Des'ree - You Gotta Be

"You Gotta Be" by Des'ree is one of those songs that always reminds me of hard times, but also reaffirms that I got through them. I think the first time I ever took note of the song was when I was in 5th grade. I had just switched schools, and I was not happy about it: I didn't have any friends, I had to follow a strict dress code...I just wasn't happy. One day when my mom was driving me home from school, this song came on the radio, and my mom sort of "dedicated" the song to me. She told me that she wanted me to think of this song when times seemed tough. It's a "strong woman" song. Here are some lyrics:

Chorus:
You gotta be You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm
You gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Every time I hear the song, I not only listen to it from the perspective of my ten-year-old self, but I also think about how I have applied it to my life since then. Through school, through heartbreak, through work...There are always times that will test you, and you just need to be any and all of the adjectives mentioned in the song to get through it all. I also like the lines "Try and keep your head up to the sky" and "Don't be ashamed to cry" from other parts of the song. Dream big and stay positive, but don't be afraid to show your true feelings, good or bad. This song simply gives you permission to be a strong woman, and we can always use more of that!