Olivia Rodrigo is one of the most powerful songwriters in the pop space today. She never minces words and never pulls her punches. As evidence to that fact, find four of her most emotional lyrics, below.
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1. Push away all the people who know me the best / But it’s me who’s been making the bed (“making the bed”)
Sometimes it’s hard to admit that you’re the problem. Rodrigo mulls over that idea in “making the bed.” This sweeping ballad sees the singer-songwriter list off all the reasons she’s the culprit behind her downfalls in life. From the pain in her voice, you can tell that the notion really hits home.
2. ‘Cause loving you is loving every / Argument you held over my head / Brought up the girls you could have instead / Said I was too young, I was too soft / Can’t take a joke, can’t get you off (“logical”)
In “logical,” Rodrigo recounts a particularly impactful relationship–namely its end. In the bridge, Rodrigo lists off every reason why her former partner was bad news. She ramps up her vocals at this point in the song, belting out these lines to make them hit even harder.
3. Bloodsucker, famefucker / Bleedin’ me dry, like a goddamn vampire (“vampire”)
The entirety of “vampire” is emotional, but it’s the chorus that really strikes a nerve. The ending line–seen above–is like a stake to the heart. Though we don’t know for sure who Rodrigo is singing about here, we do know these words had to hurt.
4. Red lights, stop signs / I still see your face in the white cars, front yards / Can’t drive past the places we used to go to / ‘Cause I still fuckin’ love you, babe (“drivers license”)
We have to circle back to “drivers license.” This is the song that started it all for Rodrigo, immediately labeling her as an emotionally powerful songwriter. The bridge of this song will always be one of our favorites. A wave of regret washes over the listener whenever these lines come on.
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