Not Strong Enough (2023) – boygenius

boygenius (stylized in all lowercase) is an American indie supergroup formed in 2018 by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus. I liked this song and the playful video from the first moment I heard it. Not Strong Enough is the fourth single from their debut full-length, the record (stylised in lowercase) released on March 31st, 2023. I would recommend there other three singles releases as well: True Blue, Emily I’m Sorry and $20. In a Rolling Stone profile, writer Angie Martoccio describes Not Strong Enough as “the most communal” song on the project, and indeed, it gives seemingly equal space to the trio of singer-songwriters.

[Verse 1]
Black hole opened in the kitchen
Every clock’s a different time
It would only take the energy to fix it
I don’t know why I am

[Chorus]
The way I am
Not strong enough to be your man
I tried, I can’t
Stop staring at the ceiling fan and
Spinning out about things that haven’t happened
Breathing in and out

[Verse 2]
Drag racing through the canyon
Singing “Boys Don’t Cry”
Do you see us getting scraped up off the pavement?
I don’t know why I am

[Chorus]
The way I am
Not strong enough to be your man
I lied, I am
Just lowering your expectations
Half a mind that keeps the other second-guessing
Close my eyеs and count

If this song doesn’t rub you right the way, all I have to say is drop all tools now if you haven’t heard boygenius in this KEXP performance. The Record received critical acclaim and was awarded perfect scores by the likes of DIY, NME and Rolling Stone.  It went on to top the charts in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, marking the first number-one album for all band members, and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200.
Boygenius say that today’s breezy rock track Not Strong Enough is about “paradoxically experiencing self-hatred while having a God complex.” The chorus: The way I am, Not strong enough to be your man‘ was inspired by the Sheryl Crowe hit – Strong Enough.

The music video below features Bridgers, Baker, and Dacus having a lovely day in Southern California. They hit the amusement park, the art museum, and the mini-golf course before enjoying a bonfire on the beach.

Reference:
1. The Record (Boygenius album) – Wikipedia
2. Boygenius Explore Conflicting Mental States On New Song “Not Strong Enough” – Genius.com

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