she used to be mine (by Sara Bareilles)

True Covers: For me, a “true cover” is a song that I love enough to revise: I alter the lyrics so that it feels more true to me. When I sing something repeatedly, I want to make sure I’m sending out vibrations that are in full alignment with who I am becoming. (“True Covers” also sounds like “True Colors;” shout out to the luminous Cyndi Lauper.)The original: This comes from the majestic Sara Bareilles, plucked straight from her gem of a musical Waitress.Dedication: It’s been a while since I officially posted one of these, partly because I’ve been focused on musical sharing in other spaces. My voice is recovering from allergies and emotional trauma, but I don’t mind sounding a little messy. This true cover goes out to my soul sister Satya. She and the incredible Mychal Todd gathered family and friends yesterday to celebrate their marriage. I was lucky to attend the wedding ceremony itself in March of 2024 and I’d hoped to be present yesterday, but I ended up leaving early. It was an intense day and I know Satya understood, but I want to honor her in a special way. This is a song we’ve sung together karaoke style a couple times, and I altered the words only slightly to make them truer about both Satya and myself. Sara’s original really can’t be beat.Monday Morning Muse is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.This picture comes from Satya’s shower this spring. I can’t remember who took the photo, but I’m grateful to the Todd/Draper clans for making me one of their own. Congrats, Satya & Mychal! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mondaymorningmuse.substack.com/subscribe