Mitski herself is not a fan of online praise, but it’s worth giving when it is truthful. The “My Love Mine All Mine” hitmaker is no stranger to penning some devastating prose in her music. And in a world where earnest songwriting is dying out, it’s hard not to love Mitski for being the poet she is. Let’s take a look at a few songs that prove Mitski is a modern-day poet!
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “Me And My Husband”
This incredible little tune from Be The Cowboy shows Mitski at her most theatric. The song tells the tale of someone who is struggling to maintain her own identity and instead opts to hold fast to her relationship… Something that any married person would be able to understand.
“And I am the idiot with the painted face in the corner taking up space / But when he walks in, I am loved, I am loved” is just one arresting line that is incredibly relatable.
2. “Lonesome Love”
Another great track from Be The Cowboy, “Lonesome Love” is one of several tracks from that record that prove that Mitski is a true poet. The song explores the interesting dynamic between two lovers who are constantly trying to one-up each other.
“Walk up in my high heels all high and mighty / And you say ‘Hello’, and I lose / Cause nobody butters me up like you / And nobody f***s me like me” could have several meanings, all of them fascinating.
3. “Washing Machine Heart”
This fan-favorite track from Be The Cowboy is a playful one, but nonetheless poetic in the themes it explores. This hit explores what it is like to be so desperate to be loved that one lets it destroy their very being.
“Washing Machine Heart” is truly a devastating song. Lyrics like “Toss your dirty shoes in my washing machine heart / Baby, bang it up inside” hitting just a little too close to home for many. The instrumentals on this track are gorgeous, too.
4. “Last Words Of A Shooting Star”
This closing track on Bury Me At Makeout Creek proves Mitski is a poet who can explore themes beyond love exclusively.
“Last Words Of A Shooting Star” is rooted in love. But, Mitski also explores the notion of life and death, and the desire to leave behind a legacy worth being proud of. “And you’d say you love me and look in my eyes / But I know through mine you were looking in yours” is like a punch to the gut.
Photo by Ebru Yildiz, Courtesy of Dead Oceans
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