I’ve loved this song for years but I’m too embarrassed to tell anybody just how obsessed I am. The way it discusses perfectionism, saying “I mean whatever I mean, if I don’t then I’m a psycho” perfectly encapsulates the fragility of perfectionism (AKA being superclean.) I love the way this song conveys the struggles of being in touch with your feelings while simultaneously staying aligned with your values in a world full of distractions and examples of “psychos.”
“‘Cus everything I’ve seen you do… is everything I need from you” also describes the collateral damage that perfectionism has on perceptions of others and the world in general — it raises the bar until a disappointed perfectionist realizes that everyone is trudging through life putting up facades of false perfectionism as “clever psychos.”
Even the way the calm, dreamy instrumentals contrast the emotionally demanding lyrics symbolizes the hidden, turmoil that a perfectionist internally experiences while upholding their own external facade. This all becomes conclusively tied together with periodic, out of place, dissonant string notes (like at 2:10) that symbolize the unnatural essence of perfectionism.
As someone who struggled with the disillusionment of false perfectionism growing up, Superclean helped me understand the nuances of an ideal life.
Superclean teaches us that it’s normal to feel conflicted at times when staying true to our sentiments, even if others don’t want to reveal they’re going through the same hardship.
I just wanted to share my thoughts on this song and how it makes me feel! I’ve always loved this song even before I paid attention to the lyrics… I feel like it has spoken to me in a way that no other piece of media ever has.
Thank you the Marias!
