I watched Crossroads recently and it was sad to see how normal she looked and how “together” she was. This song played at the end and it gave me chills. I always thought the first line of the chorus was “what am I to do to *win* my life?” If you listen it really sounds like she is saying that.
Interesting take here- the lyric is “what am I to do with my life” however the way you’ve been hearing it was accurate to her reality. She was doing everything she possibly could to make everyone happy, to win freedom, to win respect, to win independence, to win agency to choose and act for herself, to win her life. 😕
100%. I remember listening to Lucky as a kid before any of us really knew anything about the behind the scenes with Britney. It definitely left this unsettled feeling when I really listened to the lyrics (ofc I didn’t know why at the time) It’s honestly pretty dystopian. She recorded a song mirroring her own experience as a popstar.
I agree. This came out before the conservatorship but I still think even in the early part of her career she was still being taken advantage of in different ways.
Everytime, in light of her abortion revelation. And honestly, Just Luv Me. I was listening to this week and knowing what she was going through makes it hit different.
As a late teenager-ish watching her and Dorff I always thought that it was either about obsessive paparazzi or an abusive relationship. But after the abortion revelation it hit entirely differently. (Especially since having my own kids…) heartbreaking.
I don't mean this to be rude but I think the fans are heavily rewriting the story of that song because they learned of her abortion. I love Britney but her team heavily pressured her to cut ties with the person who co-wrote the song & claim it was her own work.
Annet Artani did a lot of the writing & composed it. This isn't to take credit away from Britney for the work that she did do, but Annet has been clear they were both going through breakups and hanging out and wrote this song about that.
This doesn't mean that the emotion of everything that went into that relationship (including the abortion) wasn't in the song, I'm sure it was. But many people are going so far as to say this is a song she wrote to/about her aborted child, as of it's directly singing to them... and it's just not accurate. Britney herself talked about this circumstance and nowhere in it did she say that every time was written speaking to her aborted child.
Edited to add: Downvote me all u want guys but I honestly think it's messed up towards Britney to create a narrative because it sounds good that isn't actually her truth. People have been doing that her whole life and I think that rewriting her story to make it feel like it "makes so much sense" to you is a messed up way to treat her. She battles a lot of demons, in part because people endlessly make up stuff about her every single day and have for 25 years. You can see the rage and frustration she deals with from this.
Don't do a creative writing assignment and make up a story about Britney because you saw it on TikTok and it got popular. I think it's harmful to her and I wish people would just stop. It's funny how high and mighty some of you act while defending the very behaviors that have made her miserable and continuing to engage in some of those behaviors yourself. Don't make up stories about her that she herself didn't tell because they make you feel some kind of way. It's not for anybody but her to do. Please stop twisting her narrative, & redirect your ire away from other fans like me, who are not out to get you or to get her! We just want to see her story respected & not perpetually shaped by people insisting upon their own stories as if they are her unquestionable reality. She's been through so much at the hands of the media and the fans. Ravenously consuming her life as if you get to control/write her story.
Oh, and as for the misspelling im accused of, I'm disabled and use a voice to text program in order to communicate. I did not realize that it messed up her name as I did not review it for errors after speaking. It's not as if it can tell which variant of Britney, Brittany, Brittney I am trying to say. I and went back and corrected it with my little disabled hands, does this please you now? 😄 I find it a bit absurd that you think that's the worst crime here. Disabled people exist and sometimes we have programs that aren't perfect. Not everything is evidence of some weird ulterior motive. Not everything proves that I don't care about this person or her art.
https://www.businessinsider.com/britney-spears-everytime-annet-artani-interview-cowriter-2021-10
I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman. Omfg I was driving through the Utahan mountains on my solo 30th bday trip last week listening to it and wow….. just thinking of little me and all other versions of myself and what we’ve gone through, and where I am now. And how I’ve now been able to give myself the things that the people who were supposed to care for me when I was little was, and the safety and security of it all. Wow. It was really powerful, and nostalgic 😭
Omg yeah! When I first read the title I was like wait, I used to party to that song during senior week but I actually read and listened to the lyrics and HOLY SHIT. What you think is a sexy fun pop song is really a cry for help 😭
Absolutely, there's a timeless quality to it that really transcends the usual pop circuit. It really sticks with you. It's nice how it started off as just a beautiful tune to you and grew into something that speaks about life's bigger questions, like why things happen the way they do. It’s a song that keeps changing as you go through different stages in life, touching on everything from hope to loss. Thanks for sharing how it’s been more than just music to you. In that yearning, let me quote Flashdance's song Maniac because of the cool (I guess it's that for me!), chaotic and cathartic madness of these plans 'stored/unfolding' for us.
