boygenius "Not Strong Enough" Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified

[@genius]

boygenius on genius!

[@guipessatti]

boy, that’s genius!

[@chan_martin]

Genius and The Boys

[@donnie1725]

It's crazy none of them are of the boy genus

[@HelloJohnRyan]

oh boy!

[@malmal8863]

boyGENIUS

[@genki_walflower]

Hearing their harmonies without any instruments in the background is something else in the best way possible.

[@leedalite]

seriously like the way my jaw dropped as soon as i heard the first "i am"

[@miguel-bv1ef]

Drop the genius acapella version NOW

[@Lustformldhfk]

ITS LIKE WITHOUT YOU WITHOUT THEM

[@gracethome5249]

literally had to pause the video to take a deep breath and process it lmfao

[@JohnKayJr]

It sounds really great for sure.

[@angelacranberry]

“self hatred plus having a god complex” “hating yourself for hating yourself” oh THAT’S why i relate to this song so much

[@wowsports8800]

YES and the not being able to take the responsibility rather than just commitment

[@Peanutbutterandjelly305]

What’s this song about ? Like what’s it about?

[@thesunwascollapsing]

phoebe just being mesmerised by lucy is such a mood

[@ivy-ys8or]

she’s always staring at lucy she’s just like me

[@rugma1696]

​​@@ivy-ys8oronestly theyre both just staring at each other always and julien feels like their child that just got dragged 😅

[@RoyaltoonzHD]

@@ivy-ys8or Fr I don't blame her lol

[@danicat7515]

why can't phoebe look at me like that, why? that is my problem

[@tia8245]

i dont blame her

[@aktisfm]

I love how they're posed like its a parent-teacher conference and Lucy and Phoebe are coming in to talk about Julien's C in English

[@al_cjp]

This except we all know Julien's getting an A+ in English

[@aktisfm]

@@al_cjp ok very true... in the poetry unit especially

[@AChickandaDuck]

🤣🤣🤣

[@whynotfrancis]

this feels like phoebe and lucy are the loving parents and julien is the disgruntled teenager somehow and i love it

[@znekkk]

no julien's definitely the dad, lucy's the mom, and phoebe's their emo kid

[@maiu1922]

Mom and Dad and their small son

[@chaerodactyl]

they're all each other's parents and children and siblings and that's part of the magic

[@wharax]

@@znekkkLOLLL

[@viv6700]

god hearing them sing this acapella is so so good. the last chorus is perfect. i want a version of the song where the instruments cut out when the "always an angel" starts and only come back in after "the way i am." with like a drum fill. yeah.

[@peggyclasse3697]

your mind

[@vivsagworld246]

i want an acapella version of every single boygenius song tbh

[@laurieiii]

just heard that in my brain and it sounded SO GOOD GNNNNN

[@YouTube]

of course they literally sound so good acapella

[@mollyjoe7663]

youtube based for listening to boygenius 🥱🫡

[@solomonsheridan8272]

They also listen to Paramore too, so that immediately makes up for Rewind 2018

[@bigcharlie8694]

Oy Bud we gonna get out dislike button back.

[@kidasmr9874]

Sup youtube. Bring back the dislike button

[@ctrloblivions]

@@solomonsheridan8272 not quite

[@kylairo]

their harmony is so amazing like they’re just really meant for each other

[@victorfreitas4678]

julien's laugh is the most precious thing ever

[@chlzz2]

i love her

[@hfjireh]

she is so precious

[@KaylieJane]

it sounds like Victoria Pedrettis laugh

[@Sol-dw1ew]

every time she laughs a fairy is born

[@matchaa4a]

i keep replaying. such a beautiful soul T___T

[@sarahrhoades2453]

Phoebe told Lucy to “do night shift” the way you tell someone at a skatepark to “do a kick flip” lol I love them

[@Eyephere]

Hahahaha this is so true

[@rw80]

I can listen to Lucy for hours. Such a beautiful speaking voice.

[@imaanibeatrice2183]

she’s my faveee

[@copaceticetal]

"I couldn't be accountable to another human being'-- well, that's the whole point, it's really hard." This line from Phoebe cut deep.

