To date, Olsen has released six studio albums: Half Way Home (2012), Burn Your Fire for No Witness (2014), My Woman (2016), All Mirrors (2019), Whole New Mess (2020) and Big Time (2022).
What It Is
Angel Olsen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's easy when you know your way around
It's easy when you love something
It's easy if you know exactly how
It's easy to openly say
Oh, that you could never change your mind
That feeling coming over you
It's easy if you tell the truth
But knowing what it is, it's not enough
Knowing that you love someone
Doesn't mean you ever were in love
It's never easy to admit
That maybe you just wanted
Just to feel something again
You just wanted to forget
That your heart was full of shit
You just wanted to forget
You just wanted to forget
It's easy when you're passionate
It's easy when you know your way around
It's easy when you love something
It's easy if you know exactly how
It's easy if you tell the truth
But knowing what it is, it's not enough
And knowing that you love someone
Doesn't mean you ever were in love
The song "What It Is" by Angel Olsen is about the complexities of love and the difficulty of admitting one's true feelings. The lyrics suggest that having passion, knowing one's way around, and loving something may seem easy, but truly understanding what it means to love someone is not enough. Love is not just a feeling; it's a complex emotional and mental state that cannot be fully comprehended or explained. The song touches on the idea that sometimes, we may convince ourselves that we are in love or that we have moved on from past love, but deep down, we know that we still have unresolved feelings.
The chorus of the song emphasizes that telling the truth and admitting one's true feelings is never easy. The lyrics suggest that sometimes, we may just want to feel something again or forget that our heart was once full of pain. This is a universal human experience that many people can relate to. The song's melancholic melody and Olsen's soulful voice add to the emotional depth of the lyrics and convey a sense of vulnerability, making the song even more relatable and poignant.
Line by Line Meaning
It's easy when you're passionate
Expressing your passion can make things seem easy and effortless.
It's easy when you know your way around
Familiarity with a situation or task can make it easier to navigate and handle.
It's easy when you love something
When you truly love something, it makes it easier to pursue and accomplish it.
It's easy if you know exactly how
Expertise in something can make it easy to perform and achieve your goals.
It's easy to openly say
Expressing your thoughts and feelings can come easy, especially when you have nothing to lose.
Oh, that you could never change your mind
Sometimes expressing your thoughts and feelings can come with the desire to remain constant and unchanging.
That feeling coming over you
An overwhelming feeling can be a sign that you are on the right path or that a change is needed.
It would never dare leave you behind
The feeling is strong and enduring, serving as a constant motivator to keep pushing forward.
It's easy if you tell the truth
Honesty can be freeing and lead to a simpler and more peaceful existence.
But knowing what it is, it's not enough
Knowing the truth is not always enough to enact change or resolve issues.
Knowing that you love someone
Acknowledging and feeling love for someone is a powerful emotion that can impact decisions and actions.
Doesn't mean you ever were in love
Experiencing love can be more complex and difficult than simply acknowledging the feeling.
It's never easy to admit
Acknowledging faults or desires can be difficult and require a level of vulnerability.
That maybe you just want
Desires and wants can complicate delicate situations and emotions.
Just to feel something again
Longing for a certain emotion or feeling can lead to actions that may not be entirely rational.
You just wanted to forget
At times, the desire to forget or ignore can be stronger than the desire to address and resolve issues.
That your heart was full of shit
Acknowledging and coming to terms with past mistakes or damaging actions.
You just wanted to forget
Echoing the earlier state of mind that at times the desire to forget or avoid issues can be dominant.
You just wanted to forget
Echoing the earlier state of mind that at times the desire to forget or avoid issues can be dominant.
It's easy when you're passionate
Repeating the earlier sentiment that passion can make things easier and encourage action and drive.
It's easy when you know your way around
Repeating the earlier sentiment that familiarity with a situation or task can make handling it easier.
It's easy when you love something
Repeating the earlier sentiment that love and passion can drive and motivate towards achieving goals.
It's easy if you know exactly how
Repeating the earlier sentiment that expertise and knowledge can make tasks and goals easier to achieve.
It's easy if you tell the truth
Repeating the earlier sentiment that honesty and truth can lead to a simpler and more peaceful existence.
But knowing what it is, it's not enough
Repeating the earlier sentiment about knowing the truth not always guaranteeing or leading to change.
And knowing that you love someone
Repeating the sentiment that love is a powerful emotion that shapes thoughts and actions.
Doesn't mean you ever were in love
Repeating the sentiment that acknowledging love is not always the same as experiencing it fully.
It's never easy to admit
Repeating the sentiment that acknowledging faults or desires can be difficult and require vulnerability.
That maybe you just want
Repeating the sentiment about desires and wants complicating emotions and situations.
Just to feel something again
Repeating the desire for experiencing certain emotions or feelings.
You just wanted to forget
Repeating the earlier feeling of wanting to forget or avoid addressing issues.
That your heart was full of shit
Repeating the understanding and acknowledgement of past mistakes or damaging actions.
You just wanted to forget
Repeating the sentiment that avoidance and forgetting can be a strong desire when dealing with difficult emotions or situations.
You just wanted to forget
Repeating the sentiment that avoidance and forgetting can be a strong desire when dealing with difficult emotions or situations.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Angel L. Olsen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind