Always Been You

Jessie Murph's song "Always Been You" delves deep into the emotional turmoil of unrequited love. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of someone grappling with feelings that are not reciprocated, creating a sense of one-sided affection. The opening lines, "Sometimes I feel like it's one-sided / Like some type of unrequited love," set the tone for the entire song, highlighting the internal struggle of loving someone who may not feel the same way. This unreciprocated love is kept hidden, as the singer mentions, "I keep it dark, I keep it quiet," until the presence of the beloved brings light into their life, albeit temporarily.

The chorus emphasizes the depth of these feelings, with the repeated line, "In my head / It's always been you." This repetition underscores the idea that no matter how much the singer tries to move on or rewrite their feelings, the truth remains that their heart belongs to this one person. The imagery of having their heart in their hands, feeling hopeless because no one else can take the place of their beloved, adds to the poignancy of the song. The struggle is further highlighted by the lines, "It's hard to be fine when your heart's on the line / And the truth is I'm goin' through hell," showcasing the emotional pain and turmoil experienced.

The song also uses powerful metaphors to convey the intensity of these emotions. Comparing the feeling of being overwhelmed to being "underwater like Poseidon" and taking up space "like a hyphen" illustrates the all-consuming nature of this unrequited love. The singer's frustration with themselves for pretending there could be someone else is palpable, as they admit, "Sick of playin' games with myself / Sick of playin' like there's someone else." Ultimately, "Always Been You" is a heartfelt exploration of the pain and persistence of unrequited love, capturing the essence of longing and the difficulty of moving on when one's heart is steadfastly attached to another.