[@amarskie]

phoebe’s annunciation of the “t” on “don’t” is giving former theatre kid

[@billyhackenberg22]

Julien was standing the whole time that’s nuts

[@All-ze9cl]

LMAO

[@Alex-q9z9y]

HSHAGAHA

[@cloverjane14]

Wait was she actually

[@1975coucou]

@@cloverjane14no. it’s a joke bc she’s just really short haha

[@haaananan]

The “always an angel never a god” KILLS AND REVIVES ME EVERYTIME

[@mariehamiltonmusic]

I know I'm greedy but I want this for every song on the album

[@videogameheart]

You’re not alone!!

[@Lelelovemusic]

Literally was just thinking the same

[@nave_3030]

Saaaaaaaaaameeeé

[@justDiana247]

I'm pretty sure I'm just gonna die when I see them live but it's gonna be SO worth it.

[@thefranciscoflores]

i saw them at coachella and i cried like 4 times during their set.

[@thefranciscoflores]

i saw them at coachella and i cried like 4 times during their set.

[@justDiana247]

​@@thefranciscoflores I saw Julien in Prague last year and I was quietly sobbing the whole time.

[@leeaaa11]

SAME.

[@julezthealien2467]

Big same

[@gentry991]

their harmonies mean everything to me

[@Sneha-kd6lq]

Do they go by him/his?

[@angelicaamora11]

Crazy how even their hysterical laughs have harmonies...

[@blaire4300]

their voices are so good together love how different they sound but how much it works

[@rugma1696]

it's like julien's the soprano, lucy's alto, and phoebe's mezzo soprano? idk

[@blaire4300]

@@rugma1696 i agree!

[@chillarypuff]

I loved hearing Lucy’s perspective of the line “always an angel never a god.” I interpreted it differently before this, I thought it meant that you will never receive the exact perfect holy thing you are looking for, but you might find something good enough. Not settling, but accepting a good thing that comes into your life even though it is not your idea of perfect

[@taylorswiftbase]

they’re so synchronized i love it

[@kitkatkathryn6]

The part "half a mind keeps the other second guessing" always resonates with me as saying that a part of my brain is empowered and knows exactly what I want but the other part is always doubting myself and doubting if I can do it

[@taylerparsons7145]

This is one of the greatest songs I've ever heard, can't stop playing it

[@141roses9]

I love that their a literal pile of people singing and avoiding eye contact.

[@My.Name.Is.Dark.]

The way you described them as a pile 😂

[@bamboleo6348]

"if you can't be powerless, you can at least excel in your powerlessness" woah?? are you hearing this??

[@annie10747]

what does this mean exactly

[@jefflahl]

I'm 68 , love music and am always looking for something new and creative. This is one of the best songs I've heard in a long, long, time. There are a couple others on the album that are super fine also: $20 and Anti-curse. Young women, Boygenius included, are making some of the best music today. Great hope for the future of music. Rock on.

[@kimberlyn81]

What a lovely comment sir 🩷🙂

[@Amy-nj1rb]

listening to them talk about their lyrics together is so amazing-they are all crazy smart and lyrical geniuses, and it also really shows their level of vulnerability and comfort with each other because they are all clearly thoughts and feelings they have been in conversation about for so long. it feels so uncommon and almost magical, makes me realize how rare it is for me to be witness to this kind of true love/artistic collaboration. makes me wanna cry i love them sm lol

[@jazazzz]

the goosebumps from their harmonies bro

[@Thecuervogold]

Phoebe really honed her voice touring her last album, she sounds so much more confident than she used to

[@calcdave]

Everytime Julien says, "No, but like..." I lean in because you know magic is coming

[@jmanz79]

This.

[@babysnowowl]

their voices are so different and blend together beautifully. I'm so glad they got back together for another album. It's been on repeat for weeks.

[@mollywalsh3585]

They all got some sort of connection, on god. They finish each other sentences without talking over each other and their harmonies are breathtaking.

