I'll Be Your Girl was written by Jepsen alongside producers John Hill and Patrik Berger, sometime between 2016 and 2019. Jepsen states that co-producer John Hill was only brought onto Dedicated towards the end of the project, meaning the track was one of the last to be worked on for the album. Hill was photographed in the studio alongside Jepsen and saxophonist James King in late 2018 to early 2019, and had most likely worked on the song at this time.
I'll Be Your Girl is described by Jepsen as 'weirdly' one of the most personal songs on the album and the first 'really angry song' in her discography. 'It's the first time I ever let myself write about jealousy in such an extreme way, in this way I've never really allowed myself to expose' she explained, 'it deals with jealousy and being a night-time voyeur who’s creeping out your ex on the internet. That’s not really something I’d pushed myself to write about before, but it’s a very human thing.'
I'll Be Your Girl is written from the perspective of a crazy, jealous, stalking ex-girlfriend. Whilst the song is less of a personal journal entry, Jepsen states, it's more about the feelings and emotion behind the lyrics - she explained, 'the beautiful thing about lyrics is that you have a very short amount of time to pack a punch. So it’s almost I think more impactful when it’s less like your own journal than the feelings you have that can connect.' 'It’s that ugly emotion and you want to share it, so it’s more of a 'when you feel jealous, put this song on and let it be your anthem' kind of thing.'
I'll Be Your Girl
Carly Rae Jepsen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where was I pick? But you caught my eyes out
"He's so hypnitising," said every girl you ever met
Win or lose, win or lose, I hold out
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Living for you
I go crazy, see red when she's touching you now
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Tell me all, I'm jealous of that night watch
I'm the voyeur searching through my laptop
It's so truth defying, everything you ever said
Right or wrong, right or wrong
I won't stop
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Living for you
Oh, but you're living for her
I go crazy, see red when she's touching you now
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
(Ah, ah, ah)
I'll be your girl
(Ah, ah, ah)
I'll be your girl
(Ah, ah, ah)
I'll be your girl
(Ah, ah, ah)
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Standing at your door, calling out your name
Found me in the dark, find me here again
I've got nothing left, like a little protest
Banging on your door, calling out your name
Found me in your heart, find me here again
I've got nothing left, like a little protest
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Living for you
Oh, but you're living for her
I go crazy, see red when she's touching you now
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
(Ah, ah, ah)
All I mean is I'm going out of breath (ah, ah, ah)
For the way that I feel when you hold me like that (ah, ah, ah)
All I pray is I'm getting over it (ah, ah, ah)
I'll change places today if you love me like that
(Ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah)
The lyrics to Carly Rae Jepsen's song "I'll Be Your Girl" depict a complicated love triangle and the emotional turmoil that comes with it. The singer expresses feelings of jealousy and insecurity as they witness their love interest being pursued by someone else. They feel replaced and second best, constantly questioning their worth and position in the person's life.
In the first verse, the singer acknowledges that they may not have been the first choice, but they were captured by their love interest's captivating presence. They understand that their love interest is desired by many, but they remain hopeful and determined to keep their place in their heart, regardless of whether they win or lose.
The chorus further illustrates the singer's internal struggle. They emphasize their dedication and willingness to be there for their love interest, offering themselves as a companion and lover. However, they also admit to going crazy with jealousy and anger when they witness the person being intimate with someone else. It's a battle between their desire for exclusivity and their fear of losing them to another.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's mindset. They express their curiosity and jealousy, almost voyeuristically observing their love interest's actions. They question the truth behind the person's words and actions, unsure if they can fully trust them. Despite this uncertainty, the singer shows determination and a refusal to give up, regardless of whether they are right or wrong.
The bridge of the song signifies a turning point in the narrative. The singer is desperate for attention and validation from their love interest. They stand at their door, calling out their name, seeking reassurance and affirmation. They feel lost and empty, resorting to protests and banging on the person's door to get noticed. However, they also acknowledge that they have found solace and love in the person's heart before and wish to find it again.
In the final chorus, the singer pleads once again to be chosen over the other person. They express their intense emotions, feeling breathless and overwhelmed by their love. They want to be loved in the same way they love, willing to change places and do whatever it takes to satisfy their desires.
Overall, "I'll Be Your Girl" portrays the complexities of love, including feelings of jealousy, insecurity, and the desperate need for affection. It highlights the singer's struggle to maintain their position in the love interest's life while battling their own inner demons. The lyrics reflect the rollercoaster of emotions experienced in love triangles and the desire to be the one and only.
