Follow Your Arrow by Kacey Musgraves Lyrics Meaning – Charting a Course Through Society’s Constrictions
Lyrics
If you don’t save yourself for marriage, you’re a horrible person
If you won’t have a drink, then you’re a prude
But they’ll call you a drunk as soon as you down the first one
If you can’t lose the weight, then you’re just fat
But if you lose too much, then you’re on crack
You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t
So you might as well just do whatever you want
So
Make lots of noise (hey)
Kiss lots of boys (yeah)
Or kiss lots of girls
If that’s something you’re into
When the straight and narrow
Gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint
Or don’t
Just follow your arrow
Wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow
Wherever it points
If you don’t go to church, you’ll go to Hell
If you’re the first one on the front row
You’re a self-righteous son of a
Can’t win for losing
You’ll just disappoint ’em
Just ’cause you can’t beat ’em
Don’t mean you should join ’em
So make lots of noise (hey)
Kiss lots of boys (yeah)
Or kiss lots of girls
If that’s something you’re into
When the straight and narrow
Gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint
Or don’t
Just follow your arrow
Wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow
Wherever it points
Say what you think
Love who you love
‘Cause you just get so many trips ’round the sun
Yeah, you only
Only live once
So make lots of noise (hey)
Kiss lots of boys (yeah)
Or kiss lots of girls
If that’s what you’re into
When the straight and narrow
Gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint
I would
And follow your arrow
Wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow
Wherever it points
In a world quick to judge and heavy with expectations, Kacey Musgraves’s ‘Follow Your Arrow’ emerges as a modern-day anthem for authenticity and personal freedom. With its lilting melody juxtaposed against a backdrop of razor-sharp social commentary, the song dissects the paradoxes of societal norms and offers a solution to the labyrinth of conformity.
Musgraves, known for her incisive songwriting, crafts lyrics in ‘Follow Your Arrow’ that serve as both a critique and a beacon of encouragement. The song resonates with a simplicity that belies its layered meanings, inviting listeners to explore the deeper messages woven throughout the catchy, toe-tapping tune.
Navigating Life’s Catch-22s
Musgraves doesn’t shy away from pointing out the confounding double standards that permeate modern life. From the pressures surrounding sexuality and sobriety to the damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t attitude about body image, ‘Follow Your Arrow’ underscores the no-win scenarios we all encounter. The lyrics reflect a societal tightrope walk that demands a perfect balance few can achieve.
Through her tongue-in-cheek delivery, Musgraves invites the listener to see the humor in the absurdity. The playful tone belies a hardened truth of the human experience – the inevitability of criticism regardless of one’s choices. It’s a testament to the idea that perfection is a myth, and the pursuit of it can be a fruitless endeavor.
The Liberating Chorus: A Rallying Cry for Individuality
In the refrain, Musgraves delivers what can only be described as a liberating battle cry. She lifts listeners out of the verses’ cynicism with the empowering suggestion to ‘make lots of noise’ and ‘kiss lots of boys… or girls.’ She’s not merely suggesting hedonism; she’s giving permission to embrace one’s true self, absent the weight of public opinion.
The chorus becomes an infectious, defiant hook that sticks with the listener long after the song ends. It’s a reminder to celebrate life in all its diversity and to find happiness in authenticity. Musgraves’ words sing the virtues of following one’s own path—or arrow—wherever it might lead.
The Hidden Meaning Behind ‘Straight and Narrow’
While on the surface ‘Follow Your Arrow’ might seem like a simple call to carefree living, Musgraves is also subtly addressing the constraints of conventional life paths. The repeated line about the ‘straight and narrow’ getting ‘a little too straight’ hints at the societal pressures to conform and the stigmatization of any deviation from the norm.
In suggesting the reversal of the straight and narrow—whether by kissing whom you please or perhaps rolling up a joint—Musgraves suggests that true freedom comes not from living inside the lines but sometimes coloring outside of them. She implicitly advocates for questioning societal expectations and discovering one’s own moral compass.
Embracing a One-Time Journey Around the Sun
Musgraves encapsulates the impermanence of life with the line, ‘You just get so many trips ’round the sun.’ It’s a poetic memento mori, a reminder of mortality that underscores the urgency to live authentically. The message is clear: life is finite, and making the most of it shouldn’t be hindered by the judgments of others.
‘You only live once,’ often abbreviated to the acronym YOLO in pop culture, isn’t just a tired cliché in Musgraves’s song. Instead, it is repurposed as a heartfelt encouragement to take charge of your own narrative. It’s a modern iteration of carpe diem that strips away the weight of external expectations and invites a celebration of individual choices.
Memorable Lines that Echo in Eternity
‘Can’t win for losing / You just disappoint ’em,’ Musgraves sings with a knowing sadness, capturing the essence of the human struggle against the tide of collective norms. It’s a poignant acknowledgement of the reality that no matter the effort, appeasing everyone’s standards is an exercise in futility.
Yet, in the same breath, the poignant levity returns with a sense of liberation, evident in lines like, ‘Just ’cause you can’t beat ’em / Don’t mean you should join ’em.’ Musgraves champions the idea of standing apart from the crowd, not in a bid for notoriety, but as an act of genuine self-expression. In these lines, ‘Follow Your Arrow’ offers a piece of wisdom that echoes beyond the bounds of music—it is a timeless reminder to seek your own truth, regardless of the cacophony of the world.
