Bottle It Up by Sara Bareilles Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Anthem of Authenticity and Love in a Commercial World
Lyrics
That will eat this up babe
I know that it’s your soul but could you bottle it up and
Get down to the heart of it,
No it’s my heart you’re shit out of your luck
Don’t make me tell you again my love love love love.
Love love love love.
I am aiming to be somebody this somebody trusts
With her delicate soul
I don’t claim to know much except soon as you start
To make room for the parts
That aren’t you it gets harder to bloom in a garden of
Love love love love
Love Love love love
Only thing I ever could need, only one good thing
Worth trying to be and it’s
Love, love
Love, love
I do it for love
Love, love
Love
We can understand the sentiment you’re saying to us
Oh, but sensible sells so could you kindly shut up
And get started
At keeping your part of the bargain aw please
Little darlin’
You’re killing me sweetly with love love love love
Love love love love
Only thing I ever could need only one good thing
Worth trying to be
And its love, love
Love, love
I do it for love
Love, love
Love
Started as a flicker meant to be a flame
Skin has gotten thicker but it burns the same
Still a baby in a cradle got to take my first fall
Baby’s getting next to nowhere
with her baack against the wall.
You meant to make me happy make me sad.
Want to make it better better so bad.
But save your resolutions for your never new year
There is only one solution I can see here.
Love you’re all I ever could need only one good thing
Worth trying to be and it’s
Love, love
Love, love
I do it for love, love, love, love
Oh, only gonna get, get what you give away,
Love, love, love, love
Sara Bareilles’ song ‘Bottle It Up’ reverberates with the authenticity of an artist trying to navigate the commercial pressures of the music industry without losing the essence of why she creates: for love. With her introspective lyrics and catchy melodies, Bareilles encapsulates the internal struggle many creators face between commercial success and artistic integrity.
The track serves not only as a personal manifesto but also resonates with a broader audience of creatives who understand the complexities of balancing their passion with the practicalities of making it in their field. Let’s dive into the layered intricacies of ‘Bottle It Up’ and explore its resonant themes and catchphrases that have anchored the song firmly into the hearts of listeners.
The Struggle with Soul-Selling: Artistry vs. Commercialism
There’s a palpable tension that Bareilles weaves through the tapestry of ‘Bottle It Up’ that speaks to the heart of every artist. The opening lines allude to a national crowd ready to consume her music, yet there’s a lingering question: at what cost to her soul?
Bareilles tackles the pressure to commodify one’s art for broader appeal, the oft-drawn battleground for many artists. This struggle is musically punctuated by the song’s upbeat tempo clashing with the narrative’s resistance against ‘selling out,’ becoming one of the anthem’s most relatable pain points.
Gardening Metaphors and the Growth of Self
In a poignant use of gardening as a metaphor, Bareilles sings about the difficulty of blooming in a ‘garden of love’ when making room for parts that aren’t you. It’s a delicate balancing act of nurturing one’s true self while contending with external expectations.
The metaphor extends beyond the personal to offer a universal truth about growth and authenticity. The lyrics forewarn that diluting oneself for the sake of fitting into the industry’s mold hinders the natural growth of an individual’s artistry and soul.
A Sweet, Killing Bargain: The Seductive Lure of Success
The line ‘You’re killing me sweetly with love’ from the song might sound like a tender romantic plea, but when framed within the context of Bareilles’ overarching narrative, it speaks volumes on the seductive nature of commercial success.
There’s a sweetness to the validation and prosperity that success brings, yet it retains the capacity to kill the artist’s original intentions – to make music for the sake of love. ‘Bottle It Up’ delicately waltzes around this paradox, exposing the listener to the bittersweet realties artists contend with.
The Candid Reality of ‘Trying to Be’ – Love as Artistic Fuel
Sara Bareilles doesn’t shy away from her artistic pursuit’s core motivator—love. The repeated mantra throughout the song ‘I do it for love’ becomes a powerful chant, grounding the singer’s intentions amidst the chaotic demands of her industry.
‘Only one good thing worth trying to be’ suggests a purity of intent and lays bare the foundational drive for not just artists, but arguably all individuals striving for meaningful existence. It’s the emotional fulcrum on which ‘Bottle It Up’ tips, revealing love as the ultimate fuel for Bareilles’ creative fire.
The Memorable Mantra for Creatives: ‘Only Gonna Get What You Give Away’
A line that can serve as a guiding beacon for many, ‘Only gonna get, get what you give away’ caps off ‘Bottle It Up’ with poetic precision. It speaks to the generosity of the creative spirit and the cyclical nature of artistic contribution and reward.
There’s wisdom woven into these words, an encouragement for creators to stay true to the generosity that underpins genuine artistry. In sharing our authentic selves, we not only enrich others but cyclically enrich our own lives. Bareilles’ affirms a universal principle – that in love and art, what we offer freely often returns to us manifold.
