For the Swedish-American duo Flora Cash, “You’re Somebody Else” proved to be a song that brought them to the limelight. It was initially included on their 2017 full-length debut album, “Nothing Lasts Forever (And It’s Fine)”. This album was released by a Stockholm-based indie label called Icons Creating Evil Art. When Sony acquired the rights to the album, the song was removed from it. However, it did end up achieving viral status in 2018 when it was used in a commercial in Mexico. Hereon, this song would lead the duo to mainstream success.
Flora Cash consists of Shpresa Lleshaj and Cole Randall. The story behind the formation of this band is nothing less than a spectacular romance bound by the magic of music. Shpresa is Albanian and her family fled to Stockholm from Kosovo to escape conflict in the region. That’s where she met Cole. The two shared a similar taste in music and a common artistic vision. Thus, Flora Cash was formed. Later in 2013, the couple got married. Taking the couple’s story in context, every song of their takes on a new and deeper meaning. They’ve also never revealed the real meaning of the name of their moniker. It’s a secret that presumably only the two of them share.
After the commercial aired, “You’re Somebody Else” found itself in the Top 10 Billboard’s Alternative Songs and Adult Alternative Songs charts in November. After becoming so popular among the fans, the song was finally certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2021.
What does the title mean?
In an interview, Cole Randall admitted that this song was him talking to himself. He also revealed that he was having severe anxiety, and most of the song is inspired by that experience of his. Nevertheless, he still thought about Shpresa and how his anxiety might be affecting her. “You’re Somebody Else” touches upon that feeling when you have anxiety and panic attacks. We don’t feel like ourselves but only project our normal selves outward. This might even lead to impostor syndrome, from which a lot of talented people suffer. Apart from that, the title could be related to derealization disorder, wherein the patient begins to detach from their surroundings. The title itself invokes those feelings that many who suffer from various kinds of anxieties and other mental afflictions are not able to express.
Yet, it’s also soothing in a way. With the calming humming in the background, it feels as if it’s an antidote to that anxiety. The listeners understand the lyrics but the music creates a space of comfort. Perhaps, that’s an apt example for those critics who fail to consider the ‘vibe’ of a song.
Verse – 1: What does it mean?
“I saw the part of you
That only when you’re older, you will see too
You will see too
I held the better cards
But every stroke of luck has gotta bleed through
It’s gotta bleed through
You held the balance of the time
That only blindly I could read you
But I could read you
It’s like you told me
Go forward slowly
It’s not a race to the end”
Oftentimes, our better half can see something in us that we ourselves cannot see. This is a commonly reported phenomenon among couples when they are in love. Heck, even people who love you can recognize the good inside you even if you yourself can’t. It’s perhaps Shpresa’s message to Cole to help him with his anxiety. In the latter lines, their story as a couple becomes important. They met each other on SoundCloud and talked about music, which was a passion for both of them. It is possible that they developed feelings for each other at that time. They took it slow and now they’re married. It’s a love story wherein the lovers went slowly and finally ended up happy. And it’s also true that life is not a race to the end. To experience things in life properly, one has to slow down.
Chorus – What does it mean?
“Well, you look like yourself
But you’re somebody else
Only it ain’t on the surface
Well, you talk like yourself
No, I hear someone else though
Now you’re making me nervous”
As Randall even mentioned in an interview, the chorus is definitely him talking to himself. At this point in time, he doesn’t feel like himself and it’s making him nervous about his relationship with Shpresa. He loves her so much that he doesn’t want to lose her due to his anxiety. On the surface, the lyrics of the song may come off as corny. It might seem that it’s just another love song. But it’s a track that is created by a couple deeply in love whose chance of meeting was almost nil. Think about it – An indie Swede musician falling in love with an indie American musician. It seems something straight out of a fairytale.
The line “I hear someone else though” can refer to shifting personalities and self-doubt. In many cases of anxiety, one doesn’t feel like themselves.
Verse 2 – What does it mean?
“You were the better part
Of every bit of beating heart that I had
Whatever I had
I finally sat alone
Pitch black flesh and bone
Couldn’t believe that you were gone”
This could be Randall’s message to Shpresa. He admits that she is the better part of himself. Connecting this with the first verse, it could mean that maybe what Shpresa saw in Cole was herself. In the last lines, his anxiety of losing her takes over again.
Bridge – What does it mean?
“Where are we?
Where are we?”
This song was written when the couple was in Stockholm. The bridge expresses that they are not where they want to be. Maybe, it goes a bit deeper than that. It could be perhaps about the constant anxiety of getting somewhere (better job, a spouse, a place). The bridge is also sung in a distorted voice, so this could definitely refer to muddy thoughts and voices that come along with quite a few mental afflictions.
Outro – What does it mean?
“I saw the part of you
That only when you’re older, you will see too
You will see too”
The outro is the same as the first three lines of the first verse. These are the most comforting three lines in the whole song. It talks about how we are able to see a whole different side of the person that we love, even though the world and they themselves aren’t able to see it.
Conclusion
The song can be interpreted in a lot of ways. After it gained traction in the mainstream, it was interpreted in various ways by various communities. The LGBT community, those suffering from mental illnesses and drug addiction, the heartbroken, etc. – the song resonated with everyone. For the couple, this song was more personal. But art evolves as it is put out. The meaning-making process is shared by the artist and the fan. We may never know what the song means for the couple on a personal level, but we can be sure about the comfort that it can offer to almost anyone who appreciates good music.
