Here by Alessia Cara Lyrics Meaning – Exploring the Anthem of the Anti-Social Soul
Lyrics
I’m sorry if I seem uninterested
Or I’m not listenin’ or I’m indifferent
Truly, I ain’t got no business here
But since my friends are here, I just came to kick it
But really I would rather be at home all by myself not in this room
With people who don’t even care about my well being
I don’t dance, don’t ask, I don’t need a boyfriend
So you can go back, please enjoy your party
I’ll be here
Somewhere in the corner under clouds of marijuana
With this boy who’s hollering, I can hardly hear
Over this music I don’t listen to and I don’t wanna get with you
So tell my friends that I’ll be over here
Oh-oh-oh here, oh-oh-oh here
Oh, I ask myself what am I doing here?
Oh-oh-oh here, oh-oh-oh here
And I can’t wait ’til we can break up out of here
Excuse me if I seem a little unimpressed with this
An anti-social pessimist, but usually I don’t mess with this
And I know you mean only the best
And your intentions aren’t to bother me
But honestly I’d rather be
Somewhere with my people we can kick it and just listen
To some music with the message (like we usually do)
And we’ll discuss our big dreams
How we plan to take over the planet
So pardon my manners, I hope you’ll understand
That I’ll be here
Not there in the kitchen with the girl
Who’s always gossiping about her friends
So tell them I’ll be here
Right next to the boy who’s throwing up
‘Cause he can’t take what’s in his cup no more
Oh God, why am I here?
Oh-oh-oh here, oh-oh-oh here
Oh, I ask myself what am I doing here?
Oh-oh-oh here, oh-oh-oh here
And I can’t wait ’til we can break up out of here
Hours later congregating next to the refrigerator
Some girl’s talking ’bout her haters
She ain’t got none
How did it ever come to this
I shoulda never come to this
So holla at me, I’ll be in the car when you’re done
I’m standoffish, don’t want what you’re offering
And I’m done talking
Awfully sad it had to be that way
So tell my people when they’re ready that I’m ready
And I’m standing by the TV with my beanie low
Yo, I’ll be over here
Oh-oh-oh here, oh-oh-oh here
Oh, I ask myself what am I doing here?
Oh-oh-oh here, oh-oh-oh here
And I can’t wait ’til we can break up out of here
Alessia Cara’s emotive powerhouse, ‘Here,’ is much more than a catchy tune with soulful vibes. It’s a lyrical masterpiece that encapsulates the inner turmoil of an introvert trapped in the extrovert’s playground of a party. With a rich layering of R&B melodies underscoring Cara’s voice, ‘Here’ peels back the high gloss of social gatherings to reveal the gritty discomfort that many feel but few have the courage to vocalize.
Released in 2015, the track swiftly became an anthem for wallflowers and out-of-place party-goers everywhere. Cara’s lyrics are a forensic analysis of contemporary social culture, exploring the distressing disconnect between crowd euphoria and personal alienation. With each verse, ‘Here’ invites listeners to confront the complexities of social anxiety and the solace of true companionship.
The Great Pretender: A Closer Look at Social Facades
Despite the upbeat tempo, ‘Here’ serves as a stark portrait of the pretenses we wear like armor at social events. The opening lines, ‘I’m sorry if I seem uninterested / Or I’m not listenin’ or I’m indifferent,’ immediately set the stage for a narrative of reluctant attendance and a cry for genuine interaction. Cara’s representation of herself as an ‘anti-social pessimist’ realistically portrays a character many listeners identify with—one who sees through the insincerity of the party scene.
As a symbolist poet would relate a landscape to inner emotions, Cara intertwines her presence at a party with a powerful yearning for authenticity. The ‘clouds of marijuana’ and the ‘music I don’t listen to’ create a stifling atmosphere for the protagonist, a physical manifestation of the suffocating feeling when one doesn’t fit in a place where others seem so at ease.
An Ode to Introversion: Escaping the Noise of Insincerity
In ‘Here,’ Cara crafts an ode to introverts—the listeners, the thinkers, the quiet dreamers. Far from celebrating the raucous nature of parties, Cara longs for ‘somewhere with my people we can kick it and just listen / To some music with the message.’ Her preference for meaningful interaction over forced small talk challenges the listener to consider the quality of their connections and the settings in which they are made.
This anthem, therefore, serves as a beacon for those who find solace in solitude or small gatherings where deep conversation replaces idle chitchat. It paradoxically asserts the power found in quietude, offering validation to those who often go unheard amidst louder voices.
The Rebellion of Keeping it Real
Alessia Cara’s ‘Here’ is far from a mere passive-aggressive critique; it’s a rebellion against societal expectations to always seem jovial and engaged. It celebrates the bravery of staying true to oneself in environments that demand otherwise. Cara’s stance is unapologetically clear when she states, ‘I shoulda never come to this,’ pinpointing the regret of abandoning comfort for the sake of social conformity.
The song becomes a cry for independence as Cara chooses to stand ‘by the TV with my beanie low,’ instead of mingling in insincerity. It’s a statement that sometimes, the bravest thing one can do is refuse to blend into a crowd that does not resonate with one’s true self.
Memorable Lines that Echo the Sound of Silence
‘Somewhere in the corner under clouds of marijuana / With this boy who’s hollering, I can hardly hear,’ Cara paints a vivid scene that many can painfully recall. It’s the sound of silence amidst chaos—when the world is loud, but one’s inner thoughts are louder. These lines resonate because they manage to encapsulate a mental state of isolation that is profoundly relatable.
It’s not just the place or the crowd that Cara confronts, but her internal dialogue that questions, ‘Oh, I ask myself what am I doing here?’ This recurring refrain becomes an existential puzzle repeated throughout the track, reminding listeners that sometimes there is profound power in questioning one’s place in the world—or at the party.
Discovering the Hidden Meanings Within ‘Here’
At its core, ‘Here’ might appear to simply describe a profoundly awkward party experience, but its hidden meanings run deeper, diving into the heart of the human need for authenticity. Cara’s words touch on themes like the inadequacies of surface-level social interaction and the desire for connection that transcends banalities.
The song’s backdrop of a party symbolizes life’s myriad gatherings where individuals may feel out of place or misunderstood. Cara’s courageous unveiling of her true sentiments in a crowd represents a larger narrative about finding one’s identity and voice in a world that frequently drowns it out. Her unassuming retort to societal expectations not only serves as a personal assertion but also as a lodestar for anyone who has felt the pang of being an outsider.
