Never Gonna Break Me

by Jess Klein

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Full Digital Discography

21

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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of L.O.V.E., Jess Klein & The Berlin Brothers Vol. 1, When We Rise, That Was My Family, Never Gonna Break Me, My Own Beating Heart (single) , Another Man Done Gone - 100% of proceeds to NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Back to My Green , and 13 more. , and , .

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about

“When I was 14, I fooled around with a boy. I had a huge crush on him and I naively thought something special was happening. But when we got back to school on Monday, he made fun of me to his friends and the whole school was laughing at me. I tried to laugh along with them, to save face, but in retrospect, that’s pretty f-ed up.

Looking back, I think this might have been the moment where I first realized the importance of telling my own story, in my own voice. Because in that boy’s version, I was a joke. But in my version, I have the backing of millions of girls and women who have had to put up with some form of this BS. I’m empowered and I can offer that empowerment to all the other women who’ve been shamed. If my work empowers someone, I feel like am doing the job I came into this life to do.” – Jess Klein

lyrics

"Never Gonna Break Me" copyright 2023 Jess Klein/ASCAP/House of Leo Music.

Never Gonna Break Me

It probably started with that boy when I was 14
I let him touch me then he tried to bring me shame
I laughed aloud with him; my tears went unseen
But I learned to claim what’s mine, including my own name

And you ain’t ever gonna bring me down
And if you try, you can try without me
Come this far and I won’t turn around
Or say goodbye to what’s right about me
No you ain’t ever gonna bring me down
I know my mind, you’d be blind to doubt me

Sometimes I dress up like a model in a magazine
Other times I just wanna be at the girl next door
I guess Im neither one, or something in between
And I guess I don’t need your bullshit anymore

And you ain’t ever gonna bring me down
And if you try, you can try without me
Come this far and I won’t turn around
Or say goodbye to what’s right about me
No you ain’t ever gonna bring me down
I know my mind, you’d be blind to doubt me

Had to travel over shaky ground to stand here now
And let the world see
You’re never gonna break me
You’re never gonna break me

Off in a new world you’ve never seen
That’s where I’m a set my sights
I struggle in your world to say just what I mean but
Give me a microphone
And a spotlight

And you ain’t ever gonna bring me down
And if you try, you can try without me
Come this far and I won’t turn around
Or say goodbye to what’s right about me

No you ain’t ever gonna bring me down
I know my mind, you’d be blind to doubt me
Had to travel over shaky ground to stand here now
And let the world see
You’re never gonna break me
You’re never gonna break me
You’re never gonna break me
You’re never gonna break me

credits

released May 19, 2023
From the forthcoming album When We Rise, coming out September 2023.
Produced & Engineered by Mark Addison The Aerie, Austin, TX. Mastered by Brent Lambert at The Kitchen, Carrboro, NC and Mark Addison at The Aerie, Austin, TX.

license

about

Jess Klein Hillsborough, North Carolina

Rochester, NY native Jess Klein is known for staking out brave lyrical and musical territory with such albums as Wishes Well Disguised (1998), Draw Them Near (2000), Strawberry Lover (2005), City Garden (2006), Bound to Love (2009), Behind A Veil (2012) and Learning Faith (2014) which Folk Radio UK calls “unquestionably the finest album of [her] impressive career.” ... more

Recommendations

shows

Apr 28

CMPND

Winston-Salem, NC
May 5

Muddy Creek Music Hall at Old Salem

Winston-Salem, NC
May 9

Serfa

Asheville, NC
May 24

Muddy Creek Cafe & Music Hall

Sparta, NC
Jun 6

Reeves Theater & Cafe

Elkin, NC
Jun 20

Moccasin Creek Festival

Effingham, IL
Aug 2

3rd Street Coffeehouse

Roanoke, VA
Sep 5

Antlers & Acorns Festival

Boone, NC

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