I told ZiZi that I wasn't gonna let her crystal-girl numerology quirk interfere with the carefully calibrated enumeration system I got going on here at "words from warflower"...she insisted this be entry 44 just as she insisted it be track #4 of "wet paint." 

it's, like, her thing, idk man.

still, there are often compromises to be made in collaborative endeavours such as we share...besides, how could I write a song about self-expression and not make space to sprinkle everyone's idiosyncrasies over the process?

that said, on the topic of "being myself" I am not in the habit of working any harder than I have to so you know what she can talk to you about it some...I'll be back for my verse.

--it's ZiZi!--

"Yeah I definitely added my own spin and embellished the melody a bit!

[ed. note- the first draft of a melody was something like J-Lo's "Waiting for Tonight", but ZiZi correctly identified that her music kinda sucks and ours should be not even sortakinda like it...the power of formal training, yall.]

Y’all know I love to SING so I added some big notes where appropriate and of course, crowd participation...hearing yall sing along to our originals is sooo exhilarating and it will never not be! 

At the end of the chorus, sometimes I repeat “there you gooooo” 4x… “deep belly breath and keep the ribs expanded, there you gooooo” …and ya know, AJ thinks it’s the best part of the song so we doing okay!"

[ed. note- I do...but the rest is good too, check it out!]

[verse 1]

fly my flag

stake my claim

live my life,

play my game (2x)

mmm (2x)

treasure the present (2x)

life comes at you fast (2x)

no fear no fear no fear in my spirit (2x)

[chorus]

hell or high water

said ima be myself

I can't look in the mirror

and be somebody else

wherever you run from yourself

there you go (3x)

[verse 2]

feeling free

up to me

I'm living my truth

can't you see?

no fear no fear no fear in my spirit (2x)

[chorus]

[verse 3]

your thoughts and perceptions

ain't none of my biz

like me or love me

it is what it is, oh

the light and the shadows

the fight in your soul

my light built to last

like it or not

[chorus]

[interlude]

not to say I never have a doubt

or that I got everything figured out

but I gotta do me anyway

ooh, so regardless what they have to say

[ed. note- I'm back baby! figured I'd break up a pretty obvious tribute to Bon Jovi's "It's My Life"--first song I ever sang onstage as an adult!--with a quick 16...whatever happened to that, I liked when pop songs used to end with a few featured bars...but only when they're on topic, otherwise it's THE WORST]

[editorial]

ask me who I think I am

what kind of question is it?

always stand out in the crowd 

because I stand on business

my complaint department closed

just about hit my limit

I don't take their advice

so why would I take their criticism?

much love to those I trust

leave if you must,

prefer you take me, 

rate me 

much less than perfect

but then again who would deserve it?

resilience or depression

taught me an early lesson

confidence peerless

fearless, real 

"more weight"

cuz I feel no pressure!

[chorus. jam, applause]

...who else would quote Giles Corey in a rap verse?

anyway yeah, I smile at my vivid memories of sketching this song out on my trusty 105-key...first one from the album Zi and me ever previewed to the public way back in February '25.

fun fact: she changed the original key and we argued over that for a while but in the end she's the band's musical director so hey whatever bro just let the lady do her job are we really gonna keep--

see, part of loving yourself and therefore life is learning to let shxt go. 

to just do your thing and let good enough be good enough...to not need control where you don't need it. 

that is what the song is about. that is what I am about. this is the AJ Way.

in a world engineered to create and exploit the most profitable, paralyzing insecurities possible within you, loving yourself to a healthy extent is one of the most radical, liberating, budget-friendly things that you can do.

self-esteem is unyielding armour against unworthy challenges from unqualified individuals.

if you know who you are, no one can tell you who you are not. what you will not do. where you cannot go. when the future begins.

once you have a clear vision of the person you want to be, of the world you want to shape and share, why live for anything but a more vibrant tomorrow?

as I say again and again in this space and in real life, the revolution starts in the mirror...it gives me deep pride to say that I have struggled for and won an enduring peace between my ears.

figure the more of us win that first battle, the brighter the future becomes.

all power to The People.

--Flor!