#thinking about luisas line in surface pressure ‘i hide my nerves and it worsens / i worry something is gonna hurt us’ and internally
Text
Soooo. My nieces and nephew wanted to watch Encanto for the 300th time and of course I have to make literally everything about the bloodline so here is a thread no one asked for comparing Encanto characters to the personalities of characters in the bloodline storyline. This is probably gonna be insanely long so buckle up I guess.
I repeat I am referring to CHARACTERS in the STORYLINE here. Not actual people.
Roman = Luisa
"Who am I if I can't run with the ball? If I fall to. Pressure like a grip, grip, grip, and it won't let go, whoa..."
Luisa is under pressure constantly to be the strong one, to handle things for her family and just make sure things are taken care of. Just like Roman who has pressure from the elders to be the head of the table, to keep the championship(s), to be the leader and the strong one and handle all the family problems.
"Under the surface, I hide my nerves and it worsens, I worry something is gonna hurt us. Under the surface, the ship doesn't swerve as it heard how big the iceberg is. Under the surface, I think about my purpose, can I somehow preserve this? Line up the dominoes, a light wind blows. You try to stop it tumbling, but on and on, it goes. But wait, if I could shake the crushing weight of expectations, Would that free some room up for joy or relaxation, or simple pleasure? Instead, we measure this growing pressure. Keeps growing, keep going. 'Cause all we know is Pressure like a drip, drip, drip that'll never stop, whoa. Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip 'til you just go pop, whoa, oh, oh. Give it to your sister, it doesn't hurt, and See if she can handle every family burden. Watch as she buckles and bends but never breaks, no mistakes..."
Jey = Mirabel
"Don't be upset or mad at all. Don't feel regret, or sad at all. Hey, I'm still a part of the family Madrigal. And I'm fine, I am totally fine. I will stand on the side as you shine. I'm not fine, I'm not fine..."
Mirabel wanted to shine too. Not just that but she saw all of the pressure on Luisa and wanted to take some off of her. She wanted to make the family proud too and in the end she would be the one to save everyone. Just like Jey. Not to mention, she's the main character.
"Always walking alone. Always wanting for more, Like I'm still at that door. Longing to shine like all of you shine. All I need is a change. All I need is a chance. All I know is I can't stay on the side. Open your eyes..."
Jimmy = Isabella
"So much hides behind my smile..."
Isabella constantly has a smile and portrays happiness and perfection at all times but the stress drives her wild and when she finally lets loose it's quite literally a mess but she does have her family's best interest at heart just like all the others. Like Jimmy.
"What could I do if I just grew what I was feeling in the moment? What could I do if I just knew it didn't need to be perfect? It just needed to be, and they let me be..."
Solo = Bruno
"Seven foot frame, Rats along his back. When he calls your name, it's all fades to black..."
Bruno is perceived as this big scary monster of a guy, this imposing figure when he's actually the sweetest little softy that loves his family more than anything. Like Solo.
Paul = Delores
"Live in fear of Bruno stuttering or stumbling. I could always hear him sort of muttering and mumbling. I associate him with the sound of falling sand (sh sh sh) It's a heavy lift, with a gift so humbling..."
Do those lyrics not sound like Paul hyping Solo up? Not to mention Delores is the "Wise Woman" of the family. If they need to know what's going on, what to do about it etc they go to her.
Elders = Abuela
"But let's be clear, Abuela runs this show, whoa. She led us here so many years ago, whoa. And every year our family blessings grow. There's just a lot you've simply got to know, so. Welcome to the Family Madrigal..."
Abuela, like the Elders of the bloodline are the ones actually running the show. They pressure the kids to uphold legacy and maintain tradition but have no clue the pressure could be hurting them. In the end as misguided as they are they want what's best for the family too.
