Show Them Who You Are (reprise) Lyrics

Song Facts:

• Genre: Musical Theatre


• Lyricist: Shaina Taub


• Composer: Shaina Taub


• Arranged by: Shaina Taub


• Historical context: The song reflects the emotional and psychological struggles of suffragettes in early 20th-century America.

Artist Info:

The musical ensemble "Suffs" is the brainchild of celebrated singer-songwriter and performer Shaina Taub, who has set foot inside the contemporary world of musical theatre. With her work on projects blurring historical narratives and the modern musical elements of today, Taub has become a singular voice in the theatrical world. "Suffs" is an ambitious project that she took upon herself, where all the ties return to women's suffrage history in the United States, meaning the most important events and persons very strongly with musical stories. The crew is built very carefully and diversified to bring an ideal spirit for the suffrage movement.

Annotations and Meaning of Show Them Who You Are (Reprise):

The song Show Them Who You Are (Reprise) serves as a powerful anthem of resilience and self-affirmation for the suffragettes, encouraging them to persist despite their struggles.

"I know it's dark. I understand, of course, you're on the edge.

You're deep in pain, you feel insane, and no one can talk you off the ledge."

These opening lines acknowledge the intense emotional and mental strain the women are under. The mention of feeling "insane" and being on the edge illustrates the extreme pressure and despair they face.

"But that's exactly how those crooked kings want you to feel.

So take a breath with me and please allow yourself to heal."

The term "crooked kings" likely refers to the oppressive authorities. This section urges the suffragettes to find strength in themselves and begin to heal, despite the manipulation and mistreatment they endure.

"You are the bravest person I've ever met, but bravery means that you can't die yet."

This line highlights the immense courage of the suffragettes while emphasizing that true bravery involves survival and persistence.

"So are you going to let them win, or will you show them who you are?"

A call to action, this line challenges the suffragettes to resist submission and instead assert their identities and worth.

"Show them you're not insane, at least not like this.

Show them who you are. Show them you're not some whimper they can just dismiss."

These lines reject the notion of the suffragettes being dismissed as weak or insane, insisting they demonstrate their true strength and defiance.

"You think your nerve is the source of your strength, but the strongest thing is to stop before you go too far.

So show them who you are."

This part advises a strategic form of resistance, suggesting that knowing when to pause or recalibrate is also a form of strength.

"Show them. Show them who you are.

Show them. Show them who you are."

The repeated call to "show them who you are" serves as a powerful refrain, reinforcing the message of self-assertion and resilience.

Thematic Interpretations:

• Resilience and self-affirmation: The song encourages the suffragettes to find strength in their identity and to persist in their fight despite severe opposition and emotional distress.


• Challenge to oppression: It frames the suffragettes' struggle as a direct challenge to the oppressive systems that seek to undermine their efforts and sanity.


• Strategic resistance: The song emphasizes the importance of strategic thinking and self-care in the long battle for rights, suggesting that endurance and calculated pauses are also forms of bravery.

The musical piece is a stirring call to action, urging the suffragettes to stay true to themselves and their cause, and to show their oppressors the strength and resilience that define them.