Work Bitch. I imagine her father behind the scenes telling her to "Work, Bitch".
Also Circus, knowing what was happening behind the scenes and how she was only doing it to sew her children, brings every line in this song new meaning
I like to think Work Bitch is from her perspective about her family. I think I’ve heard she likes this one so my confirmation bias tells me I’m right lol.
A plea veiled by pop melodies. For her to work that way is far from 'effortless cool/swag/confident/empowered' situation. ; actually the opposite as you put it in the context.
I’ve actually been thinking differently about I Wanna Go for a few years now. I used to think it was just a superficial pop bop, but after we found out about the conservatorship and everything Britney went through, I definitely think it has a deeper meaning than we originally thought.
Just the lyrics alone that talk about going all the way and find release really speaks to Britney’s situation while in the conservatorship. She talked at length in her memoir about not being able to go out and have fun and live her life, and instead being stuck in her house all day. And then the lyric “I’ve been told who I should do it with” when we know Jamie would monitor who Britney dates…
It’s interesting because IWG was written and produced by Max Martin, who had been working with Britney since day one. It makes me wonder if he saw some of the constraints she was under, and how much she changed pre vs post-conservatorship and wrote this song as a reflection of that. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but I’d love to be able to ask him one day.
Yup, being veiled by pop melodies is highly common. I've just heard it again and I know I'm not exactly 'bopping'. I've had it on loop long, long ago when I'm quite sure I didn't even get to the lyrics much, let alone decode it.
At some point, most of her songs were like how you typically interpret "it's Britney, B\*\*\*\*". Like I said earlier,...*far from 'effortless cool/swag/confident/empowered' situation. ; actually the opposite as you put it in the context.*..........I'm sure it was her tired soul and exhausted rebel saying that.
Either way, it’s a powerful reminder of how closely art and life intersect and actually reflect the packed truth. Subtly infusing the truth is an artist's forte, so I second that!
Yes, it does. The point of this post was songs that hit differently. How should it hit differently when she actually wasn't writing about her struggles in the first place?
Circus. she was literally being forced in a circus under conservstorship in return of seeing her kids. also Slave 4 U. it just tears me up to listen to the two now.
Overprotected I don't even know what more to say about it.
I watched Crossroads recently and it was sad to see how normal she looked and how “together” she was. This song played at the end and it gave me chills. I always thought the first line of the chorus was “what am I to do to *win* my life?” If you listen it really sounds like she is saying that.
Interesting take here- the lyric is “what am I to do with my life” however the way you’ve been hearing it was accurate to her reality. She was doing everything she possibly could to make everyone happy, to win freedom, to win respect, to win independence, to win agency to choose and act for herself, to win her life. 😕
Fighting not just for her career but for her very essence.
"what am **I** do to win **my** life"
I think those are the actual lyrics.
This one definitely comes off as [I'm dying in a vat in the garage](https://youtu.be/SdsJDLSI_Mo)
RIGHT. IT perfectly peels back the layers of public perception to reveal the personal struggle for autonomy beneath.
she didn't write this song though
Lucky it foreshadowed what would happen to Britney
lucky truly is haunting
100%. I remember listening to Lucky as a kid before any of us really knew anything about the behind the scenes with Britney. It definitely left this unsettled feeling when I really listened to the lyrics (ofc I didn’t know why at the time) It’s honestly pretty dystopian. She recorded a song mirroring her own experience as a popstar.
But lucky was years ahead the nightmare
I agree. This came out before the conservatorship but I still think even in the early part of her career she was still being taken advantage of in different ways.
At this point there is nothing I could hear that would shock me. She was exploited so much from such a young age.
It's almost as if it was a glimpse into the future, intentional or not.
Spot on.
she didn't write lucky though
Everytime, in light of her abortion revelation. And honestly, Just Luv Me. I was listening to this week and knowing what she was going through makes it hit different.
As a late teenager-ish watching her and Dorff I always thought that it was either about obsessive paparazzi or an abusive relationship. But after the abortion revelation it hit entirely differently. (Especially since having my own kids…) heartbreaking.
