Ego heavily samples a riff from Félix Beaudoin, a fellow musician and friend I used to make music with, in his hard rock band Victims of Time.
During one jam session, he was messing around with the riff and I quickly started writing lyrics for it. Nothing came out of it, so I continued writing and, eventually, he recorded a snippet and let me use it as a sample.
The song somewhat straightforwardly talks about my past struggles with breaking out of the toxic mold I was forced into, and finally came out as transgender. The lyrics are an aggressive response to transphobic rhetoric and hate crimes I've been powerlessly witnessing.
lyrics
Save me from my mischief
For I have a second belief
A motive for another relief
Misguided without a chief
This world knows how to deceive
But I see what no one will percieve
A reflection I believe
Is it time for me to leave
My ego's the only thing I know
I gotta keep up and stay in the shadow
Long ago it was the risk I took
My life is made up for their lack of outlook
They've grown alongside their tease
They all seem to get to you with ease
It's no wonder your faith may decrease
Some even to their own decease
I will both die and grieve
Think of it like Adam and Eve
Trapped in one conflicted body
It's finally her turn to be
My ego is nothing but hollow
Should I keep up, the world is so shallow
All you know's the cover of the book
I'll now open up for everyone to look
(Born a man)
It's time to break my mold and man it should be easy
Cause there is nothing more fragile than masculinity
You shed blood sweat and tears to stop whoever's like me
'Til we're compelled to live the same but quite literally
You're capable to acknowledge the minority
So set aside your ignorance and show some empathy
To be open isn't a statement made politically
Have you forgot the basic tenets of humanity
Don't you dare to compare
We're just like you, we just want a share
We're defined, we're assigned
Differing makes us the bane of mankind
Cram these lines in your mind
To respect us won't cost you a spine
We're one kind, one bloodline
And I wish we were all colorblind
Your ego will break in half also
The choice to grow up belongs to yourself though
I'll be with you when you see what's in store
You'll reap what you sow like the skins we all once wore
credits
from The Outcast Qlub,
released March 31, 2019
Guitar samples by Félix Beaudoin
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