#roman reigns#the tribal chief#the bloodline#wwe the bloodline#jey uso#jimmy uso#solo sikoa#paul heyman#wwe roman reigns#head of the table#the head of the table#main event jey uso#the usos#the enforcer of the bloodline
13 notes
·
View notes
Text
Surface Pressure (Isabela’s Version)
I changed the lyrics of “Surface Pressure” to fit Isabela in the pre-movie status quo, because I love her, this song, angst and character exploration. And I have too much time. I tried to convey a different tone and type of pressure to Luisa, oriented around the more nebulous idea of perfection rather than the practical responsibilities of strength. Like the original, it’s addressed to Mirabel, though not directly. This is more hearing her unspoken inner monologue. I imagine it’s in response to Mirabel noticing a slip in her facade and expressing worry for her. In fact, that it goes unspoken is an important facet of the tragedy of it for me; she does love her little sister and wants her to enjoy and appreciate her freedom from the glare of spotlight, the soul-smothering expectations and demands and duties that Isabela feels trapped at the behest of, but hiding her own pain and not seeing Mirabel’s for it enables Mirabel just keeps envying her in a self-perpetuating cycle of mutual resentment. Yet showing vulnerability and fallibility is so absolutely terrifying that at this point, she prefers being scoffed at and envied on a pedestal to her anxieties and desires and nuanced humanity being recognized - she’ll take Mirabel hating her false persona over knowing her authentic self because she thinks her authentic self is a moral failure that much. This is what the choruses are saying. When she says Mirabel doesn’t deserve the life Isabela has, she means it in a good way. It just never comes out like that. …I’ll stop rambling now.
I’m the model, I’m not nervous
I’m devotedly, totally perfect
I’m as giving as the earth is
And I glow ‘cause I know what my worth is
I don’t wonder if I’ve earned this
Got a smiling, beguiling surface
Orchids and carnations, with no aberrations
You want flor de mayo, for sure, here’s a mile, but
Under the surface
I feel berserk as a tightrope walker in a three-ring circus
Under the surface
Isn’t your concern, as you’ve heard, you do not deserve this
Under the surface
I’m pretty sure I’m worthless if I can’t be of service
A flaw or a crack
The straw in the stack
That breaks the camel’s back
What breaks the camel’s back?
It's pressure like a drip, drip, drip that'll never stop, whoa
Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip till you just go pop, whoa-oh-oh
Leave it to your sister, your sister's older
Never chance a glance over her cold shoulder
Who am I if I can't run with the ball?
If I fall to
Pressure like a grip, grip, grip and it won't let go, whoa
Pressure that’ll tick, tick, tick till it's ready to blow, whoa-oh-oh
Leave it to your sister, her life’s all roses
Never mind the hours practicing those poses
Who am I if I can't outgrow it all?
If I falter?
Under the surface
I hide my nerves and it worsens, what are gifts versus curses?
Under the surface
The roots burrow further, don’t swerve and I can’t reverse this
Under the surface
I think about my purpose, how long can I preserve this?
Line up the dominoes
A light wind blows
You try to stop it toppling
But on and on it goes
But wait
If I could shake the crushing weight
Of expectations, would that free some room up for joy?
Or relaxation? Or simple pleasure?
Instead we measure this growing pressure
Keep growing, keep going
'Cause all we know is
Pressure like a drip, drip, drip that'll never stop, woah
Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip till you just go pop, woah-oh-oh
Leave it to your sister, she knows her place
One stumble or stutter from utter disgrace
Watch as she buckles and bends but never breaks
No mistakes, just
Pressure like a grip, grip, grip and it won't let go, woah
Pressure that’ll tick, tick, tick till it’s ready to blow, woah-oh-oh
Please believe your sister, go back to hating
As long as I stay silent I’m not suffocating
Who am I if I don't have what it takes?
No cracks, no breaks
No mistakes
No pressure
#tried to strike a balance between ‘sounds condescending out of context’ and ‘in context is actually just sad and well-intentioned’#like changing ‘give’ to ‘leave’#thought that changed the tone a little#made it feel more dismissive but like in a self-sacrificial way#also ‘outgrow it all’ means that her plants must surpass the creations of nature itself#AND that she needs to and should already have outgrown all feelings like fear doubt anxiety self-oriented wants etc.#had fun with the rhymes#encanto#isabela madrigal#disney encanto#surface pressure#original lyrics
18 notes
·
View notes
Text
Your Weekly Tunes: Softy
This week, we’re kicking it off with our resident teddy bear, Virgil! Expect lots of acoustic songs that scream coffee shops, flannel, and warmth to celebrate the start of autumn here in the Northern hemisphere. Also, if you have any song recommendations or would like to share your thoughts/favorites, you are more than welcome to! 💚
YouTube
Spotify
Songs below the cut are the ones we’ve deemed the top five from the playlist for Virgil:
Free: Florence + the Machine- “ But I hear the music/ I feel the beat/ And for a moment/ When I'm dancing, I am free” and “Is this how it's always been?/ To exist in the face of suffering and death/ And somehow still keep singing”
Between the lyrics and the tempo of this song just feel so right with Virgil. The idea of being so weighed down by emotions but feeling the lightness of music despite it all is so reflective of him. It’s one of the more upbeat songs on the playlist!
