My Point of View and Favs From You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl in Love
By: Kamilyah McMiller
When Olivia Rodrigo released the title of her newest album, it felt very Gen-Z. Even though this album is meant to demonstrate a pivotal relationship in Rodrigo’s career, her lyrics were relatable to various relationship tropes, whether platonic or romantic.
We’ve seen that Rodrigo’s previous albums (Sour and Guts) have similar themes of teenage love, angst, and self image; however, this seems like we’re given a fresher, more eccentric, and more mature perspective from her point of view.
Now, we still get her girly pop-punk star songs such as my way (and also my personal fave), but she sings this album chronologically. Almost as if a mutual friend is telling us a story of her long-term relationship. She tells us stories about her happiness, remorse, regret, loneliness, revenge, and love.
Rodrigo’s animated character in lyric video, “Cigarette Smoke”.
As a Rodrigo fan myself that grew up with her since her role as American Girl’s Grace, she has been one of the artists that “gets” what it’s like growing up in this generation. And one thing I admire about her is that she’s not afraid to speak out about it.
Here is a list of my favorite lyrics of You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl In Love:
“You’re a spark in the dark and my clothes all caught aflame” -stupid song
“Empty, look at me, I’m a zombie in my body, I’m a train off of the track” -maggots for brains
“But you linger in the air, Just like a bad perfume” -my way
“So where’d you get that confidence from? Last time I checked I won” -my way
“I had big dreams ‘til I tied myself to you” -purple
“I wish you loved me less” -less
“He wasn’t smart or funny, I convinced myself he was” -expectations
“Their indecision is painfully unattractive” -expectations
“I thought we played the perfect couple, ‘Til you didn’t want the part” -cigarette smoke
In retrospect, this album feels like I’m mentally growing up with Olivia. I remember being a teenager, full of her emotions of Sour and Guts, but now I can relate to this album even more as those years have passed. This sounds like the beginning of our early 20s, a confusing yet whimsical and dark feeling with an airy desire for light to look back on.