It was included in her second studio album Happier Than Ever as an interlude, released on July 30th, 2021.
Not My Responsibility
Billie Eilish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Really know me?
You have opinions
About my opinions
About my music
About my clothes
About my body
Some people hate what I wear
Some people use it to shame others
Some people use it to shame me
But I feel you watching
Always
And nothing I do goes unseen
So while I feel your stares
Your disapproval
Or your sigh of relief
If I lived by them
I'd never be able to move
Would you like me to be smaller?
Weaker?
Softer?
Taller?
Would you like me to be quiet?
Do my shoulders provoke you?
Does my chest?
Am I my stomach?
My hips?
The body I was born with
Is it not what you wanted?
If I wear what is comfortable
I am not a woman
If I shed the layers
I'm a slut
Though you've never seen my body
You still judge it
And judge me for it
Why?
We make assumptions about people
Based on their size
We decide who they are
We decide what they're worth
If I wear more
If I wear less
Who decides what that makes me?
What that means?
Is my value based only on your perception?
Or is your opinion of me?
Not my responsibility
The lyrics to Billie Eilish's song Not My Responsibility are a powerful commentary on society's constant scrutiny of women and their bodies. The song is an attempt to reclaim agency and distance from the unfair standards placed on women. It begins by questioning the audience's perception of the singer and asking if they "really know" her. Eilish then reveals that people have their own opinions about various aspects of her life, such as her music, her clothes, and her body. This leads to a discussion about the differing opinions people have about her appearance and how they are often used to shame others.
The theme of body-shaming is a critical part of the song, with Eilish questioning whether people would prefer her to be "smaller, weaker, softer" or to conform to other unrealistic standards of beauty. She points out how people's assumptions about others based on their size, shape, and clothing can be incredibly damaging and unjust. Eilish ultimately concludes that her value is not determined by other people's opinions of her or how she presents herself. It is a rallying cry towards self-confidence and self-love, where people should not be subject to arbitrary standards of beauty or societal expectations, and it is not her responsibility to meet those expectations.
In conclusion, Not My Responsibility is a deeply personal song that offers a powerful critique of social conventions shaped by people's perceptions of each other. The lyrics suggest that we need to move past traditional gender stereotypes and grant people autonomy over how they present themselves to the world. Eilish's voice serves as a powerful reminder that, at the end of the day, one's value has nothing to do with superficial characteristics or external judgments.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you know me?
Do you truly understand who I am as a person and what I represent?
Really know me?
Do you have a deep and meaningful understanding of my thoughts, feelings, and experiences?
You have opinions
You hold judgments and beliefs about me that may or may not be based on reality.
About my opinions
You have preconceptions about the views and beliefs that I hold.
About my music
You have made assumptions and evaluations about the style, content, and quality of the music that I produce.
About my clothes
You have formed impressions and appraisals about the apparel I wear to express myself.
About my body
You hold opinions and stereotypes about my physique and what it represents.
Some people hate what I wear
Certain individuals have intense dislikes for the clothing items that I choose to wear.
Some people praise it
Others express admiration and support for the fashion choices I make.
Some people use it to shame others
Individuals use my clothing preferences to belittle or humiliate others based on their preferences.
Some people use it to shame me
Others employ my clothing choices to marginalize or put me down for not fitting into their norms.
But I feel you watching
I am aware of your attention and scrutiny towards me.
Always
It seems that you are constantly observing my every move.
And nothing I do goes unseen
You are always aware of my actions and behaviors.
So while I feel your stares
Despite your continuous gaze towards me,
Your disapproval
Your dissenting opinions and negative attitudes,
Or your sigh of relief
Or your feelings of ease or contentment based on certain outcomes.
If I lived by them
If I were to conform to your perceptions and expectations,
I'd never be able to move
I would be confined and imprisoned by your judgments and views.
Would you like me to be smaller?
Do you desire for my diminishment or suppression?
Weaker?
Do you want me to feel helpless or powerless?
Softer?
Would you prefer me to be more gentle and compliant?
Taller?
Do you believe that my height or physical dimensions should be different?
Would you like me to be quiet?
Do you hope that I am silent or do not speak up?
Do my shoulders provoke you?
Are you angered or irritated by my posture or body language?
Does my chest?
Does the appearance or size of my chest bother you?
Am I my stomach?
Is my belly the sole representation of who I am as a person?
My hips?
Do my hips define my value and worth as a human being?
The body I was born with
The physical form that I am naturally given,
Is it not what you wanted?
Does it not meet your preferences or standards?
If I wear what is comfortable
If I dress in a way that makes me feel at ease,
I am not a woman
My femininity or womanhood is invalidated and dismissed.
If I shed the layers
If I reveal more of myself physically,
I'm a slut
I am shamed and stigmatized for my sexuality.
Though you've never seen my body
Despite not having any visual exposure to my body,
You still judge it
You continue to form opinions and beliefs based on assumptions and stereotypes about it.
And judge me for it
You use your evaluations and conclusions about my body to form opinions about me as a person.
Why?
What is the reason behind all this judgment and scrutiny?
We make assumptions about people
Human beings are prone to drawing conclusions and forming mental pictures of others.
Based on their size
We use cues like height, weight, and physical dimensions to make these evaluations.
We decide who they are
We try to impose our own identities and sense of self unto others.
We decide what they're worth
We assign value and worth to individuals based on arbitrary standards that we set.
If I wear more
If I choose to wear more clothing,
If I wear less
If I choose to wear fewer clothes,
Who decides what that makes me?
Who has the right to define and label me based on these choices?
What that means?
What significance or importance do these choices have on my identity or worth as a person?
Is my value based only on your perception?
Are my worth and importance to society determined solely by how you view me?
Or is your opinion of me?
Is the value that you assign to me only a reflection of your own personal biases and opinions?
Not my responsibility
I am not accountable for the opinions, biases, and judgments that others may hold about me.
Writer(s): Billie O Connell, Finneas O Connell
Contributed by Grace A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@emilymicale5461
I keep watching this because she is so pretty.
I would die for Billie.
She is worth so much.
She saved my life.
Billie helped me become who I am now.
Billie has so much to live for.
She is beautiful, but people still judge her, it’s not fair.
I love Billie, she means the world.
I’m so excited for September, because I’m going to see my biggest idol.
She is such a queen.
- Emily ❤️❤️
@meer4ki
People body shame a lot! It actually hurts..
I’m only 11 years old and I weight 56kg or something. I’m not embarrassed saying this, because I don’t know you, I don’t know who’s reading this, but what I know is, that you, yes you! You can give people motivation to lose weight or to make other people love their body’s. If you do the opposite, people will be insecure and hide their body’s.
Try making the world a better place for us. Stop body shaming! How would you feel if someone called you too skinny or too fat?! It hurts! So please stop! I’m serious…
Stay strong and remember that someone in this world loves you! ❤️
- a lot of love from April.
@heeem2046
"the body I was born with, is it not what you wanted? "
holy-
@diordo4109
Why people are saying that I sound like xxxtentacion here
https://youtu.be/Py03mXXExgc
@wetfetus5791
I CAN FINALLY WATCH THIS WITH OUT HEARING PEOPLE SCREAM
@vivysmells8337
Nice nails
@yn-cp5gw
wowowow gurl u be gettin the likes by the second-
@sakurasiracha2918
Yawn, her music still sucks
@carolinec.1812
It disgusts me how people feel they need to bring down an 18 year old woman about her body.
@_Https.maddie
Yea It’s unnecessary and stupid
@edenanderson5527
Maddie :0 it’s fucking grooooss
@edenanderson5527
Maddie :0 not her body the people who hate on her and Shame her