Olivia Rodrigo - GUTS (September 8, 2023) • Page 55

you guys are nuts for not having "pretty isn't pretty" in your top five, let alone your top three

 

My guy, you're ranking at least three ballads above "Making the Bed" here!

I think she sells "Logical" really well vocally, so that elevates it for me. Versus "Making the Bed," which I just find to be so plodding and dull.

 

my problem is that I just really, really, really hate how "you got me thinking two plus two equals five and i'm the love of your life" sounds. Just a personal thing I guess, but that line kinda just ruins the whole song for me

 

I only have "lacy" above it? wouldn't really consider "vampire" a ballad with the way it picks up and what it turns into, same with "teenage dream." and "pretty isn't pretty" is like a midtempo alt-rock song a'la "1979."

 

Ha, fair enough. It’s a creaky line for sure, but the bridge saves the song, imo.

“Vampire” is borderline because it’s basically half and half, but c’mon, “Teenage Dream” is absolutely a ballad. You can have a big climactic build in the last minute and still be a ballad. And I’d call Pretty Isn’t Pretty” a midtempo ballad.

 

Oh man the bounce of the chorus is in my head all the time and I love the title metaphor. Different strokes.

 

For me the moment that cinches “Logical” is always that absurd harmony blend at the end.

 

The 2+2=5 line lands for me because yeah its illogical but also it paints the picture of him as a gaslighter in a succinct way or at least i interpret it that way. And when she builds to can't get you off I'm like

 

I can probably give you "teenage dream" (it's just such a big bombastic MCR song to me that I never think ballad), but I can't give you "pretty isn't pretty" haha.

 

I’m not going to lie I am a straight hater for lacy

idk the song is just whatever to me

 

I'm not one to do full rankings of an album's tracks, but I've been listening to this a lot this week during my work commutes, so hey, whatever... fun challenge I guess?

"all-american bitch"
"love is embarrassing"
"the grudge"
"vampire"
"ballad of a homeschooled girl"
"bad idea right?"
"lacy"
"get him back!"
"pretty isn't pretty"
"teenage dream"
"making the bed"
"logical"

To be clear, though, I don't believe there's a single dud on this thing. Like, "logical" is quite good! And, also, just about every song is very close for me to the ones immediately above and before, so who knows how this could morph if revisited later on.

 

I think the bangers are better on GUTS and the ballads are better on SOUR

 

I’m not a huge Lacy fan because I don’t like how it rhymes with puff pastry

 

“I fantasize about a time you’re a little fuckin sorry” is such a line from the grudge. 20 year old me wants to SCREAM it

 

Me in my 30s still wants to scream it tbh.

Not to play into that corny ass “I’m old; why do I love these songs???” sentiment, lol. But dang it, she sure did nail that exact feeling of lingering pain from a formerly close relationship (romantic or otherwise) in that verse.

 

What melody is “so american” cribbing in the chorus? It sounds so familiar.

 

Music like this done well brings you right back to how you felt then, even if you haven't felt that way in 15 years. It's not arrested development. It's memory and empathy.

 

Reminds me of an Adele song. Not sure which though haha

 

so american should have been the single

 

Love Is Embarrassing
Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl
Vampire
Pretty Isn't Pretty
All American Bitch
Bad Idea Right?
Logical
The Grudge
Get Him Back!
Teenage Dream
Making the Bed
Lacy

 

“Obsessed” is an amazing cautionary tale in how a single word can ruin a song. I really like the song, mostly, but man, I cannot get over the use of “butthurt.” Just a word no one should be allowed to use, ever, especially in the lyrics of a song.

 

Didn't even know that word is in the song haha

 

Yeah, she mumbles it enough where it doesn’t even register.

 

Lol, what? It is incredibly clear what word she is saying.

 

Like, seriously, what do you think that lyric is if that's not what you're hearing? "I know you loved her, and I know I'm butter"? "i know I'm but her"?