"The cycle continues"

I was at a store in the mall earlier today that mostly caters to people younger & skinnier than me (cough) -- and the choice of music on the sound system generally reflects that. Imagine my annoyance when I realized that the repetitive refrain I was hearing was going something like this:

We'll go to school and get married and start a family
and they'll go to school and get married and start a family
the cycle continues....
We'll go to school and get married and start a family
and they'll go to school and get married and start a family
the cycle continues... 

On & on & on the refrain went. "The cycle continues? Not for everyone!" I thought with an eyeroll. I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Imagine my surprise when I Googled the lyrics to write (complain) about them in my blog -- and read the entire thing. Context is everything, people, and I was hasty to judge.  (I obviously wasn't listening very well either!)  The song was by a "neo-soul and contemporary jazz" singer and songwriter from the U.K. named Ego Ella May.  It's still not the kind of music I'm really into -- but I feel like I owe her an apology.  ;)  Just read (YouTube video also embedded below):

Girls Don't Always Sing About Boys

Verse 1
Girls don't always sing about boys
What if I wanna talk about suffering,
in the earth
the ocean plastic happenings?
Would anybody listen at all
if i don't parade in a bra- only
to get my point across

I don't always think about boys
but I hear love is the only thing worth fighting for
as well as loving the same sex
sanitary kits for homelessness
Grenfell, mental health for all..

Chorus
We'll go to school and get married and start a family
and they'll go to school and get married and start a family
the cycle continues,
when we don't question what we're into x2

Verse 2
Girl's don't always sing about boys
even though it's what sells and what's relatable
I mean, who doesn't wanna cry?
To a song about getting your heart broke
cos she'll sing all the words that you never spoke
or couldn't

I can't always think about boys
Cos I've been reading about:
air pollution, sustainable fashion,
learnt behaviours, why it all happens
so I guess, I'll raise the issues
with a nice beat behind me
singing it sweet so you'll still buy me
as I rethink the norm like...

Chorus
We'll go to school and get married and start a family
and they'll go to school and get married and start a family
the cycle continues,
when we don't question what we're into x2

released November 22, 2019
All lyrics by Ego Ella May