Like Everybody Else (From ”West Side Story”)

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark picture of youthful frustration and a desperate yearning for acceptance. The opening lines establish a pattern of dismissal, with each character listing things they are deemed "good for nothing" but. This sets a tone of societal marginalization, where individuals feel defined by what they *can't* do or be, rather than what they are. The central tension arises from this collective feeling of inadequacy and the subsequent desire to conform. The repeated phrase "ain't good for anything" underscores a deep-seated belief that their current selves are inherently flawed. This feeling is amplified by the specific, often mundane, activities they are excluded from, highlighting a gap between their perceived limitations and the broader world of experience. The most striking moment comes with Anybodys's desperate plea, "Why can't I be male?" This line cuts through the general complaints, revealing a specific, intensely personal struggle for identity within a rigid social structure. The narrator's actions – swearing, smoking, inhaling – are attempts to mimic a desired identity, but the core issue remains an unfulfilled longing to simply *be* like "everybody else." Ultimately, the lyrics resonate because they capture that universal ache of wanting to belong and be seen as valuable. The simple, almost childlike list of desired states – "Big? Old? Male?" – followed by the collective cry, "Like everybody else!" – powerfully conveys the raw, unvarnished desire for validation and the pain of feeling perpetually on the outside looking in.