Free Woman Lyrics

[NT78 1,230]

I haven't heard the leak. But we know Gaga has shared the lyrics: "I'm not nothing without a steady hand. I'm not nothing unless I know I can."

Does it bother ANYONE else that this double negative basically negates the point she is trying to make?

It should be "I'm nothing without a steady hand. I'm nothing unless I know I can."

The way she is saying it, she is basically saying a steady hand makes her nothing and knowing she can also makes her nothing.

This is making me crazy. 😜

[dynamite 50,362]

The way the thread tags don't fit in their bubble bothers me 

But nah it doesn't bother me, language rules don't apply in the same way to songs imo. I guess she thought it flowed better or something.

[TEMPLE 1,358]

5 minutes ago, NT78 said:

I haven't heard the leak. But we know Gaga has shared the lyrics: "I'm not nothing without a steady hand. I'm not nothing unless I know I can."

Does it bother ANYONE else that this double negative basically negates the point she is trying to make?

It should be "I'm nothing without a steady hand. I'm nothing unless I know I can."

The way she is saying it, she is basically saying a steady hand makes her nothing and knowing she can also makes her nothing.

This is making me crazy. 😜

No. She's not saying she's nothing, she's saying she's not nothing.

Meaning that just because she doesn't have a steady hand it doesn't mean she's nothing, or just because she's not trying it doesn't mean she's nothing.

[xoxo Craig 55,649]

I think you are interpreting it wrong. 

"I'm not nothing without a steady hand" -

She is saying that she is something even if she doesn't have a steady hand. 

"I'm not nothing unless I know I can" -

she is something when she has a point of view, and opinion, and a drive to make it somewhere.

"I'm still something if I don't got a man, I'm a free woman" -

self explanatory. All these things make her a "strong independent woman". 

 

Bear in mind, Gaga said that this song was about rape... and thats why she has to specify the gender in title as it was a male producer who did it to her. She's accepted, moved on and is liberated herself from feeling like sh*t because of what happened. 

[TEMPLE 1,358]

Just now, xoxo Craig said:

"I'm not nothing without a steady hand"  she is saying she is something with a steady hand. When her hand isn't steady, she is nervous or anxious or something which would suggest that she isn't confident in herself and doubts her self worth as a female and a human being.

 

She's saying she is something without a steady hand, if that's what you mean.

[alsemanche 87,364]

No, she's saying I'm not nothing without a steady hand. Double negative = a positive. So it means I'm something even without a steady hand

[DC 25,164]

This is confusing me, but luckily the comments here aren't making me feel confused anymore 

[Ivy 10,802]

Now that you mention it..

The first part makes sense: I'm not nothing without a steady hand = I'm something without a steady hand

The second part doesn't make sense: I'm not nothing unless I know I can = I'm something unless I know I can (??)

[NT78 1,230]

2 hours ago, Ivy said:

Now that you mention it..

The first part makes sense: I'm not nothing without a steady hand = I'm something without a steady hand

The second part doesn't make sense: I'm not nothing unless I know I can = I'm something unless I know I can (??)

 

Yeah, I can get onboard with the majority interpretation of the first part, but the second part just makes NO sense. 

 

Oh well, we know grammar isn't always Gaga's strong suit. I'm sure the song will be amazing regardless.