Surface Pressure: Jessica Darrow- “ I'm the strong one, I'm not nervous
I'm as tough as the crust of the Earth is” and “Under the surface/ I hide my nerves, and it worsens, I worry something is gonna hurt us/ Under the surface/ The ship doesn't swerve as it heard how big the iceberg is/ Under the surface/ I think about my purpose, can I somehow preserve this”
This one might not even need much of an explanation, ha! Out of all the brothers, Virgil embodies Luisa the most from his physique to the emotional burden he takes on more than Scott (or John, for that matter). And as we imagine Virgil as the middlest brother with John and Scott older while Alan and Gordon are younger, he ends up in this in between where he has to be the gap between the two sides of their brother unit.
It Takes a Lot To Know a Man: Damien Rice- “It takes a lot to give, to ask for help/ To be yourself, to know and love what you live with” and “What are you so afraid to lose?/ What is it you're thinking that will happen if you do?”
This song. Enough praises cannot be sung about Damien Rice and this song is one of his best. It’s an emotional call out, especially when the climax of the end hits with multiple lines being sung over each other in mimicry of that little nagging voice in the back of your head finally becoming too loud. For Virgil, it’s something representative of the trials he’s been through to learn others but perhaps not himself. Here is an incredible live version of this song that Damien Rice does with a choir, which you all should really really really watch.
They Call Me Doc: Aaron Lewis- “ 'Cause I've seen it all, helped heroes who fall/ Picked them up 'til they stand tall/ And I've been in the field and worked down to the bone/ To make sure all my brothers get back home” and “You'll never know the heartache/ Of lookin' a grown man in the eye/ When he asked you, "Am I gonna make it?"/ And you've got to lie”
Try not to imagine Virgil being the narrator, out in the field during a rescue, playing medic to strangers and brothers alike. Trust us, try not to unless you want to end up bawling.
3 a.m.: Gregory Alan Isakov- “Give me darkness when I’m dreaming/ give me moonlight when I’m leaving/ Give me shoes that weren’t made for standing/ Give me tree-line, give me big sky, get me snow-bound, give me rain clouds give me a bed time…/ Just sometimes” and “Well now i just walk, well i don’t mind the rain/ But I’ve been singing so much softer than i did back then”
If it wasn’t mentioned before, Gregory Alan Isakov is another artist that will be popping up a lot. His vibes are pretty much Midwestern USA paired with astronauts, satellites in cornfields, and quiet nights with a dash of folk. This song specifically in relation to Virgil feels like a testament to young Virgil making his way in the world. And now that he’s older, reflecting back on it in some off-spoken way
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
I know I mostly talk about ships and character analysis here, but I'd like to take a moment to talk about how much the message of Encanto has touched me. I was listening to Víctor Heredia's "Taki Ongoy" today, and this is an album that always brings me to tears and makes me think about all of the punishment and torture our continent has been subjected to through the centuries. It feels so hopeless sometimes - I have Las Venas Abiertas right here next to me. It feels like the book is looking at me. It feels like a wheel of sorrow , death and misery that is spun around over and over again, and every time some of us have a few decades of peace of prosperity, it's snatched from us again, but I suppose we keep looking at the past and think "it was worse back then, so we can survive now". But even when we get to live safely, there's always that nagging thought at the back of your mind, something like... "you need a safe place to hide these books, because if they find them, they will take you and your family", or "you need to learn how to kill yourself quickly, because if they catch you, they will torture you and make your death so much worse", or "you need a safe place to hide in the forest, where no one can find you when they come." It sounds ridiculous and paranoid, but then I go to sleep, and my most recurring dream continues to be soldiers chasing me into the forest, while I run and try to find a place to hide.
