Music Monday: Let Me Be Myself by 3 Doors Down

Music Monday is a meme that was created by Drew from The Tattooed Book Geek. Bjørn and I will pick a song alternatively on each Monday and share our thoughts about them. Timy’s pick this week is Let Me Be Myself by 3 Doors Down.

*sigh* Things are not going according to plan these days. For one thing, today should be Bjorn’s turn. For another, I was planning to use my second slot this month to pick another oldie but goodie from 1988 as a celebration for my birthday. But then this weekend happened, and we just got the news of Brad Arnold‘s passing. He was the lead singer and founder of 3 Doors Down. I haven’t been closely following the band for a while now, but I fucking loved their music in my formative years, and they’ve been among those early bands that made me absolutely fall in love with rock and roll as a teenager. I had no idea Brad had cancer, so the news of his death came as an absolute shock. He was only 47. That’s too goddamn fucking young, if you ask me.

And so, today I’m bringing you one of my favorites from 3 Doors Down, Let Me Be Myself. This song always spoke to me, because I always found it hard to fit in anywhere. And I always felt like people were only seeing what’s on the outside, and no one cared about what was inside me. I was treated based on my looks, which I found harder and harder to accept and come to terms with. I don’t think I ever will, but anyway. Interestingly, one of my goals for this year is to get to know myself better and let others see the real me a little bit more. And you know, we all could say a bit more often to people, “let me be myself”. The world might be a better place for it.

So I’m saying goodbye to Brad with this song and hope that his music will be remembered for a very long time.

I guess I just got lost
Being someone else
I tried to kill the pain
Nothin’ ever helped
I left myself behind
Somewhere along the way
Hoping to come back around
To find myself someday

Lately, I’m so tired of waiting for you
To say that it’s OK, but tell me

Please, would you one time
Just let me be myself
So I can shine with my own light
Let me be myself

Would you let me be myself

I’ll never find my heart
Behind someone else
I’ll never see the light of day
Living in this cell
It’s time to make my way
Into the world I knew
Take back all of these times
That I gave in to you

Lately I’m so tired of waiting for you
To say that it’s OK, but tell me

Please, would you one time
Just let me be myself
So I can shine with my own light
Let me be myself
For a while, if you don’t mind
Let me be myself
So I can shine with my own light
Let me be myself

That’s all I’ve ever wanted from this world
Is to let me be me

Please, would you one time
Let me be myself
So I can shine with my own light
Let me be myself

Please, would you one time
Let me be myself
So I can shine with my own light
Let me be myself
For a while, if you don’t mind
Let me be myself
So I can shine with my own light
Let me be myself

Would you one time…ooh
Let me be myself
Let me be me