Line by Line Meaning
Night in love, I can see you sold out
In the darkness of love, I can tell that you've given up on us
Where was I pick? But you caught my eyes out
I may have felt overlooked, but you still managed to capture my attention
"He's so hypnitising," said every girl you ever met
Every girl you've encountered describes you as captivating and enchanting
Win or lose, win or lose, I hold out
No matter the outcome, I continue to have hope and persevere
You're my baby
You are the one I love and cherish
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Join me in intimacy, and I will fulfill the role of your partner
Living for you
My existence revolves around you
Oh, but you're living for her
However, you prioritize another person over me
I go crazy, see red when she's touching you now
It drives me insane and fills me with anger when I witness her touching you
Tell me all, I'm jealous of that night watch
Reveal everything to me; I envy the person who spends the night with you
I'm the voyeur searching through my laptop
I find myself snooping like a voyeur, searching for any information about you on my laptop
It's so truth defying, everything you ever said
Your words are so deceptive, contradicting the reality
Right or wrong, right or wrong, I won't stop
Despite uncertainty, I won't give up
Standing at your door, calling out your name
I am standing outside your door, desperately calling your name
Found me in the dark, find me here again
You discovered me in the darkness, now find me once more
I've got nothing left, like a little protest
I am emotionally depleted, resembling a small act of resistance
Banging on your door, calling out your name
I am forcefully knocking on your door, repeatedly calling your name
Found me in your heart, find me here again
You embraced me in your heart, now find and accept me once more
All I mean is I'm going out of breath (ah, ah, ah)
What I'm trying to say is, I'm running out of energy and losing my strength
For the way that I feel when you hold me like that (ah, ah, ah)
Because of how I feel when you hold me in that manner
All I pray is I'm getting over it (ah, ah, ah)
My only hope is that I can move past these overwhelming emotions
I'll change places today if you love me like that
I would gladly exchange my current position for a chance to be loved by you in that way
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Carly Rae Jepsen, John Hill, Patrik Berger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miguel Sarmiento, Jr.
Now you're in love, I can see you sold out
Where was I, pic-picture, cut my eyes out
"He’s so hypnotizing," said every girl you ever met
When I lose, when I lose, I hold out
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Living for you
Oh, but you're living for her
I go crazy, see red when she's touching you, now
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Tell me all, I'm jealous of that night watch
I'm the voyeur searching through my laptop
It's so truth defying, everything you ever said
Right or wrong, right or wrong
I won't stop
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Living for you
Oh, but you're living for her
I go crazy, see red when she's touching you, now
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
(Ah, ah, ah)
I'll be your girl
(Ah, ah, ah)
I'll be your girl
(Ah, ah, ah)
I'll be your girl
(Ah, ah, ah)
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Living for you
Oh, but you're living for her
I go crazy, see red when she's touching you, now
You're my baby
Come to bed, I'll be your girl
Standing at your door, calling out your name
Find me in the dark, find me here again
I got nothing left, make a little protest
Banging on your door, calling out your name
Find me in your heart, find me here again
I got nothing left, make a little protest(Ah, ah, ah)
All I mean is I'm holding, out of breath
(Ah, ah, ah)
For the way that I feel when you hold me like that
(Ah, ah, ah)
All I pray is I'm getting over it
(Ah, ah, ah)
I'll change places today if you love me like that
(Ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah)
(Ah, ah, ah)
a
This song is so damn genius. The chord progressions, the production, the vocals, the crazy stalking ex lyrics... everything! Top 5 in her discography!
Tate Mcilwain
Dude this song uses odd time signatures and chromatic chord progressions. It's so cool to hear this level of complexity in a pop song. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about basically this song uses trippy songwriting techniques.
Darren U.
Whatever it is, I love it!! When I first listened to it I was just blown away at how much it brought to my ears. Amazing amazing amazing.
Guilherme
she delivers the most
chaos
@Darren U. it's mostly in 3/4 I think right? I don't hear anything else
Darren U.
@chaos Yeah, it's reportedly in 3/4 time. (A year later, my personal favorite is 5/4 time.)
Anthony Metcalf
@chaos F that I say it's 6/8
Andrew
Jesus christ, how the fuck is this so good? I've seen people call certain songs "pop perfection" but I don't think that even describes how amazing this is. This is like, pop perfection squared.
Hoji
right
Hoji
rightttttt