I was watching Encanto the other day, during the Dos Oruguitas scene, when the horsemen appear and Alma and Pedro have to run away, and I wondered, "does Alma have nightmares about hiding from soldiers, too?" And then I listened to Surface Pressure again, and there's this line by Luisa, something like "I hide my nerves, and it worsens, I worry something is gonna hurt us", and I wondered if Luisa dreams about hiding from soldiers, too. I wonder if all the children and grandchildren of Alma dream about soldiers. I never had to hide from soldiers. Even though I never had a bad experience with someone in the military, I still can't help but think about all the ways in which they WILL find me and WILL take my family and WILL torture and kill us, any time now. I can't shake the feeling that it will happen one day, and thay day is growing closer and closer every day.
I didn't expect to like Encanto tbh. I thought I was going to leave the cinema feeling gross and insulted, and I was ready to rant about how disrespectful the US was for producing a silly musical film about the atrocities they've commited against the Colombian people. I admit I felt uncomfortable with the way they used their crimes against them as a plot point for their neoliberal capitalist movie. I still liked it overall, but it felt off. But then I went online and I saw colombians praising the movie, so I gave it another chance. No one mentioned any genocide backed by the US, so I assumed, maybe they weren't involved in this particular event? I admit I don't know much about colombian history, so maybe it was wrong of me to assume it was the US yet again laughing at the victims of their crimes. You know, because it's always either them, Spain, England or France. Or maybe this is how my country sees it. I was surprised by how little angry Alma was at the people who killed her husband. She mentions it as something that happened rather than something someone intentionally did. Dos Oruguitas never presents an enemy. The sequence never tells us who to blame, who to fight against, who to punish for their crimes, and the idea of holding on to your anger, of never forgiving and always seeking to make justice by punishing the entities that sought to hurt our people and try to mend the harm they've done, is very important in my country. Maybe I'm projecting. Maybe different people from different countries see healing in different ways. My country sees healing as a permanent battle uphill until victory is achieved and justice is made, but justice is never made, so you just keep fighting. To stop fighting is to give up. There is always another enemy, whether it be the US, England, the IMF, NATO, our own government, our own military, our own conflicting political parties, our own economy... because justice is never made. And I usually really dislike narratives about forgiveness and moving on, because the point is to never forgive and never abandon the fight - there's still so much work to be done and the anger can never be washed away. Healing is resistance. Healing takes strength and tenacity.
I do like Encanto though. It still has that very yankee idea of moving on and shit but it doesn't really feel yankee. In fact, if the movie wasn't yankee-made, I wouldn't call it a yankee sentiment at all, because I think it's an universal thing to all the peoples who have suffered - mine included! Because... you can't always be resenting the past. You are fighting against your past to reach a brighter future, and that is what Encanto focuses on. It's more personal. Less political. Maybe there's nothing wrong with it being less political - Disney isn't being sneaky by not clarifying which side killed Pedro: it's clear they don't want to alienate part of the audience by siding with either party, but maybe that's for the best, because this is already a sensitive topic and to keep things abstract might have been a good idea. My country has a very strict narrative condemning two-sides-ism when it comes to the most recent genocide, because it was framed as "a war between two sides" for so long, when in reality, it was the systemic persecution of the (mostly civillian) political opposition by a CIA-backed neoliberal military governent. So of course, I was wary around the way the movie refuses to name a culprit. But colombians seemed to like it. So maybe this is a "my country" thing. Maybe the film isn't about the crimes of the offending party, but the general violence that the country found itself tangled in. Maybe who killed Pedro is irrelevant, because he's still dead.
The movie isn't a commentary on the war. It's about a family learning to move on from the violence. I thought, maybe I'm being too hard on it. Maybe I'm missing some context. Maybe being silent and not "taking a side" is okay this time. Maybe it works for this story. I try to interpret the movie under that assumption now. My country faces its history in one way, and maybe colombians see theirs under a different light, one that allows for this story to be told respectfully. I know that if Disney tried to do the same with my country, it would be a huge political statement, a great insult, a condonation of genocide and foreign intervention in latin american politics. We would never forgive them (but then again, when do we forgive anyone?).
