Olivia Rodrigo thrilled fans yesterday by finally releasing her highly anticipated 12-song second album, GUTS, on Sept. 8, and the “Get Him Back!” lyrics and meaning are just one example of how she’s evolved as an artist. From “Get Him Back!” to “All American B*tch” and “Vampire,” each track promises an unfiltered emotional journey, blending teenage dreams with grunge soul. While SOUR seemed to blame her exes for her problems, GUTS takes a more personal analysis of Rodrigo’s own flaws and how she grows after her mistakes.
Rodrigo is known for relatable yet dramatic heartache stories, and “Get Him Back!” is no exception. The title has a double meaning: love or revenge. Rodrigo either wants to rekindle her relationship with this guy that broke her heart, or get back at him for how he treated her while they were together. Her chorus lyrics cleverly describe her motivations at this relationship crossroads. “I wanna get him back / I wanna make him really jealous, wanna make him feel bad / Oh, I want to get him back / ‘Cause then again, I really miss him and it makes me real sad / Oh, I want sweet revenge / And I want him again.”
The “Get Him Back!” lyrics show Rodrigo struggling to choose forgiveness or revenge.
It’s easy to think about how you want to handle things with that ex from your past — the one who left you absolutely heartbroken. And Rodrigo herself experiences a rollercoaster of emotions as she is torn between missing the good times and feeling hurt by her ex-partner’s actions. She sings, “Do I love him, do I hate him? I guess it’s up and down,” but there’s the sweet temptation of reigniting that old flame because “he was so much fun” and “he would take us out to parties and the night would never end.”
On one hand, Rodrigo feels a genuine longing and sadness for the relationship. She remembers the good times, the laughter, the inside jokes, and wonders if there’s a chance to recreate those moments. “So I write him all these letters, then I throw them in the trash / ‘Cause I miss the way he kisses and the way he made me laugh.”
On the other hand, Rodrigo has a desire to make her ex jealous and regretful over the breakup. Anger and frustration bubble up inside of her when she remembers how he treated her. “I wanna key his car / I wanna make him lunch / I wanna break his heart / Then be the one to stitch it up / Wanna kiss his face / With an uppercut / I wanna meet his mom / Just to tell her her son sucks,” she sings in the bridge. The determination to “get him back” suggests that Rodrigo will achieve this goal, with a mix of love and hate anticipated from her ex’s side.
Maybe this is Rodrigo finally taking control of her life and no longer playing the victim. While it might seem easy for Rodrigo to “pour my heart out,” she also has to “picture all the faces of my disappointed friends.” She’s ready to show her ex what he’s missing. Rodrigo doesn’t need to “fix him”; she needs to focus on herself.
Who is “Get Him Back!” about?
Fans are dying to know who did this to Rodrigo. In the first verse, she mentions that she “met [this] guy in the summer” and “left him in the spring,” so was it Rodrigo’s seven-month fling with Adam Faze, which started in summer 2021? (FWIW, the timeline doesn’t appear to match up with either Joshua Bassett or Zack Bia.) She sings, “He argued with me about everything / He had an ego and a temper and a wandering eye / He said he’s six-foot-two and I’m like, ‘Dude, nice try.’” Whoever this guy is, he seems to be contentious, self-centered, and prone to exaggeration.
“Get Him Back!” is generating considerable buzz as a potential power anthem. Rumors are circulating that it will be her next single, and she performed this song on The Today Show on Sept. 8, fueling the speculation. With the VMAs just around the corner on Sept. 12 and Rodrigo confirmed to perform, fans are eagerly anticipating the possibility of her gutsy performance of “Get Him Back!” at the award show next week.