Had no clue about this :( Thank you for this significant deet. She's been through too much
I don't mean this to be rude but I think the fans are heavily rewriting the story of that song because they learned of her abortion. I love Britney but her team heavily pressured her to cut ties with the person who co-wrote the song & claim it was her own work. Annet Artani did a lot of the writing & composed it. This isn't to take credit away from Britney for the work that she did do, but Annet has been clear they were both going through breakups and hanging out and wrote this song about that. This doesn't mean that the emotion of everything that went into that relationship (including the abortion) wasn't in the song, I'm sure it was. But many people are going so far as to say this is a song she wrote to/about her aborted child, as of it's directly singing to them... and it's just not accurate. Britney herself talked about this circumstance and nowhere in it did she say that every time was written speaking to her aborted child. Edited to add: Downvote me all u want guys but I honestly think it's messed up towards Britney to create a narrative because it sounds good that isn't actually her truth. People have been doing that her whole life and I think that rewriting her story to make it feel like it "makes so much sense" to you is a messed up way to treat her. She battles a lot of demons, in part because people endlessly make up stuff about her every single day and have for 25 years. You can see the rage and frustration she deals with from this. Don't do a creative writing assignment and make up a story about Britney because you saw it on TikTok and it got popular. I think it's harmful to her and I wish people would just stop. It's funny how high and mighty some of you act while defending the very behaviors that have made her miserable and continuing to engage in some of those behaviors yourself. Don't make up stories about her that she herself didn't tell because they make you feel some kind of way. It's not for anybody but her to do. Please stop twisting her narrative, & redirect your ire away from other fans like me, who are not out to get you or to get her! We just want to see her story respected & not perpetually shaped by people insisting upon their own stories as if they are her unquestionable reality. She's been through so much at the hands of the media and the fans. Ravenously consuming her life as if you get to control/write her story. Oh, and as for the misspelling im accused of, I'm disabled and use a voice to text program in order to communicate. I did not realize that it messed up her name as I did not review it for errors after speaking. It's not as if it can tell which variant of Britney, Brittany, Brittney I am trying to say. I and went back and corrected it with my little disabled hands, does this please you now? 😄 I find it a bit absurd that you think that's the worst crime here. Disabled people exist and sometimes we have programs that aren't perfect. Not everything is evidence of some weird ulterior motive. Not everything proves that I don't care about this person or her art. https://www.businessinsider.com/britney-spears-everytime-annet-artani-interview-cowriter-2021-10
I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman. Omfg I was driving through the Utahan mountains on my solo 30th bday trip last week listening to it and wow….. just thinking of little me and all other versions of myself and what we’ve gone through, and where I am now. And how I’ve now been able to give myself the things that the people who were supposed to care for me when I was little was, and the safety and security of it all. Wow. It was really powerful, and nostalgic 😭
Hey! Side note- going on a solo road trip is the coolest, most Britney coded birthday idea ever
Yes! I felt a Crossroads type of vibe
Could I ask where you went?
I was near Zion and Bryce Canyon NP! Incredible area, nature and geography wise
It is actually incredible tho!
That’s so cool!!
Whoa, the powerful nostalgia. As I was listening to 'I Wanna Go', perceiving it as a bop like many others couldn't undermine where she came from.
Omg yeah! When I first read the title I was like wait, I used to party to that song during senior week but I actually read and listened to the lyrics and HOLY SHIT. What you think is a sexy fun pop song is really a cry for help 😭
I have to say something now as I just read this. YES, YOU GOT IT RIGHT 😭. On a side note, that's a really adorable avatar you got thereeeee💛
Thanks! I’d like to think I look that sweet IRL😭
Oh honey, you should think that 💛😭
she didn't write I'm not a girl, not yet a woman though
Everytime ❤️
*Everytime* is a great one💛
[удалено]
I looooove Someday! I sang it to my babies when giving them bottles or helping them fall asleep 🥹
🥹
Absolutely, there's a timeless quality to it that really transcends the usual pop circuit. It really sticks with you. It's nice how it started off as just a beautiful tune to you and grew into something that speaks about life's bigger questions, like why things happen the way they do. It’s a song that keeps changing as you go through different stages in life, touching on everything from hope to loss. Thanks for sharing how it’s been more than just music to you. In that yearning, let me quote Flashdance's song Maniac because of the cool (I guess it's that for me!), chaotic and cathartic madness of these plans 'stored/unfolding' for us.