I admit I can't help but feel a little wary - is it appropriate to tell these stories in a Disney movie? In english? - but I haven't seen a single colombian person share my criticism, so I'll believe them when they say the movie is handling things alright, and I'll allow myself to enjoy the the story without wondering "what would Eduardo Galeano and Gabriel García Márquez say about this?"
And when I learned to "forgive" the movie for this, I began to appreciate its message about moving on more. I talked about this before, but I want to go into better detail - there's this scene when Mirabel walks into Isabela's room, and it looks like a princess' palace. It was brimming with luxury. The whole family lives in a huge house and have all of their needs and wants met and secured. They live in wealth, comfort and peace, and yes, luxury. That was the scene that made me realize that. I was also stunned by how beautiful Isabela was, and how through she movie she was presented as The Beautiful One by everyone around her. And, yes, her arc is largely about rejecting that persona, but... you rarely see the dark-skinned mestiza character be so heavily praised and adored by everyone around her. You rarely see them (us) live in such wealth, comfort and luxury. People have mentioned already that Isabela was the character that "looked the most indigenous" and while there isn't such a thing as a real "indigenous look", it's possible that the artists were aware of what they were doing when they designed her. And maybe this is just me being an Isabela stan on main, but yeah, her scene was what got me thinking about just how well the Madrigales live. How economically stable they are. Not only are they "stable", they are thriving. And then you realize that their big concern is losing the house, because the house is the source of their comfort and security.
But something interesting is that... they didn't achieve their luxury by exploiting workers or amassing power, you know, like it happens in real life. They were gifted wealth and luxury. They conceptualize it as a miracle, so it might as well be divine intervention. Something or someone too abstract to be of thematic relevance decided that they deserved wealth, luxury and comfort, simply because they did. They didn't have to earn it. They didn't have to prove their worth. To receive their house - and their whole encanto - was simply an act of unconditional love. Which makes me wonder, love from whom? God? Jesus? Mary? It was a miracle after all. The universe? Maybe? But this is where we stop and remember that Encanto isn't real life. Encanto is a story. They don't need to deserve anything "in-universe". They deserve their encanto for narrative reasons.
Encanto feels like a love letter to latin americans - specifically Colombians, but despite not being colombian I still feel deeply touched by it and I think that's okay. Encanto says "you and your people did not deserve what happened. You deserve to live as happy, safe and comfortable as the Madrigales". Which is why the movie is so beautiful, and doesn't show the uglier parts of Colombia. It shows us the life that colombians deserve: one of safety, comfort and stability. It feels like the film is stroking your cheek and kissing your head.
But despite the material security the Madrigales get to enjoy, they still have a lot of problems, because physical comfort and safety isn't enough. The scars of trauma don't go away with a miracle. People have talked about this to death, so I won't dedicate it as much time as my other points, but to see Alma and her children and grandchildren find healing tells a message of hope. When I first watched the movie, I sort of agreed with the idea that Alma should have left the Encanto, because there was no fixing the harm she'd done and the family's best hope to heal was to move on without her, but I don't think that's a better ending anymore. I think the ending we got, while a little bit rushed in some parts, is the perfect thematic conclussion for the story. Alma finds a way to come to terms with her own trauma, and she helps Mirabel, the new generation, move on and live happily without being held back by their family's past. I like this ending, because it offers Alma the sympathy she deserves, while still holding her accountable for her harmful personal decisions. It's overall optimistic, in part because didney gotta didney, but I think an optimistic ending it fitting for this film. The movie's ending is, overall, about hope. Hope that a brighter future is still possible for your people, and that you may even live to see it, and hope that you youself, and your family, can some day find peace from all the pain.
As naïvely optimistic as it may sound so some, it's a very comforting story: to hear that despite all of the pain, you and your people deserve a happy future, and that you will find it some day.
#encanto#encanto spoilers#encanto meta#encanto analysis#torture mention#suicide mention#genocide mention#war mention#this is just my interpretation at least
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
Lyrical Enlightenment: Surface Pressure (Encanto)
This is the first of my three favorite songs in the soundtrack.
At this stage, Mirabel has started her search for answers in why she is seeing the cracks in the house and the candle flickering away. Using her powers of deduction, she decides to start with Dolores, who hears everything, to find out if she has a clue on what's going on. She learns from Dolores that Luisa's eye was twitching all night - so Mirabel chases her older sister (the one with the gift of superhuman strength) for answers. The question she asks that hits home is "Why are you nervous?" - and then this happens.
