Checking the liner notes it seems that daneypops is right, it's "never lived it unfettered". I had a different interpretation when I first heard it that I like more: "will have never lifted a feather". It's like "lifted a finger" but with a feather instead, meaning that she never really... "flew".
That said, this song disappoints me. Here's this amazing, powerful goddess of a woman singing about how she never had much self-worth until she had a baby! That's depressing. There are sexist beauty standards in our society telling women they're never pretty enough, but there's an equally strong message from society that "real women have babies". Like you're not really an adult until you've had a child. That seems really anti-feminist and just really shallow and pathetic to me, and I'm hoping that's not what she's trying to say.
I can see what you mean, but I don't think this is what Ani is trying to say. I think the significance of her own insecurities really struck her when she looked at her innocent daughter and realized that she didn't want her daughter to grow up feeling bad about herself. Ani is saying that she has spent so much of her life buying into media's image of beauty, and she doesn't want her child to make that mistake. She's giving her daughter great advice:
I can see what you mean, but I don't think this is what Ani is trying to say. I think the significance of her own insecurities really struck her when she looked at her innocent daughter and realized that she didn't want her daughter to grow up feeling bad about herself. Ani is saying that she has spent so much of her life buying into media's image of beauty, and she doesn't want her child to make that mistake. She's giving her daughter great advice:
don't let the sellers of stuff in power enough
to rob you of your grace
love...
don't let the sellers of stuff in power enough
to rob you of your grace
love is all over the place
In fact, the "love is all over the place/there's nothing wrong with your face" is sung almost like a lullaby. It's perfect!
Checking the liner notes it seems that daneypops is right, it's "never lived it unfettered". I had a different interpretation when I first heard it that I like more: "will have never lifted a feather". It's like "lifted a finger" but with a feather instead, meaning that she never really... "flew".
That said, this song disappoints me. Here's this amazing, powerful goddess of a woman singing about how she never had much self-worth until she had a baby! That's depressing. There are sexist beauty standards in our society telling women they're never pretty enough, but there's an equally strong message from society that "real women have babies". Like you're not really an adult until you've had a child. That seems really anti-feminist and just really shallow and pathetic to me, and I'm hoping that's not what she's trying to say.
Sayna,
Sayna,
I can see what you mean, but I don't think this is what Ani is trying to say. I think the significance of her own insecurities really struck her when she looked at her innocent daughter and realized that she didn't want her daughter to grow up feeling bad about herself. Ani is saying that she has spent so much of her life buying into media's image of beauty, and she doesn't want her child to make that mistake. She's giving her daughter great advice:
I can see what you mean, but I don't think this is what Ani is trying to say. I think the significance of her own insecurities really struck her when she looked at her innocent daughter and realized that she didn't want her daughter to grow up feeling bad about herself. Ani is saying that she has spent so much of her life buying into media's image of beauty, and she doesn't want her child to make that mistake. She's giving her daughter great advice:
don't let the sellers of stuff in power enough to rob you of your grace love...
don't let the sellers of stuff in power enough to rob you of your grace love is all over the place
In fact, the "love is all over the place/there's nothing wrong with your face" is sung almost like a lullaby. It's perfect!