Vulnerable

Information Page

First released in 2009, this song was included on the Pet Shop Boys album Yes. This song is about the challenges of being a public figure while trying to live a normal, quiet life, which requires the public figure to hide his true feelings while projecting the fake facade of the public figure. The conclusion drawn in the song is that this leaves public figures vulnerable. The song's overall message is that the richest, most famous, most powerful, most successful, most anything people need the same personal security and protections as everyone else, but being public figures, they are bigger targets for physical, psychological, and emotional attacks and, as such, are in greater need of security and protection. From this perspective, the comfort they might feel when they are with someone who accepts and loves them for who they truly are instead of who they appear to be on the outside is far more valuable to them than it is to the rest of us. To them, it is priceless.

You may think I'm strong
And I can do no wrong
But I'm vulnerable
So vulnerable without you
I may be hard to take
But you can't call me fake
'Cause I'm vulnerable
So vulnerable
Without you

I know the assumption is that I'm tough
And with all my anger that's fair enough
Even with friends I have to compete
And try being me when you walk down the street
It's not easy
By the by
Just surviving
In the public eye

You may think I'm strong
And I can do no wrong
But I'm vulnerable
So vulnerable without you
I may be hard to take
But you can't call me fake
'Cause I'm vulnerable
So vulnerable
Without you

You know I can't ever bear to seem weak
Or have any doubts. That's just my technique
I put in the hours, at least I don't shirk
A little bravado does much of the work
I am no one's
Stepping stone
But I couldn't live life
In private alone

You may think I'm strong
And I can do no wrong
But I'm vulnerable
So vulnerable without you
I may be hard to take
But you can't call me fake
'Cause I'm vulnerable
So vulnerable
Without you

At night
I am lying awake
Through the hours trying
To calculate
Am I good enough?
Can I contrive
To keep this show on the road?
Will I survive?

I know you must sometimes think I don't care
Or even appreciate what we share
Though I'm no one's
Stepping stone
The truth is I love you
And I'd go crazy alone

You may think I'm strong
And I can do no wrong
But I'm vulnerable
So vulnerable without you
I may be hard to take
But you can't call me fake
'Cause I'm vulnerable
So vulnerable
Without you

Written by Tennant/Lowe

Works Cited

A large part of this song analysis was attained from the Pet Shop Boys fansite Geowayne: Commentary, Interpretation, and Analysis of Every Song by Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved from http://www.geowayne.com/newDesign/please/violence.htm

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