Sammy Rae and the Friends-Flesh & Bone

The song from the Sammy Rae and the Friends 2018 album, “The Good Life” explores themes of ego, anxiety, and growing into your adulthood. In particular, it explores the question, “I need to know if I am flesh and bone and am I still growing or am I full grown?”

The song explores doubt about not moving fast enough through adulthood and whether or not the artist feels supported in their growing independence. They begin by telling a story of a perfect beach day being ruined by thoughts of hate, ending the line with “We do not love ourselves the way the prophets teach”

Sammy Rae uses trumpets and a heavily reverbed guitar to stress the existential dread and intensity of growth. The song is upbeat and jazzy in classic Sammy Rae fashion, with running vocals and instrumentals. She uses metaphors of striking matches and budding seeds to address the conflict between her ego and inner child. The most repeated line in the song is “I gotta see it for myself, I gotta learn it on my own.” expressing that these lessons in growth are self-taught, a message of hope to any audience.