Olivia Rodrigo released her third studio album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So In Love” (YSPSFAGSIL), June 12. Like any other pop music fan, I have been listening to her album on repeat, laughing along to the happy tracks and sobbing my eyes out to the sad tracks.
The first seven tracks, written as a “girl so in love,” are heartfelt dedications to her love. The other six tracks, “you seem pretty sad,” reflect on heartbreak after separation.
Eighteen days after the album’s release I finally decided which songs are my favorite to sing along to. Here are my honest thoughts on each track on YSPSFAGSIL.
“Drop Dead”
Rodrigo’s first single, “drop dead,” quickly became a new favorite song for me. It’s not only a perfect depiction of falling in love for the first time, but also of driving yourself crazy hoping your crush likes you back. This track also features the first mention of The Cure with the line, “You know all the words to “Just Like Heaven”/And I know why he wrote them now that you’re standin’ right here.”
Social media rumors suggest that YSPSFAGSIL follows the relationship of Louis Partridge and Rodrigo, who were together for about two years. Partridge’s favorite band is The Cure, which Rodrigo mentions a few times in her album.
Rodrigo herself hinted to the album being about Partridge when she posted a Tiktok explaining that “it’s nonsense to scrap a whole album.” One can also assume she means scrap a whole album after a heartbreak. Instead, the artists gave us an album with two discs, beginning with “drop dead.”
“Stupid Song”
Rodrigo’s third single, “Stupid Song,” starts as a light piano ballad. It reflects the feeling of being so in love with someone that feelings are hard to explain. This song is so complex that it really stuck with me after the first listen. Most of Rodrigo’s songs in this album study how love can be risky, but we love anyway. At the end of verse one, Rodrigo sings, “But I can’t help but imagine what you say when you speak with me,” then goes right into the chorus, “You’re a spark in the dark and my clothes all caught aflame/ You should feel how I feel when somebody says your name/I’m a car speeding down the boulevard without a brake/And I want you more than any stupid song could ever say.” Despite her not knowing how her love describes her and their relationship, she loves him nonetheless, feeling every emotion when she thinks of him.
“Honeybee”
“Stupid Song” is followed by “Honeybee,” a slower song that is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It’s a song about being together despite the future being unknown. It’s ignoring all doubts and just being in love. It reminds me of “Coming up Roses” from Harry Styles’s fourth album, “Kiss all the Time, Disco occasionally,” which happens to be my favorite song on that record too.
My favorite part of this song is the fact that it can be used to describe any relationship. Whether it’s loving your significant other and hoping you’ll overcome every situation or sticking by a sibling’s side when life brings you in different directions, this song focuses on caring for someone through hard times.
“Maggots for Brains”
“Maggots for Brains” gives me the same vibe as “Stupid Song,” not being able to focus when your significant other is around because you’re so madly in love. This song is so riddled with themes of codependency that it’s hard to listen to. As a girl in a long-term relationship, I love my independence and living fully even when my boyfriend isn’t around. This song celebrates being “rotten” when your significance isn’t around, and, I believe, the first sign of the Partridge-Rodrigo relationship turning south.
“u+me=<3”
When this album was first announced, I was curious on what lyrics this song would follow. I couldn’t imagine it would be easy to write a song with emoticons. Upon first listen, I was not disappointed. The song captures the childish feel that comes with love. When I heard it for the first time, I thought, “Wow, my 10-year-old cousin is going to love this.” I didn’t mean it as an insult, but as a node to the childlike giddiness and happiness that comes with first love.
“My Way”
“My Way” is easily my favorite track on this album. It’s fun; it’s hip; it’s exciting. This song is “Better Than Revenge’s” baby, a song written by Taylor Swift angrily speaking up against a girl who is a little too close to her love interest. Rodrigo’s song follows the same themes.
I laugh listening to the bridge of this song because Rodrigo says “you’re being f—-ing weird.” According to Tiktok user @sleepiestunicorn, “weird” is “one of the worst insults that strike [people] worse than any cuss word.”
“My Way” adds a little crazy to a love album, beautifully representing how jealousy makes everyone in love a little crazy sometimes.
“Purple”
“Purple” started as a skip song for me. It’s hard to admit. I realize how wrong I was. My appreciation for this song grew as I watched Tiktok character edits.
The song begins as a love song about two people melting together and quickly becomes a sad song about two people melting together. This song confirms all the codependency I feel listening to “Maggots for Brains.” I listen to “Purple” and smile knowing Partridge and Rodrigo were able to escape each other.
“The Cure”
“The Cure” is another song that ties back to The Cure band theory. The idea was that this song title would perhaps change the algorithm so that every time someone searches for “The Cure,” Rodrigo’s song pops up instead of the band.
This track was released as Rodrigo’s second single. It’s still a favorite of mine, especially after hearing the rest of the album. This song is a perfect transition into the rest of the “you seem pretty sad” tracks.
“Begged”
Rodrigo performed “Begged” on Saturday Nite Live before the album’s release. After that performance, I listened to this song like a podcast on Youtube and Tiktok. I fell in love with the slow, powerful music that comes with listening to this track.
The most amazing part about this song is that there’s no bridge. The listener is left feeling like they want more, which is exactly what Rodrigo felt in her relationship according to the lyrics. This song will definitely be in my top five songs of the year, and that doesn’t include the hours I spent listening to it before its formal release.
“What’s Wrong with Me”
“What’s Wrong with Me” is another song that Rodrigo gave a sneak peek of before its release. It’s also another song that follows the theory about The Cure. As Rodrigo’s first song with a feature, “What’s Wrong with Me” includes a verse and background vocals with Robert Smith.
The song is about being burnt out despite being in love. The song is reflecting on a relationship, but I relate to it deeply because it’s exactly how I feel with my autoimmune disease. I’m so tired and hopeless some days that it’s difficult to be there for the ones I love.
I was nervous hearing Smith’s part at Primavera Sound; however, on the track, his voice is full of yearning and desperation that it’s hard not to fall in love with the duo.
“Less”
The third to last track, “Less,” kills me. It is so full of deep sadness and hurt that it’s hard to listen to. Although the whole album reflects raw emotion, I feel “Less” carries the most weight.
“Expectations”
After tracks of deep songs, Rodrigo switches the vibe with “Expectations.” “Expectations” and “My Way” carry the same vibe, not caring what others think and just being you and living life. This track is easily one of my favorites. It’s a song to scream with the windows down in the car. The bridge feels right out of an 1980s song and I’m here for it. Rodrigo seems to be listening to Madonna on her off-time.
“Cigarette Smoke”
“Cigarette smoke” finishes YSPSFAGSIL. Rodrigo’s last tracks haven’t been hits in the past, but this one completely changes the game. It’s the longest track on the album, leaving a beautiful impression of closure as the music fades low.
The first verse of this song describes my childhood home perfectly. “The cigarette smoke/ Is a smell that I know/ It clings to my clothes/ And seeps into my bones/ It’s a real quiet house/ With the shower left on/ Five beers in the fridge/ And the second car’s gone.” When I first heard these lyrics, I was worried Rodrigo has been watching me for years.
“Cigarette Smoke,” for me, is a true indicator that sad love songs don’t always have to be about boys. They can be so much deeper than that, representing a mentor, friend or period of life you have lost and resented.
With YSPSFAGSIL, Daughter from Hell (Gracie Abrams) and Petal (Ariana Grande) being released this summer, I expect to continue crying throughout, what I’m branding as, “sad girl summer.”