Behind the Meaning of Kacey Musgraves’ Acceptance Anthem, “Cup of Tea”

The song of acceptance Kacey Musgraves is most known for is “Follow Your Arrow.” However, there is another track that is equally as inspiring: “Cup of Tea.” Uncover the meaning behind this track, below.

[RELATED: Kacey Musgraves Reveals Her “Catastrophic Bike Wreck” While Traveling to Foreign Country Alone]

Behind the Meaning of Kacey Musgraves’ Acceptance Anthem, “Cup of Tea”

You can’t please everyone. It’s a familiar phrase that never fails to ring true. Musgraves’ “Cup of Tea” is one long ode to that idea.

In the opening verse, Musgraves lists ways someone could be judged. From second hand clothes to sexual exploits, Musgraves offers some advice: You can’t be everybody’s cup of tea so you might a well be whoever you want to be.

Maybe your jacket is a hand-me-down
Maybe you slept with half of your hometown
In a world of squares, maybe you’re just round

You can’t be everybody’s cup of tea
Some like it bitter, some like it sweet
Nobody’s everybody’s favorite
So you might as well just make it how you please
‘Cause you can’t be everybody’s cup of tea

She likens people’s preferences in life to the way they make their tea. It’s the perfect metaphor to make something that often seems like a weighty problem very light. Even if you still don’t know just who you are, Musgraves offers assuage to follow your own journey.

[RELATED: How to Watch Kacey Musgraves’ Livestream of Seattle Deeper Well Tour Stop]

Maybe you’re working in a hotel bar
Maybe you’re still driving your high school car
Maybe you still don’t know just who you are

You can’t be everybody’s cup of tea
Some like it bitter, some like it sweet
Nobody’s everybody’s favorite
So you might as well just make it how you please

Maybe you married the wrong person first
Maybe your hair’s way too long
Your sister’s in jail or maybe you failed
Out of college, but hey, life goes on
We’ve all got the right to be wrong

The bridge contains some of Musgraves’ most poignant lyrics: We’ve all got the right to be wrong. All of us fall short. All of us stumble and that’s okay. If you need a reminder of that, revisit this track, below.

‘Cause you can’t be everybody’s cup of tea
Some like it black, some like it green
Nobody’s everybody’s favorite
So you might as well just make it how you please

(Photo by Steve Galli/Shutterstock)