I wrote this song over a pretty long period but what first sparked me to begin writing it was an art-exhibition at my local museum. It was crafted by this one artist who grew up in the area and went to the same gymnasie (kinda like high-school) as me, and the exhibit was inspired by this one inauguration tradition we had that was held each year for the first year students.

She was describing the behaviour at the ceremony as bad and dirty and it just struck me that how strange this portrayal was, how all of the youth and fun and vibrancy had been washed out of the concept. It sounded like she was sort of jealous or spiteful that her time was over. And this really struck me since I had myself just graduated from that school. So in a way this was my response to the portrayal combined with having to face the fact that I might start to view it that way too, sooner or later.

Lyrics:

What kills a girl faster than attention
What kills an ego faster than rejection
I’ve seen pearl earrings and
I’ve seen mascara tears

They tell me it’s an ugly sight
the place where I was crowned
But you haven’t seen the places I’ve been
And you don’t know the dreams
that I left in that sand
You soil the circle of life
because it left you behind

Like it does to us all
Come spring or come fall
They’re back when you aren’t

What makes a girl want to learn a lesson
What makes us give in spite of recognition
I’ll see the wind turn and
I’ll see my friends grow scarce

You know the time it flies from me
No matter how I cling
I my old kingdom someone new is named king
They all leave their drinks
Where I used to leave mine
That’s the circle of life
It’ll leave you behind

Like it does to us all
Come spring or come fall
They’re back when you aren’t
Between four walls
The secret bathroom stall
It will never be the same again
Your girlhoods just another
estranged friend
Down on the the pavement
You made it
You made them