Last week I saw an interview on the E! channel with actress and singer Demi Lovato. I had never heard of her but was quickly captivated by her story. The former Disney starlit spoke of her battle with depression, bulimia and cutting. She was incredibly bold and descriptive about her experience of dealing with these issues in the spotlight.
Then I saw the new music video.
"Skyscraper." The song was recorded while Demi was actively destroying her body and her vocal cords were extremely weak. The song came out raspy and it was after her recovery in rehab that the song was re-recorded. With stronger vocal cords the song just didn't sound right. The original recording was kept for the single which was recently released. Demi explained in her interview that the original recording was like a cry for help.
I never personally experienced the illness of cutting but as many teenage girls do, I did dabble into eating disorders as a teen. Depression is a strong and manipulative evil. I believe I fell into the opposite of my teen eating disorder as I went into my adult years and began binge eating to cope with my emotions.
The lyrics to the song "Skyscraper" and the feeling in Demi's voice are two things I have not been able to let go of in the last week. I have played this song literally over and over. As a survivor of depression I feel an incredibly liberated when belting out these lyrics. I just wanted to share what they are. If you have been through tough times emotionally or physically, it seems this song can fit into so many different situations. I am very proud to say that today I am happy, satisfied and hungry for more out of life. I am thankful for the life I live and I cherish every single moment.
[Demi Lovato]
Skies are crying
I am watching
Catching teardrops in my hands
Only silence as it's ending, like we never had a chance
Do you have to, make me feel like there is nothing left of me?
[Chorus]
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like i'm made of glass
Like i'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper!
Like a skyscraper!
[Demi Lovato]
As the smoke clears
I awaken, and untangle you from me
Would it make you, feel better to watch me while I bleed?
All my windows, still are broken
But I'm standing on my feet
[Chorus]
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper!
Like a skyscraper!
[Bridge]
Go run, run, run
I'm gonna stay right here
Watch you disappear, yeah
Go run, run, run
Yeah it's a long way down
But I am closer to the clouds up here
[Demi Lovato]
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper, Oh
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper!
Like a skyscraper!
Like a skyscraper!
Like a skyscraper!
