Take off my shirt
Loosen the buttons and undo my skirt
Stare at myself in the mirror
Pick me apart piece by piece
Sorrow decrease
Pressure release, I put in work
Did more than called upon, more than deserved
When it was over, did I wind up hurt? (Yes)
But it taught me before a decision ask this question first

Who am I living for?
Is this my limit?
Can I endure some more?
Chances I'm given, question existing
Who am I living for?
Is this my limit?
Can I endure some more?
Chances I'm given, question existing

Take off my coat
Show them that under here
I'm just like you, do the mistakes
I may make me a fool or a human with flaws
Admit that I'm lost
Round of applause
Take the abuse
Sometimes it feels like they want me to lose
It's entertainment is that an excuse? (No)
But the question that lingers whether "win or lose" is

Who am I living for?
Is this my limit?
Can I endure some more?
Chances I'm given, question existing
Who am I living for?
Is this my limit?
Can I endure some more?
Chances I'm given, question existing

Dear Diary
It's Robyn
Entertain is something I do for a living
It's not who I am, I'd like to think that I'm pretty normal
I laugh, I get mad, I hurt
I think guys suck sometimes
But when you're in the spotlight
Everything seems good (ooh yeah)
Sometimes I feel like I have it worse 'cause
I have to always keep my guard up
I don't know who to trust
I don't know who wants to date me for who I am
Or who wants to be my friend for who I really am

Who am I living for?
Is this my limit?
Can I endure some more?
Chances I'm given, question existing
Who am I living for?
Is this my limit?
Can I endure some more?
Chances I'm given, question existing


Lyrics submitted by strykerchick

Question Existing Lyrics as written by Shawn Carter Robert Shea Taylor

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Question Existing song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

14 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is a beautilfu song which I think is about hooker who doesn't want her job to define her, and wants to be free.

    ilovekelly75on June 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Ilovekelly...

    This song is not about a hooker, lol.

    Its about Rihanna and her views on the music industry & being in the spotlight and the high's and low's that comes with it.

    KillMeFasteron June 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    actually i agree with both ilovekelly75 && killmefaster. it could be not nessecarily a hooker but more like a stripper or just a person in the music industry. shes just saying she wants people to like her for her not for what she does.

    GMV17on July 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I totally agree with killmefaster, and to ilovekelly75, you have got to be kidding me, she sings about entertainment and the business and being in the spotlight, so how is she singing about being a hooker? women have feelings you know and the media is very hard on them, like their only purpose is to please men, or be an idle for this world. thats what I think she is singing about, cause when you are in the media's spotlight, it is like you lose yourself and get hurt. so thats the question existing, that who is she living for, herself? or the media?

    dream_4evr_angelon August 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    if you can't see the analogy between being in the music business and being a hooker, dream_4ever_angel, you're not thinking very hard. both interpretations work, and together.

    smallwonderroboton September 22, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is about the music industry, or even just life it's self. Where did you get hookers from :S She talks about how she doesn't want to live anymore; she questions the point of living.

    nickoftimeon October 14, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    hey does anyone know who robyn is? is that like her nickname?

    xXx10290on October 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Robyn is her real first name, Rihanna's her middle name (I think) and I guess it's her stage name as well.

    I don't see this as anything about hookers, just about fame and the music industry how it's not all it's cracked up to be.

    Schlechter Penguinon November 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I alllllllways thought it was about a hooker- I'm glad I'm not the only one. But I guess it does make sense for this song to be about an entertainer or some sort.

    thommmmmason February 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I'll be honest, at first as i was listening and reading the music, i thought that one part where she's doing that reading type thing that it was a stripper. But after i saw some of your comments i can also see and like to think its about society telling you how to live, how to look, and what to do with your life and rihanna is saying who are we living for? ourselfs or what other people and the media tell us to live.

    "Take off my shirt Loosen the buttons and undo my skirt Stare at myself in the mirror Pick me apart piece by piece Sorrow decrease Pressure release I put in work Did more than called upon More than deserved When it was over did I wind up hurt? (Yes)" that sounds alot like to me how the media is telling girls to look a certian way and thus we look at ourself and instead of telling ourself we are beautiful, we are tearing ourself down ["pick me apart piece by piece"].

    "Take off my cool Show them that under here I'm just like you Do the mistakes I made make me a fool? Or a human with flaws? Admit that I'm lost Round of applause Take the abuse Sometimes it feels like they want me to lose "It's entertainment," Is that an excuse? (No)" I think this part is trying to say were all human, we all make mistakes, just cause we do doesnt make us not "normal". And of course this section is for sure talking about how the media only shows famous peoples bad side and want to make them look bad for our entertianment.

    "Dear diary It's Robyn Entertaining is something I do for a living It's not who I am I like to think that I'm pretty normal I laugh, I get mad, I hurt I think I suck sometimes When you're in the spotlight everything seems good Sometimes I feel like I have it worse because I have to always keep my guard up I don't know who to trust I don't know who wants to date me for who I am or who wants to be my friend for who I really am..." Thats the part i honestly thought was a stripper at first but yea i can see how it makes more sense for it to be a famous person (not just a singer).

    mish.imaqton March 29, 2008   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines: "Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet" So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other: "I had all and then most of you" Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart "Some and now none of you" Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship. This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.