I Work For Me

Album: Road To Rome (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Sarah Potenza is an East Nashville-based singer-songwriter who competed on NBC's The Voice in 2015. After being eliminated in the Top 20, Potenza - who fronted the country-blues band Sarah and the Tall Boys - went solo with her acclaimed solo debut, Monster. Her followup, Road To Rome, is about her journey to self-acceptance after years of being told her larger weight and brash personality were unacceptable.

    The opening track, "I Work For Me," is a confident anthem that finds Potenza proudly claiming her identity and taking pride in her independence. "They said that I was too big," she sings. "Damn straight, now I'm a giant."
  • In a 2019 Songfacts interview, Potenza shared one of many painful memories that influenced the song: "My freshman year of college I took voice. My very first voice class, the teacher looked at me with a sad face, and she said, 'Is there something else you can major in? Trying to be a singer with your voice is gonna be a bit like trying to run a marathon with a broken leg.' I was devastated, but I turned that into art. My point I guess is, no one can stop you. There's a million reasons why what you want is impossible. So think outside the box and go get it. Why not me?"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Don Felder

Don FelderSongwriter Interviews

Don breaks down "Hotel California" and other songs he wrote as a member of the Eagles. Now we know where the "warm smell of colitas" came from.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.