[@lavender.lemonade]

Them putting Julien on a shorter chair is so funny. Like cmon she's already the little guy of boygenius

[@marisarabia7572]

julien smiling while singing thru the last chorus is so precious

[@Osaki17]

This is such a perfect representation of how perfect their voices sound together

[@amelia24042]

The second chorus harmonies and explanation just changed the trajectory of my life

[@PulaniTremel]

this song: life-altering, devastating lucy: just a vibe :)

[@corinna262]

them changing harmony lines for each chorus makes me want to rip my eyeballs out i love them so much

[@premiumrat]

this ending with Lucy correctly predicting what the editors would do with the footage feels like a real Boy Genius moment I love them so much

[@millie_drums]

verse 1: 1:02 chorus 1: 2:14 verse 2: 3:14 chorus 2: 4:39 bridge: 5:45 chorus 3: 7:12

[@ellen1001]

the end of verse 2: 3:47

[@LaraLinx]

The best throuple in music history!? The way they bounce ideas off each other & the way their voices are so distinct, yet blend so perfectly... It's beautiful genius. xxxooo

[@corinnabevier5604]

All three of them have such beautiful voices but there’s something about Lucy’s voice that just transfixes me!

[@bibiskz]

their vocals during the 'always an angel never a god' bit had me ascending to heaven fr

[@laurent.1548]

their harmonies are angelic!!

[@jerm2614]

never godly tho

[@somethingscosmic]

julien’s laugh is everything

[@flottecharless]

them harmonizing feels magical like you can’t tell me the part 5:45 isn’t pure magic

[@sebastienleroux4872]

The three of them singing a capella is the closest thing to heaven for me. Damn I love that band.

[@regannn6504]

i love how they alternate between who’s singing like the “melody” i just love that i feel like we don’t see that often in groups

[@gabbartt]

julien's laughs at the stupidest jokes lucy and phoebe make is so wholesome and sweet i love them so much

[@theeighthmoon8991]

Wanting to be artists like this but feeling like you never have the energy so why even try is the feeling this song embodies within me and the fact that they are writing about it is hopeful and shows how down to earth they are. They will go down as game changers in the music industry

[@Lilaharrisons]

also i just noticed the second chorus has a slightly different harmonic arrangement they are insane

[@alarmgoingoff9325]

YES omg the way the 1st one is julien on the high register and the 2nd one is phoebe

[@nickyates_music]

1st chorus is Phoebe singing lead, Lucy low harmony, Julien high harmony 2nd chorus Julien lead, Lucy low, Phoebe high 3rd chorus is Lucy singing lead, Phoebe low, Julien high

[@cz9790]

Their voices singing any of the harmonies together shows how much they love each other. They have been through the connections, self-deprecation's and love for each other that allows them to sing each others stories as friends. Even if they weren't there for that story.

[@julianwilliams7364]

I love these boys with all of my heart

[@Natalanium]

Literally dying to hear acapella performances of every single song now pls

[@juliablack7153]

I literally just died and was resurrected again this was the most beautiful thing ever

[@jackiecozzie4803]

WHY DID I READ THIS AS YOUR DAD DIED AND GOT RESURRECTED 😭😭

[@juliablack7153]

@@jackiecozzie4803 noooo not my dad hahahaa why did you read it like that😭😭

[@jackiecozzie4803]

@@juliablack7153 I have literally no idea 😭😭 but I'm glad he got revived lol

[@juliablack7153]

@@jackiecozzie4803 he’s never been dead??😭

[@jackiecozzie4803]

@@juliablack7153 I know haha it's just what I read originally I'm just delirious dw about ir

[@Tinalee83]

Can we get this for the whole album?! Obsessed

[@fallingforhealy]

they look at each other with so much love

[@austinrich8343]

You know the first few lyrics make sense from a physics perspective. If there were a black hole at the center of your kitchen, all the clocks would read different depending on their proximity to the black hole. Black holes have such a strong gravitational pull that they actually warp the way time passes in their vicinity. It's called time dilation.

