Ever since Sour, my guilty pleasure of Oliva Rodrigo’s songs started. I listened to the whole album when Guts came out on September 8th. This album was an emotional roller coaster, and I may have cried during it a few times. In this article, I will rate all the songs on this album.
All American B**ch: This song reminded me of an old Miley Cyrus song (the nostalgia hit me hard). I felt like I was connecting with Olivia and how I feel misplaced in American society when it comes to my looks. America’s standards for women can cause one to be unsure of how they feel about themselves. This song was full of similies and mantras I plan to chant in my mirror when I am not feeling my best.
Overall Rating: 9/10
Bad Idea right?: By far, this has to be my number-one favorite song in this album. I find it to be fun to listen to, and we can all relate to still being hung up on an ex. It has a fun beat, and the electric guitar solo is breathtaking. We have had our share of exes coming to reconnect, and she does a great job of explaining our thoughts when it happens.
Overall rating: 10/10
Vampire: I do like this song, but I feel like the radio overplayed it. It was a new concept for Olivia, and I was not sure if I liked it very much. After a few listens, it kinda of grew on me. After a few listens, I heard the phrase “cause girls your age know better”. It seems like she is alluding to an age gap. As someone who dated an older man, this hit home for me.
Overall Rating: 7/10
Lacy: I like the guitar intro and her entrance into the song. This song reminds me of Jealousy, Jealousy on Sour, but a little more angsty. The envy she faces towards other women is relatable since I know many of us compare our looks to others. But one thing I found interesting was how she succumbs to her comparisons to other women to the point where she almost becomes obsessed romantically. This song is complicated, so I can see why some people do not like it.
Overall rating: 9.5/10
Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl: When listening to the song, the weird pronunciations of words threw me off. It was giving MCR Welcome to The Black Parade! Besides that, this song seems to be about Rodrigo’s social anxiety and trying to fit in. She also uses a line from Mean Girls where Regina was against Cady being in the Mathletes. Moreover, this might have to be one of my least favorite songs on the album. Her “screamo” belting sounded like it hurt but I liked how angsty it was.
Overall rating: 6.5/10
Making the Bed: I will be honest; this was one of the songs that made me cry. In this song, Rodrigo sings about her struggles with dwindling fame and personal factors. But instead of blaming anyone, she holds herself accountable and takes the blame. According to Olivia, this was one of the hardest songs for her to write. As someone who struggles with her life in general, this song hit me the hardest. After listening to it a few times, it motivated me to stop moping around so much and admit I have myself to blame.
Overall rating: 10/10
Logical: I love how she adds the piano into this song (I love it when she does it because you can hear the emotion more in her voice). This song is about Rodrigo’s issues with self-blame and vulnerability. Moreover, this song is more about how powerful love is and how irrational may be. This is another song that made me cry because it made me think about my last relationship. My vulnerability was taken advantage of and I ended up being hurt in the end. She is right; love is not logical (even though my last relationship had no love involved).
Overall Rating: 9.5/10
Get Him Back!: This song is a regretful track about wanting a guy back after turning him down. She wants to grab his attention in a toxic way but then undo it all. This song is fun, but I did not feel a connection. Which is weird because I normally have found Rodrigo’s music to be relatable in all ways.
Overall rating: 8.5/10
Love is Embarrassing: This song gave me Disney Channel Hannah Montana vibes. This song is about self-discovery during a relationship. I had a relationship where this happened, and I remember him crying over his ex a few times (ugh). During this song, Rodrigo has an epiphany and realizes that he is not worth the effort. In relationships, You realize towards the end of your relationship that they are not worth it. Better yet, they might be losers (which I tend to date).
Overall Rating: 9/10
The Grudge: Olivia sings about being betrayed by someone close to her and ultimately breaking her trust. Yes, you can relate to a breakup, but sometimes there are relationships with friends that could lead to this. There are also rumors that it might be about Taylor Swift (but I doubt it). Being betrayed by someone you are close to is the worst pain you could ever feel (aside from giving birth)!
Overall rating: 7.5/10
Pretty Isn’t Pretty: In this song, Olivia sings about self-positivity and female standards. This song also connects to the consistent changes in trends and beauty for women, which Olivia struggles with. She feels as if she will never be perfect and reflects on it. Once again, we women are held to higher standards when it comes to beauty and it is a turmoil. What makes it worse is that many influencers out there fit these standards, and we turn bitter because we feel as if we can never be like that. Even with body positivity, we still are hated for how we look.
Overall rating: 9/10
Teenage Dream: Olivia seems to have a thing where she puts sad ballads at the end to finish out her album. This song is about being scared and/or anxious about growing up. With Olivia, she connects her anxieties are tied into her pressure of being in the limelight. One thing I noticed about this song is that it has the same concept as “brutal” on Sour. The violins and her raw vocals convey the powerful feelings she has about growing up. I will admit, this was another song that made me cry. Even though I am 21, I have always had the fear of growing up. Aside from paying car insurance, I now have to be an actual adult who pays taxes and buys expensive gas. Lastly, the end, which includes Rodrigo playing with producer Dan Nigro’s baby. It concludes the song with the innocence of a child which was such a good concept.
Overall Rating: 10/10
To conclude, this album was a turmoil of emotions. One thing I like about Olivia Rodrigo is how she is not afraid to sing about her emotions Being in the limelight at a young age can be horrifying and draining. I will say, this album is angsty and more raw than Sour. As someone who grew up on angsty music, this album is easily now one of my favorites. Like Sour, I plan to listen to it over and over again until I am tired of it!