to stay hidden in the shadows. The song concludes with a reaffirmation of the singer's identity, and a reminder that she is more than the sum of her parts. She may not be a saint, but she will always be true to herself.
Line by Line Meaning
Squint your eyes and look closer
Take a closer look to see the real me.
I'm not between you and your ambition
I'm not stopping you from achieving your dreams.
I am a poster girl with no poster
I'm a symbol for something, but I don't fit into any boxes.
I am 32 flavors and then some
I am unique and multifaceted, with many different aspects to my personality.
And I'm beyond your peripheral vision
You might not see me or understand me at first glance.
So you might want to turn your head
You might need to change your perspective to see me fully.
Cause someday you are gonna get hungry
One day, you will realize you need more than what you expected.
And eat most of the words you just said
You will have to take back the things you claimed to know about me.
Both my parents taught me about goodwill
My parents instilled in me the value of kindness.
And I have done well by their names
I have lived up to their expectations and values.
Just the kindness I've lavished on strangers
I have shown generosity and compassion to people I don't even know.
Is more than I can explain
My acts of kindness are beyond words.
Still there's many who've turned out their porch lights
Many people try to hide from me or avoid me.
Just so I would think they were not home
They don't want to deal with me or my actions.
And hid in the dark of their windows
They stay hidden and invisible when I'm around.
Till I'd passed and left them alone
They wait for me to leave before they come out again.
God help you if you are an ugly girl
Being an unattractive woman can make life difficult.
Course, too pretty is also your doom
Being too beautiful can also have negative consequences.
Cause everyone harbors a secret hatred
People can feel jealous or resentful of those who are different from them.
For the prettiest girl in the room
Especially if that person is the most attractive in a particular setting.
And God help you if you are a phoenix
If you try to rise again after a difficult time, some people will try to tear you down.
And you dare to rise up from the ash
But you should still try to overcome adversity and become better than before.
A thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy
Many people will resent your success and hate you for it.
While you are just flying past
You should keep moving forward and not be held back by others' negativity.
And I'll never try to give my life meaning
I won't try to define myself based on others' perceptions or expectations.
By demeaning you
I won't try to bring others down in order to build myself up.
And I would like to state for the record
I want to make it clear and unequivocal what I mean.
I did everything that I could do
I did my best to be true to myself and to others.
I'm not saying that I am a saint
I'm not perfect or without flaws.
I just don't want to live that way
I don't want to be hypocritical or inauthentic in my actions and beliefs.
No, I will never be a saint
I won't always make the right choices or be the best person I can be.
But I will always say
But I will always try to be honest and true to myself.
Squint your eyes and look closer
Again, take a closer look to see who I truly am.
I'm not between you and your ambition
I'm not here to hold you back or stop you from achieving your goals.
I am a poster girl with no poster
I'm still trying to figure out who I am and what my purpose is.
I am 32 flavors and then some
I have many different aspects to my personality and identity.
And I'm beyond your peripheral vision
You might not see me or understand me fully at first glance or meeting.
So you might want to turn your head
You have to change your perspective to fully see and understand me.
Cause someday you might find you are starving
One day you might realize that you need to broaden your horizons.
And eating all of the words that you said
You may need to take back or rethink the things you claimed to know about me in the past.
Contributed by Leah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.