“Not Worth Hiding” by Alex the Astronaut - Free Friday (“FL&R”)

     Free and Legal Downloads? Yes, at least temporarily. Bands often temporarily permit free downloads of their releases.  The end of an offer may be based on the expiration of a set period of time or on a limited number of downloads.  But at least for now, here is a song that qualifies as a Free, Legal and Recommended (FL&R) download.

     In a song that intelligently transitions among targeted audiences, “Not Worth Hiding” is an anthem about accepting who you are. It begins autobiographically, starting with unsuccessfully hiding a “difference” at age 16 and concluding, at age 19, that it’s not worth hiding a preference:

“You’re perfect just the same.”

     The next audience is those who don’t share the preference:

So tell me anyone

If you loved them as a daughter

Could you love them as a son

     Then, the anthem turns to others who share the preference. It’s here that the instrumental support is particularly praiseworthy. The impact of the message is enhanced by strategically scaling back the support, as first the percussion and then the acoustic guitar fall off during the lines:

But that cages that they’ve made us should soon just rust away

And this song just won’t need singing but for now I’ll let it play

     Alex the Astronaut is the performance name of Alex Lynn. She is from Sydney, Australia, but is currently studying in New York. “Not Worth Hiding” is a single from her second EP, "See You Soon." The EP is scheduled for release on October 6 via Minkowski Records.

     “Not Worth Hiding” by Alex the Astronaut – To access the free download, go to Triple J site (https://www.triplejunearthed.com/jukebox/play/track/6306526) and click the down arrow.  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alextheastronaut/

Website: http://alextheastronaut.com/

Lyrics of “Not Worth Hiding” by Alex the Astronaut

(thank you Rick Moreno for sending them our way)

I learnt to drive to school when I was 16

And I was happy with my friends

And we skipped class for time to breathe

We learnt about the stars and the trees

I cried when I found kissing boys wasn’t for me

So I tried every trick in the book

I tried talking to the pretty boys

I changed the way I looked

But wearing dresses to impress just left me lonely and upset

And the boys could tell when I looked at her

I wasn’t interested in them

It’s not worth hiding if you have something to say

And it’s not worth smiling if you’re feeling in pain

And it’s not worth hiding that you think you might be gay

Or different in another way

You’re perfect just the same

I opened the paper and it left me ashamed

Said these contagious gays aren’t safe and

You should keep your kids away

But I grew older and bolder but my friends caught on slowly

Nineteen and we threw all the weight from my shoulders

We sang,

It’s not worth hiding if you have something to say

And it’s not worth smiling if you’re feeling in pain

And it’s not worth hiding that you think you might be gay

Or different in another way

You’re perfect just the same

So tell me anyone

If you loved them as a daughter

Could you love them as a son

We all smile at different faces

We all blush at different names

But holding someone’s hand

Should never make you feel ashamed

Your story might not be at all like mine

I don’t mean to simplify

This should be in your own voice and your own time

But that cages that they’ve made us should soon just rust away

And this song just won’t need singing but for now I’ll let it play

It’s not worth hiding if you’ve got something to say

And it’s not worth dying for the people who don’t smile at your name

It’s not worth lying if you’re feeling in pain

And it’s not worth hiding, because happiness could be on the way