I'm the strong one, I'm not nervous
I'm as tough as the crust of the Earth is
I move mountains, I move churches
And I glow 'cause I know what my worth is
I don't ask how hard the work is
Got a rough, indestructible surface
Diamonds and platinum, I find 'em, I flatten 'em
I take what I'm handed, I break what's demanded, but...
This shows what Luisa has done since her gift was given. A few moments before the song, we hear three different people in town ask her to do things, and she simply answers with 'I got it' or 'on it' - no questioning, no complaining - just delivering. Some of the tasks are actually simple things that can be achieved with some effort - like rounding up the donkeys, for example. But the town is so used to just asking and getting things done, that they prefer just to ask without thinking twice of the consequences. This in turn gives Luisa much more responsibility, as per Abuela's mandate, she is making her family proud by using her gift to help the community. However...
Under the surface
I feel berserk as a tightrope walker in a three-ring circus
Under the surface
Was Hercules ever like, "Yo, I don't wanna fight Cerberus"?
Under the surface
I'm pretty sure I'm worthless if I can't be of service
This is the first line that makes an impact. "I'm pretty sure I'm worthless if I can't be of service". This is the line of thought that has been ingrained in her brain when she was growing up, surely implanted by Abuela. Her self-worth is measured by the things she does because of her gift - and nothing else.
A flaw or a crack
The straw in the stack
That breaks the camel's back
What breaks the camel's back?
It's pressure like a drip, drip, drip, that'll never stop, whoa
This is the pressure that she feels, every day, at all times. Not the pressure of using her strength - but the pressure of disappointing someone, and the fear of not pulling through the task she's assigned.
Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip, 'til you just go pop, whoa-oh-oh
Give it to your sister, your sister's older
Give her all the heavy things we can't shoulder
This also hit me hard. Growing up, I was the oldest first cousin - so I was always supposed to be the wise one, the strong one, the responsible one, the one who led by example. And the one who comforts the rest in difficult times. The 'heavy things we can't shoulder' is Luisa handling what others can't, a metaphor of emotional distress that she has to get past in order to put a strong façade for those younger than her because they rely on her to get past their troubles.
Who am I if I can't run with the ball?
If I fold to
Pressure like a grip, grip, grip, and it won't let go, whoa
Pressure like a tick, tick, tick, 'til it's ready to blow, whoa-oh-oh
Give it to your sister, your sister's stronger
See if she can hang on a little longer
Who am I if I can't carry it all?
If I falter
More questions - who am I if I can't... always a show of strength, always reliable, never hesitant, never show weakness. A lot of internal pressure that can never be let out to the surface.
Under the surface
I hide my nerves and it worsens, I worry something is gonna hurt us
Under the surface
The ship doesn't swerve as it heard how big the iceberg is
Under the surface
I think about my purpose, can I somehow preserve this?
Line up the dominoes
A light wind blows
You try to stop it tumbling
But on and on it goes
There is the call out of hiding emotion so nobody else knows. The worry is all hidden, and something nobody sees. But the internal pressure is too much, and it starts surfacing by making her eye twitch, which Dolores heard, and led Mirabel to this moment. Now comes the desire for reprieve:
But wait, if I could shake
The crushing weight of expectations
Would that free some room up for joy?
Or relaxation? Or simple pleasure?
Luisa is tired of not getting a moment to breathe, to relax, to wind down. The pressure of expectation is stressing her out, and hasn't had a break thus far. This is the truth about her - the truth that Mirabel learns. Yes, Luisa is very strong on the outside, but on the inside she's falling apart. And sadly, there's no reprieve in sight.
Instead, we measure this growing pressure
Keeps growing, keep going
'Cause all we know is
Pressure like a drip, drip, drip, that'll never stop, whoa
Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip, 'til you just go pop, whoa-oh-oh
Give it to your sister, it doesn't hurt and
See if she can handle every family burden
Watch as she buckles and bends but never breaks
This is another section that cuts deep. "It doesn't hurt". This is an echo of what I imagine she's heard others say. They don't know it hurts because she doesn't let them see if and when it does. So every family burden is dropped on her, since the assumption by now is that she can handle everything that is thrown on her. Her strength without a negative reaction is normalized, so now there's no second thought when asking her to do stuff.