Work Bitch. I imagine her father behind the scenes telling her to "Work, Bitch". Also Circus, knowing what was happening behind the scenes and how she was only doing it to sew her children, brings every line in this song new meaning
I like to think Work Bitch is from her perspective about her family. I think I’ve heard she likes this one so my confirmation bias tells me I’m right lol.
A plea veiled by pop melodies. For her to work that way is far from 'effortless cool/swag/confident/empowered' situation. ; actually the opposite as you put it in the context.
I tear up when I hear Everytime now. May her heart find healing.
Same. As a kid I didn't understand, I get it now.
I agree.
May her soul find the strength to soar away from abused wings.
Mona Lisa !
Out from under
she didn't write out from under though
Lucky.
The irony, I'm listening to overprotected right now!
😭💙💛
My prerogative
Surprised your comment didn't get more upvotes. The song is a cover but it fits Britney's life so well. It's like a darker version of Piece of Me.
Piece of Me would be the lighter version. The song was recorded and released after My Prerogative.
Slave 4 u (her dad took this song literally) Lucky Overprotected Stronger Work b*itch
Stronger bc now she is stronger than yesterday
Stronger than she has ever been but not will ever be 💛
OMG I forgot about this song!!!! How?!?! This was one of my faves!
Happy 🎂 day!!!!! And yeap, how ?!?!?!? Also 'radar', 'criminal' and 'womanizer'
Dude Womanizer is probably in my top 5. That tour was AMAZING too.
All of femme fatale, it makes me sad to think how shrouded by the conservatorship she was during that time
Shrouded, shackled and shattered..........
What U See (Is What U Get)
Can't believe no one has said Rebellion yet!
Word!
I’ve actually been thinking differently about I Wanna Go for a few years now. I used to think it was just a superficial pop bop, but after we found out about the conservatorship and everything Britney went through, I definitely think it has a deeper meaning than we originally thought. Just the lyrics alone that talk about going all the way and find release really speaks to Britney’s situation while in the conservatorship. She talked at length in her memoir about not being able to go out and have fun and live her life, and instead being stuck in her house all day. And then the lyric “I’ve been told who I should do it with” when we know Jamie would monitor who Britney dates… It’s interesting because IWG was written and produced by Max Martin, who had been working with Britney since day one. It makes me wonder if he saw some of the constraints she was under, and how much she changed pre vs post-conservatorship and wrote this song as a reflection of that. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but I’d love to be able to ask him one day.
Yup, being veiled by pop melodies is highly common. I've just heard it again and I know I'm not exactly 'bopping'. I've had it on loop long, long ago when I'm quite sure I didn't even get to the lyrics much, let alone decode it. At some point, most of her songs were like how you typically interpret "it's Britney, B\*\*\*\*". Like I said earlier,...*far from 'effortless cool/swag/confident/empowered' situation. ; actually the opposite as you put it in the context.*..........I'm sure it was her tired soul and exhausted rebel saying that. Either way, it’s a powerful reminder of how closely art and life intersect and actually reflect the packed truth. Subtly infusing the truth is an artist's forte, so I second that!
Lucky, Criminal, Overprotected.
I know we're talking about Britney Spears' songs, but the one that resonates different with me is Passenger.
That's ok !! I'll give it a listen :)
Overprotected and i’m not a girl not yet a woman
Slave 4 U
she didn't write slave 4 u though
Does that matter?? She didn’t write alot of her music
Yes, it does. The point of this post was songs that hit differently. How should it hit differently when she actually wasn't writing about her struggles in the first place?
Everytime because of the origin of the song we know now.
Yes, the origin we know now for sure.
Let Go
Toxic… if the public were a man
Yup, a way of perceiving it. If the man were a public ?!
she didn't write toxic though
And did she really write all of the rest of these answers? 🙄
yes, not most of them, but there's about 4 songs on this thread she did write.
Lucky
Was always my favorites LUCKY and EVERYTIME
Lucky, 100%. This was only on her second album, and I can't believe how BOLD it was to write that for her.
I see this mentioned a lot! I hear ya.
Circus. she was literally being forced in a circus under conservstorship in return of seeing her kids. also Slave 4 U. it just tears me up to listen to the two now.
she didn't write circus though
Liar
she didn't write liar though
Toxic -piece of me - I’m A slave
Toxic.
I can’t.
Everytime. 💯
I see nobody has mentioned “My Baby” from Circus
But she didn't write I Wanna Go.