Singer: Sara Bareilles

    You can be amazing

    You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug

    You can be the outcast

    Or be the backlash of somebody’s lack of love

    Or you can start speaking up

    Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do

    And they settle ‘neath your skin

    Kept on the inside and no sunlight

    Sometimes a shadow wins

    But I wonder what would happen if you

    Say what you wanna say

    And let the words fall out

    Honestly I wanna see you be brave

    ...

    Everybody’s been there, everybody’s been stared down

    By the enemy

    Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing

    Bow down to the mighty

    Don’t run, stop holding your tongue

    Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live

    Maybe one of these days you can let the light in

    Show me how big your brave is

    Say what you wanna say

    And let the words fall out

    Honestly I wanna see you be brave

    ...

    Innocence your history of silence

    Won’t do you any good

    Did you think it would?

    Let your words be anything but empty

    Why don’t you tell them the truth?

    Say what you wanna say

    And let the words fall out

    Honestly I wanna see you be brave

    ...

    Background

    “Brave” is another chance for Bareilles to show off her songwriting skills. Much like Jon McLaughlin, whom Bareilles sang with on “Summer Is Over,” she manages to keep what everybody liked so much about her earlier hits, but also introduces an electric sounding beat that melds perfectly with her sometimes complex rhythms and acoustic style. The lyrics are just as clever as you would expect. The song is about speaking out, even if it makes you a outcast.