No mistakes, just
Pressure like a grip, grip, grip, and it won't let go, whoa
Pressure like a tick, tick, tick, 'til it's ready to blow, whoa-oh-oh
Give it to your sister and never wonder
If the same pressure would've pulled you under
This is the last line that makes a deep impact. "Never wonder if the same pressure would've pulled you under". Again, no second thought on dropping things on Luisa's back. We no longer care about how difficult the task seemed to be, or how hard it was to achieve, because she's strong, makes it look easy, and gets it done without complain. Not only the task is eliminated by giving it to Luisa - but the worry that comes attached to it is passed on to her as well.
Who am I if I don't have what it takes?
No cracks, no breaks
No mistakes, no pressure
The last line is obviously a throw at the sarcastic 'no pressure' we all get when we are assigned a difficult task, or something we have to turn around quickly, or put a lot of effort on, and is asked of us to not break or make mistakes - which is obviously going to derive pressure. Again - the normalization of ignoring the mental stress and emotional erosion that comes from these tasks.
In the end, Mirabel hugs Luisa, because she finally realizes what her older sister is going through, invisible to the rest. Luisa confesses that, when Mirabel saw the cracks in the house, she felt weak - which breaks her spirit due to the incessant questioning we learned through the song. She believes that, without her strength, she will lose her identity completely. Then, as Luisa continues gathering the donkeys for those who have learned to rely on her for any tasks requiring some effort, she tells Mirabel she should find out more about Bruno.
Hence, next up, my second favorite song of the soundtrack.
#lyrical enlightenment#disneys encanto#encanto#encanto 2021#luisa madrigal#mirabel madrigal#senseitoadstool#sensei toadstool
11 notes
·
View notes
Audio
[Luisa:]
I'm the strong one, I'm not nervous
I'm as tough as the crust of the earth is
I move mountains, I move churches
And I glow, 'cause I know what my worth is
I don't ask how hard the work is
Got a rough, indestructible surface
Diamonds and platinum, I find 'em, I flatten 'em
I take what I'm handed, I break what's demanded, but
Under the surface
I feel berserk as a tightrope walker in a three-ring circus
Under the surface
Was Hercules ever like, "Yo, I don't wanna fight Cerberus"?
Under the surface
I'm pretty sure I'm worthless if I can't be of service
A flaw or a crack, the straw in the stack
That breaks the camel's back
What breaks the camel's back? It's
Pressure like a drip, drip, drip, that'll never stop, whoa-oh
Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip 'til you just go pop, whoa-oh-oh-oh
Give it to your sister, your sister's older
Give her all the heavy things we can't shoulder
Who am I if I can't run with the ball?
If I fall to
Pressure like a grip, grip, grip, and it won't let go, whoa-oh
Pressure like a tick, tick, tick 'til it's ready to blow, whoa-oh-oh-oh
Give it to your sister, your sister's stronger
See if she can hang on a little longer
Who am I if I can't carry it all?
If I falter
Under the surface
I hide my nerves and it worsens, I worry somethin' is gonna hurt us
Under the surface
The ship doesn't swerve, has it heard how big the iceberg is?
Under the surface
I think about my purpose, can I somehow preserve this?
Line up the dominoes, a light wind blows
You try to stop it topplin', but on and on it goes
But wait, if I could shake, the crushing weight
Of expectations, would that free some room up for joy
Or relaxation, or simple pleasure?
Instead, we measure this growing pressure (pressure)
Keeps growing (pressure), keep going (pressure), 'cause all we know is
Pressure like a drip, drip, drip that'll never stop, whoa-oh
Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip 'til you just go pop, whoa-oh-oh-oh
Give it to your sister, it doesn't hurt and
See if she can handle every family burden
Watch as she buckles and bends but never breaks
No mistakes, just
Pressure like a grip, grip, grip, and it won't let go, whoa-oh
Pressure like a tick, tick, tick 'til it's ready to blow, whoa-oh-oh-oh
Give it to your sister and never wonder
If the same pressure would've pulled you under
Who am I if I don't have what it takes?
No cracks, no breaks
No mistakes!
No pressure!
4 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
