Skin
The Wyrd Sisters Lyrics

Listen to me
The singer wants to share something important

I want to tell you something
The singer is urging the listener to pay attention

I want you to sit back, close your eyes and think about this:
The singer wants the listener to take a moment to reflect

I want you to look at this thing we do
The artist is referring to life and asking the listener to analyze it

this living
Life itself

and the vast complicated world we live in
A reference to the complex nature of the world we inhabit

and the joy and suffering we experience
The ups and downs of life

the victories, the losses, the fear, the love
Different emotions that one can experience in life

there's so much to learn
Implying that life is a continuous learning process

and we're just too short on time
Time is limited

and we're too short on knowledge
The singer is emphasizing the need for more knowledge

think of your skin
The artist shifts the focus on to the skin, which has a story to tell

in our skin it's too easy to feel how small and insignificant we are
Emphasizing how fragile and brief human life can be

I want to tell you what I've learned about skin
The singer wants to share the insights they have gathered regarding skin

who we are within and without of this skin
Highlighting that the skin is just merely a shell that carries our essence

I want to tell you about the blessing and the beauty of skin
The artist wants to celebrate the skin and its beauty

the curse and the crime of it
The artist acknowledges that the skin can also be seen as a detriment

let me tell you what I know about the secret of skin:
The singer poses a rhetorical question, implying that skin has something profound to teach us

skin is a roadmap of our lives
Our skin carries the evidence of our journey through life

every freckle is a footprint
Even the smallest detail on our skin can be a marker of who we are

and every scar is a snapshot of a point along our journey
Scars can carry a lot of memories and experiences

our skin is unique to us
Just like our lives, our skin is a unique representation of who we are

its colour and scent
The singer highlights two attributes of skin - colour and scent

its solace and safety
Skin keeps us safe and secure

think about the dips, the valleys and the pleasures of it
Skin can be a source of pleasure and enjoyment

in giving, in receiving and knowing
The singer highlights the different ways one can experience touch

but we think our skin separates us from each other and from god
Skin can be seen as something that divides us from others and the divine

in our darker moments we fear that this shell that holds our spirits is also our prison
The artist acknowledges that we are prone to feel trapped in our bodies

if we can't understand the secret of skin we're just like a dog who's only known a short rope
The artist highlights how limited our perception can be

and we sniff the air around our small worlds and snarl at those who walk too close
The singer is critiquing insular thinking and fear of the unfamiliar

in the confines of this, our skin, we forget who we are and think we're something we're not:
Skin can create a barrier between us and our true selves

alone
A reference to the isolation that one feels

separate
A feeling of being apart from others

isolated
A sense of being alone and separated

but we're not alone
The singer emphasizes that we're all part of a larger whole

we're part of each other
Interconnectedness is emphasized

we're part of the world, the universe and beyond
The singer highlights that we're all part of something grander than ourselves

within us, without us and through us, we belong
A reminder that we have a place in the grand scheme of things

so if there's one thing we need to know and only one thing
The singer is about to drive home an important point

please believe this:
The listener is being implored to accept the following statement as true

we are here for a purpose
The artist is asserting that we all have an important role to play

know that you are here for a reason
The singer is emphasizing that the listener is valuable

know that you have a right to be here
The singer is asserting that the listener deserves to exist and take up space

you have a right to belong
A sense of inclusion is emphasized

you have a right to speak, to breathe, to sing, to pray, to cry, to love, to shout out your hope and despair
The listener is being told that they have a right to express their emotions, beliefs, and values freely

to reach out to others, to give, to receive, to know:
A call to be generous and empathetic

there is a beauty in you
The singer affirms that the listener is beautiful

a beauty that is unique only to you
The artist emphasizes the uniqueness of the listener

and that you have gifts to offer this world that no one else has
The listener is being told that they have something unique to contribute to the world

that you have a light within yourself that shines as bright as any star
The singer highlights the listener's inner strength and radiance

and know that if you remove yourself from this, the whole
The singer is warning that if the listener doesn't shine, everyone loses

we all become that much smaller
The artist is highlighting the importance of each individual in the grand scheme of things

so celebrate the skin
The artist is calling on everyone to appreciate their unique physicality

celebrate yourself
A call to appreciate oneself

celebrate the world
A reminder to appreciate the world and all its beauty

know that your skin is here to allow you to feel the hands you reach out to hold
A final reminder of the importance of skin as a gateway to human connection