At long last, Olivia Rodrigo has officially released the deluxe version of her sophomore album, GUTS, aptly titled GUTS (Spilled). The new album features an instantly viral video for her song, “Obsessed,” four songs that had only previously been released on limited edition vinyls, and one brand-new, never-heard-before track, “So American.” And while fans are excited about all of the above, it’s Rodrigo’s “So American” lyrics that they’re especially gagged over.
The three-time Grammy award-winning artist announced the release date of GUTS (Spilled) during her sold-out March 19 show at the United Center in Chicago. During her performance of “Get Him Back!,” she surprised her fans by revealing a sign that read “GUTS Deluxe Out Friday,” along with multiple smaller signs teasing what would be included on the album — one of which included the new song’s title, “So American.” In the two days following, fans speculated over what the song could be about, but once the song was released on March 22, most listeners realized they wouldn’t have to dive super deep to decipher its message.
The first verse of the song begins with Rodrigo singing, “Drivin’on the right-side road/ He says I’m pretty wearin’ his clothes/ And he’s got hands that make Hell seem cold/ Feet on the dashboard, he’s like a poem I wish I wrote/ I wish I wrote.”
From the jump, it’s pretty easy to assume Rodrigo is referring to her boyfriend, Louis Partridge. First of all, Partridge is British, so it would make sense for her to point out the fact that they’re driving on the right side of the road (as opposed to the left, which is where they drive across the pond). Plus, Rodrigo and Partridge have been spotted out and about in matching outfits in the past, so the “He says I’m pretty wearin’ his clothes,” line could be a nod to that.
Then comes the chorus: “And he laughs at all my jokes/ And he says I’m so American/ Oh God, it’s just not fair of him/ To make me feel this much/ I’d go anywhere he goes/ And he says I’m so American/ Oh God, I’m gonna marry him/ If he keeps this sh*t up/ I might just be in lo-lo-, lo-lo-, lo-lo-, lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-love.”
Once again, Partridge’s British-ness comes into play here. Since he’s not American, it would make sense that he would call Rodrigo “so American,” especially if she’s doing something endearingly stereotypical of people who live in the States. Gotta love a playful roast!
In the second verse, Rodrigo talks about her lover being an influential part of her life with the lyrics, “God, I’m so boring and I’m so rude/ Can’t have a conversation if it’s not all about you/ The way you dress and the books you read/ I really love my bed, but, man, it’s hard to sleep/ When he’s with me/ When he’s with me.”
It clearly sounds like Rodrigo is all kinds of heart-eyes over her man. However, in the bridge, Rodrigo expresses her doubts and questions if she’s coming on too strong. “I apologize if it’s a little too much, just a little too soon/ But if the conversation ever were to come up/ I don’t wanna assume this stuff/ But ain’t it wrong?/ I think I’m in love.”
Um, did Miss Liv just tell the world she’s in love?! It sure sounds like it. In fact, Rodrigo’s new release may end up being this year’s ultimate lover girl song. At only two minutes and 49 seconds, “So American” is relatively short, but it packs a heck of a punch. By the end of the song, you may even have the guts to finally tell the object of your own desires how you feel about them.