[@mollies3979]

their commentary is simultaneously careless, and yet so concise

[@CrocusSeal]

I always thought I wanted to be famous and successful but what I really want deep down is to have a connection with another person the way that these three have. To get to enjoy what I do so much and to be around people you love. It's like if you have that nothing else really matters.

[@bhamacuk]

One of the best songs this decade. Something with actual meaning.

[@sp1ralg1rl]

if i was on the genius camera crew i would just start balling my eyes out

[@matbouche]

Hearing Phoebe sing a capella this first verse just brought me to tears, what a beautiful voice and so in tune...freakin' amazing ! Love the album btw 🙂

[@belina674]

lucy is so well spoken and well read i love her so much

[@nzbeee]

julien’s voice is like a literal angel. love them all so much ❤

[@beverlyhillzchihuahua]

watching a boygenius video means seeing it three times in order to watch someone else each time

[@jamieeglowstein5649]

i am so in love with them it physically hurts!!!!

[@thorn99thorn]

Their harmonies are actually insane

[@thesilentcomposer1278]

Phoebe giving Julien a little kiss at 0:20 has me so 🥺🥺🥺

[@dominiqueeden]

Hot tip: Stay to the very very end of the video so you don’t miss Julien’s glorious giggles.

[@MAXIMUS-yk5vs]

Always thought that the “always an angel, never a god” lyric was talking about how women r constantly complimented as being angels but men are praised and complimented as gods…

[@melancholiash]

their harmonies scratch my brain so well

[@skyelee646]

The out of context clips do sound so out of control and I'm so here for it. I watched the whole thing first and am so tickled and grateful that I stuck around for the final few seconds. I'm bound to watch it all again and again.Thank y'all for being y'all and for all that you do.

[@matipopa9588]

this is the best thing in my life rn

[@matipopa9588]

i love them all so much i actually can't deal with it

[@AChickandaDuck]

“always an angel, never a god” My entire life growing up as a woman in Mormonism

[@Simpleisgoood]

I've discovered them all at exactly the right moment in my life. I'd have had such a different month if I hadn't. I needed to remember the power music can have over me, you guys reminded me whilst providing my therapy 🎉

[@Simpleisgoood]

@Ella Strong 🤗

[@erikdaniels0n]

Me and the boys when we’re doing a genius interview

[@mya5589]

juliens just in her own world im crying

[@ohhlillyrose]

I just love them so much! Those harmonies are crazy

[@Ila28]

They’re so well spoken

[@nzbeee]

this is truly the most beautiful song i’ve ever heard in my life

[@KaylieJane]

I just starting crying uncontrollably when the harmonies started

[@tommyo.3535]

I love the second verse. It's like a violent cartoon skit. In an attempt to cope with one's feelings the narrator loses everything anyway, and the last line is like a postmortem commentary being facetious about one's own fate.

[@kevinjohnston4923]

Love watching them harmonize

[@ariana8573]

the father the son and the holy spirit have arrived

[@vivianseemer5274]

Yo this comment aged like wine. How we feeling after the Halloween show?

[@tenderizer]

its nice to no longer need therapy now that i have boygenius

[@eva1513]

phoebe looks so in love with lucy (same)

[@liviwolfen333]

their harmonies !!! ooff goosebumps.

[@sw1189]

I always thought perfection was unachievable , then BG fused as a supergroup. The best, ever.

[@broookepap]

The executive function call out is so real

[@ArkadianDream]

Jesus christ the harmony in that last chorus is magical, hearing it so raw and still so perfect made me tear up for real, genuine Stendhal syndrome moment

[@grandmago.]

my god the raw harmonies is all i ever needed

[@Peppa-Pigs-Skies]

My friend went to the eras tour when Phoebe opened. He got to see the live debut of not strong enough. Sooooo jealloussss❤

[@jessicapreston9808]

Who else harmonized with them during the “always an Angel, never a god” part?

[@thewbfrog]

PLEASE get them on again for their song "$20" !!!

[@coraorac]

omg 20$ is my favorite 💕

[@swaglena6760]

"just vibes based" god i love them

[@JoeKirwins]

Just mindblowingly talented!