Accept Yourself
The Smiths Lyrics

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Every day you must say
So, how do I feel about my life?
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself?
I am sick and I am dull
And I am plain
How dearly I'd love to get carried away

Oh, but dreams have a knack of just not coming true
And time is against me now...oh
Oh, who and what to blame?
Oh, anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself, for heaven's sake?
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
Every day you must say
Oh, how do I feel about the past?
Others conquered love - but I ran
I sat in my room and I drew up a plan
Oh, but plans can fall through (as so often they do)
And time is against me now...

And there's no-one left to blame
Oh, tell me when will you...
When will you accept your life?
(The one that you hate)
For anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
Every day you must say
Oh, how do I feel about my shoes?
They make me awkward and plain
How dearly I would love to kick with the fray...
But I once had a dream (and it never came true)
And time is against me now...
Time is against me now...
And there's no one but yourself to blame
Oh, anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
Anything is hard to find; for heaven's sake !
Anything is hard to find
When you will not open your eyes
When will you accept yourself ?
When?
When?

When?
When?

Overall Meaning

The Smiths' song "Accept Yourself" is a contemplative piece that muses on the importance of self-acceptance. The singer asks listeners to confront themselves honestly, challenging them to think about their past, present, and future lives. The lyrics use introspective language and poignant imagery to evoke feelings of inadequacy and longing, ultimately concluding that the key to finding happiness is accepting who you are.

The song begins by posing a question: "So, how do I feel about my life?" This introspective query is repeated throughout the song, encouraging listeners to examine their own lives in a similar way. The lyrics suggest that many people are unhappy with their lives but don't know how to change that. They are blind to their own shortcomings, unable to see the good things they have in their lives. The chorus repeatedly asks, "When will you accept yourself?" highlighting the importance of self-acceptance and understanding as a means of achieving happiness.

The verses of the song provide glimpses into the singer's own struggles with self-acceptance. They feel "sick and dull and plain," lacking the confidence to pursue their dreams. The singer acknowledges that life is difficult and that plans often fall through, but ultimately suggests that the fault lies with ourselves. By not accepting who we are, we make it harder to find happiness and fulfillment.

Overall, "Accept Yourself" is a powerful song that encourages us to be introspective and confront the things that are holding us back in life. It suggests that self-acceptance is the key to finding happiness and fulfillment and challenges us to be honest with ourselves about our lives.

Line by Line Meaning

Every day you must say
Take a moment to reflect and ask yourself how you feel about your life every day

So, how do I feel about my life?
Questioning your own emotions and thoughts towards your life

Anything is hard to find
Life becomes challenging when you refuse to perceive things from a different perspective

When you will not open your eyes
When you don't want to see the world in a different way

When will you accept yourself?
A question of self-reflection and self-acceptance

I am sick and I am dull
Feeling unwell and uninteresting in one's own skin

And I am plain
Feeling average and not standing out

How dearly I'd love to get carried away
A desire to escape from the monotony of life

Oh, but dreams have a knack of just not coming true
Reality often disappoints our hopes and aspirations

And time is against me now...oh
A sense of urgency and the realization that time is running out

Oh, who and what to blame?
A rhetorical question that reflects confusion and uncertainty

Oh, anything is hard to find
Perception can be limited if you don't change the way you see things

When you will not open your eyes
When you don't want to see the world in a different way

When will you accept yourself, for heaven's sake?
A call for self-acceptance and an invitation to do it as soon as possible

Oh, tell me when will you...
A plea for an answer to the question of self-acceptance

The one that you hate
Referring to one's own life which may seem undesirable at times

Others conquered love - but I ran
A possible reference to avoiding relationships due to fear or insecurities

I sat in my room and I drew up a plan
A moment of self-motivation to improve oneself

Oh, but plans can fall through (as so often they do)
A dose of reality that plans don't always work out as intended

And time is against me now...
A sense of urgency and the realization that time is running out

And there's no-one left to blame
Accepting responsibility for one's own life and situation

Oh, how do I feel about my shoes?
Using a trivial matter as a reference to avoid confronting more meaningful issues

They make me awkward and plain
A feeling of discomfort and a desire to blend in

How dearly I would love to kick with the fray...
A desire to fit in and be more extroverted

But I once had a dream (and it never came true)
Disappointment in unfulfilled dreams and aspirations

When?
A rhetorical question, pushing the listener to take action and accept themselves

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVEN MORRISSEY, JOHNNY MARR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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