Try by Colbie Caillat
After looking up “tween girls” and being somewhat discouraged by what I found, I looked up “songs about tween girls” and the first post was titled A Playlist for My Daughter: 15 Songs to Empower Girls, which made me feel a little better. After looking through the list, I found “Try” by Colbie Callait, who I love. I’ve heard the song, but never seen the video. It only served to make me love her more!
Who created this message?
Colbie Callait wrote this song with Kenneth Edmonds for her album, “Gypsy Heart Side A”, in 2014. She said she wanted to reflect women’s need to change themselves in so many ways to feel accepted and to send a message of self-love that doesn’t always necessitate changing who you are for approval.
What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?
I found the creative techniques in the video to be very effective. I have heard the song, but had never seen the video and found myself getting emotional with my tween sitting beside me watching it. Callait reported that the video was shot in reverse with the ending shots filmed before the women in the video had their hair and makeup done. The message of the song came through clearly as each of the women proudly stood being naturally themselves without any sort of false beauty.
What viewpoints or world views are included or left out of this message?
This is purposefully a feminine viewpoint focusing on the societal pressure women are under to look and act a certain way in order to be accepted. The video includes women of many races and ages all freeing themselves of the confines of prescribed beauty standards and embracing their natural appearances and beauty.
As a mother with a daughter on the verge of and very anxious to start wearing makeup, it really spoke to me on many levels. I do not enjoy wearing makeup and leave it off whenever I can, but do feel pressure to “fix myself up” when in professional or social situations. Sometimes it makes me feel good, but I resent feeling like I need to look just so all the time and struggle when it takes me so much longer to get ready to go out than it does my husband. As a mother, I understand the draw wearing makeup has for my daughter and the right of passage it is for her. However, I also loath to have her start feeling like she “has to” wear it and cover up her ample natural beauty. The video and song spoke to all these feelings which is what left me so emotional watching it, I think.
How might different people interpret this message differently than me?
The message relayed in this video might not be as powerful to someone in different circumstances than me. It not only speaks to my own experience, but my mother’s heart as my daughter is on the precipice of entering into the rituals which the song references. Without these experiences, the song does not hold as much weight.
Why is this message being sent?
Callait said she wrote the song about her own insecurities and was so pleased with the response it received. Her desire to produce something honest speaks to others and creates a connection of shared experiences.
Lyrics
Put your makeup on
Get your nails done
Curl your hair
Run the extra mile
Keep it slim
So they like you, do they like you?
Get your sexy on
Don't be shy, girl
Take it off
This is what you want, to belong
So they like you, do you like you?
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
Yooou don't have to try
Ohh
Get your shopping on, at the mall, max your credit cards
You don't have to choose, buy it all
Do they like you? Do they like you?
Wait a second,
Why should you care, what they think of you
When you're all alone, by yourself
Do you like you? Do you like you?
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to bend until you break
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
Yooou don't have to try
Noooo
Oooh
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
You don't have to try
Take your makeup off
Let your hair down
Take a breath
Look into the mirror, at yourself
Don't you like you?
Cause I like you
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Kenneth Edmonds / Colbie Caillat / Antonio Dixon / Jason Reeves
Try lyrics © Reservoir Media Music, Sony/atv Tunes Llc, Universal Music Corp., Sony/atv Songs Llc, Cocomarie Music, Faze 2 Music