Is modern love a cruel endeavor? In Olivia Rodrigo’s new album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, she tackles this thought alongside those of hopeless romanticism, acceptance of the truth, and growth from one’s past.
As a hardcore fan of Rodrigo since her time on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, I had to delve deep into this album. Rodrigo has a certain tone that seems to enchant her listeners each time, given how much they relate to her lyrics. From SOUR to GUTS and now her third album, she continues to grow as an artist through her music’s meaning and depth.
- drop dead
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We all stalk, right? Like, it’s not just me… right? Rodrigo begins the record with an upbeat-sounding song with a morbid title. Genuinely, I thought this song was going to have a threatening tone, but I was sorely mistaken.
As the first single released for the album, many listeners understood that this album could be a full story based on the title. Cosmopolitan recognized this song for its upbeat theme, writing, “The song perfectly describes the feeling of having a brand-new crush.” I couldn’t agree more, and this song was on repeat for me.
- stupid song
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The first time Rodrigo mentions a kind of love, this time, “honest love.” She writes of that rushing feeling of meeting someone and being completely enamoured with them. The instrumental at the beginning was especially metaphorical to me, as her voice sounded powerful above the string tones.
However, this is also the first mention of “coming undone,” which is mentioned again in “the cure.” Is it foreshadowing?
@oliviarodrigo via YouTube - honeybee
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Both Olivia Rodrigo and Conan Gray have almost made me cry. Multiple times, at that. But they never completely succeeded. Funny how when they collaborate on a song, I am sitting in my room in absolute shambles. Simultaneously, this song could have easily fit into Gray’s last album, Wishbone.
The first word that came to mind for me when I listened to this song was ethereal. Every time I listen to this song, I cry. A true wedding song… but is it? As Rodrigo calls herself an overthinker, part of this song feels like impending doom below its beautiful lyrics and chords.
- maggots for brains
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Have you ever lost yourself in a relationship? Especially a long-distance one, it’s easy to forget yourself when you’re not around your person at least once a week. Your room is never clean, you might put off showers, but it’ll be fine when you’re with them again.
Rodrigo emulates this in “maggots for brains,” by feeling dirty and rotten, but it’s because she is feeling that empty-headedness that comes with codependency. Particularly, at low points, she even wishes for tragedy just to see her partner. She’s finding herself unable to think about anything but him, all the time. I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t relate to this song a little.
@oliviarodrigo via Instagram - u + me = <3
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How I love this song. When I first saw the title, I was confused. You plus me equals heart emoticon? How is she gonna do this one? Once I heard it, I had a new song in my “On Repeat” on Spotify.
This song gives the same vibe as writing initials in hearts in schoolbooks. You can’t help but smile when you listen to it, because the kind of love that makes you want to write notes and carve your names into car seat leather is unmatched. Being gifted the correct jewelry and your favorite candy truly can make wounds heal.
- my way
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Much like her song “obsessed,” this song makes it feel okay to have that immature thought of “winning.” It’s telling how many girls have gone through similar things, telling about something insane and calling the situation “weird.” It’s not just weird, though; it’s that Maddie and Cassie from Euphoria kind of weird.
Personally, I’d be sick to my stomach if I saw a post of a girl in my man’s clothes. Rodrigo’s “my way” vocalizes a feeling many girls have felt in relationships where an ex just won’t go away.
- purple
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It was known before the album’s release that this would be the turning point of the album. A trending comment about this song is on her use of music theory and lyricism to enhance a nightmarish narrative. She starts the song like another love song, mentioning how a vacation spot became a home, and everything started coming in doubles.
Then, she sings the word “purple.” It sounds creepy, and she even goes into detail about fighting like a real couple. The lyric that broke my heart was “I had big dreams ’til I tied myself to you.” It’s reminiscent of the codependency from “maggots for brains,” and even a wake-up call from it. To me, it was similar to being so deeply in a relationship that once you spend time with friends again, they almost feel foreign.
- the cure
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The second single released for this album is an absolute show of vulnerability for Rodrigo. This song honestly made me cut my bangs again.
Someone being an antidote in a relationship is a common metaphor, similar to love being a drug. Rodrigo is coming to terms with the anguish that’s seeped into her. Unforgettable arguments arise, and it’s a reminder of the broken plate metaphor. You can try to help put a person back together, but at some point, it’s just not enough. The true unraveling begins.
@oliviarodrigo via YouTube - begged
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First debuted on Saturday Night Live, “begged” is filled with contrast and the inherent feeling that nothing is genuine after you’ve asked for it. I never knew how to explain it before, when I would tell people, “If I ask for it, I don’t want it anymore.” Maybe I’m being dramatic, but it feels completely pretend to me. She is losing her will to fight in this song. She was an anchor in the ocean, but she became a penny in a fountain.
@oliviarodrigo via YouTube - what’s wrong with me
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In collaboration with Robert Smith, Rodrigo created a song with a slightly misleading title, once again. I’m of course referring to the lack of a question mark at the end. In hurtful relationships, it’s common to look at yourself and ask, “What’s wrong with me?” But this song is going against that. Rodrigo is explaining the feelings that come with a relationship after its peak.
- less
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My first impression didn’t come from the song itself but from one of my best friends texting me her Top 5 favorite songs from the album. “Less” was number one, and I completely understand why.
This is literally the breakup song. Coming to terms with letting go, seeing how much you are hurting, all lead to the creation of “less.” She even added the heartbreaking detail of “crying on the curb at LAX,” which I will be requesting her to pay for my therapy because of.
- expectations
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Needless to say, no one expected this. Fun and vibrant, with a speak-sing tone, this song is quickly becoming a fan favorite for its distinctiveness. To me, this song sounds like a post-breakup crashout.
After a relationship, especially one that makes an impact on your life, your expectations will always rise. You want more than last time, and you won’t settle for less, likely because that happened in the last one. Rodrigo makes a point to showcase how she wants more, and specifically will be “adored” after she fixes this shell of a man she’s inviting in.
- cigarette smoke
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There are many lyrics in this one song that reference others, but the one that struck me hardest was her mention of “honeybee” again. That nickname is so loving, so heartfelt, while this song is the truth of her accepting that this relationship is over.
Rodrigo continuously concludes her album with a song that sticks with you. Between SOUR, GUTS, and now girl so in love, she grounds the listener and leaves them with time to ponder. By ending SOUR with “hope ur ok,” another acceptance song, and GUTS with “teenage dream,” an angsty work that repeats, “they all say that it gets better the more you grow,” then asking, “but what if I don’t?” these two songs likely leave you lying on your bed, in the dark, and contemplating it all. The finale “cigarette smoke” similarly ends in repetition, singing, “the memories go dark.” She ends her album with the feeling of regret, impossibility, and resentment, which many have felt after a truly heartbreaking separation.
Through you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, Rodrigo tells the story of a mature but failed relationship. After the album came out, I watched La La Land for the first time. Similarly, Rodrigo breaks a listener’s heart with the truth about relationships: sometimes it’s not meant to be.