Background
Lissie was born and raised in Rock Island, Illinois, USA - her father is a physician and her mother is an interior designer. She was interested in singing and music from an early age. She played the title role of the musical Annie at the age of nine. "In high school it seems like everyone has more drama than any other time in their life. So that was the time in my life where I really leaned on music as a way to stay sane" she said in an interview.
In her senior year of high school, Lissie was expelled over, what she described, as "something stupid that [she] did, but it was sort of like the culmination of just a lot of negative things that had happened". She got her degree at an alternative outreach center. She spent two years at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, during which time she would open for musicians who visited the city. She collaborated with DJ Harry of SCI Fidelity Records on the song "All My Life", which featured on television shows House, The O.C., Veronica Mars and Wildfire. After spending a semester in Paris, she finished her studies to pursue a career in music. In 2007, she produced a four-song EP that received some airplay on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic.
In early 2008, Lenny Kravitz invited her to be the opening act for his Love Revolution Tour, after a friend tipped him about her MySpace page. Later that year, "The Longest Road", a song she co-wrote with DJ Morgan Page reached #4 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart. "We met under that idea that he was going to remix a song of mine (...) But we decided to work on a new song together", she told the Quad-City Times. The Deadmau5 remix of the track was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical" category.
Releases
EP - Lissie (2007 and re-released in 2013)
EP - Why You Runnin' (2009)
Her EP, Why You Runnin', produced by Bill Reynolds of Band of Horses, was released in November 2009 on Fat Possum. One of the songs, Oh Mississippi, was co-written with Ed Harcourt, whom she met through a mutual friend. The EP was listed amongst Paste magazine's "Eight Most Auspicious Musical Debuts of 2009". In early 2010, she toured various venues in the United Kingdom supporting Ohio-born singer-songwriter Joshua Radin.
Catching a Tiger (2010)
Lissie signed with Sony Music UK's Columbia Records. Her debut album, Catching a Tiger, was released on June 21, 2010. The album was recorded in Nashville in 2009 and produced by Jacquire King. The first single from the album, In Sleep, was selected as Track of The Day by Q Magazine on 13 March 2010. A second single, When I’m Alone, was released alongside the album; it would later be chosen by iTunes UK as their song of the year 2010.
Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire (2011)
EP - Covered Up With Flowers (2011)
Back to Forever (2013)
Lissie's sophomore album, Back to Forever, was released on September 8, 2013. It features the singles “Shameless” and “Further Away (Romance Police)”
EP - Love in the City (2013).
EP - Cryin' To You (2014)
In March 2014, Lissie released a critically acclaimed independent EP of cover versions called Cryin' To You. The 5-track EP features an eclectic mix of popular covers - Judas Priest’s Electric Eye, One Direction’s ballad The Story of My Life, Mother by Danzig, Hold On We're Going Home by Drake and Bob Dylan's To Ramona.
My Wild West (2016)
On February 12, 2016 Lissie released her 3rd studio album titled "My Wild West". The album has three singles: the promotional single Hero, the lead single Don't You Give Up On Me, and Daughters. My Wild West has an average grade of 73% on Metacritic.
Live at Union Chapel (2016)
Castles (2018)
On March 23, 2018 Lissie released her 4th studio album Castles. Generally receiving favourable reviews it has a rating of 76% on Metacritic. The album has a slower overall feel and includes prominent piano accompaniments on some tracks. The album has 4 singles; Boyfriend, Blood & Muscle, Best Days and Love Blows.
Compilation - When I'm Alone: The Piano Retrospective (2019)
EP - Thank You to the Flowers (2020)
Carving Canyons (2022)
Released September 16, 2022.
Bad Romance
Lissie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Caught in a bad romance.
Oh oh woah oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh,
Caught in a bad romance.
Ra ra-ah-ah-ah,
Roma roma-ma,
Gaga, ooh la la,
Ra ra-ah-ah-ah,
Roma roma-ma,
Gaga, ooh la la,
Want your bad romance.
I want your ugly,
I want your disease.
I want your everything,
As long as it's free.
I want your love.
Love, love, love,
I want your love.
Hey!
I want your drama,
The touch of your hand. (Hey!)
I want your leather-studded
Kiss in the sand.
I want your love.
Love, love, love,
I want your love.
(Love, love, love,
I want your love.)
You know that I want you,
And you know that I need you,
I want it bad,
Your bad romance.
I want your love and,
I want your revenge.
You and me could,
Write a bad romance.
(Oh oh woah oh, oh)
I want your love and
All your lover's revenge.
You and me could
Write a bad romance.
Oh oh woah oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh,
Caught in a bad romance.
Oh oh woah oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh,
Caught in a bad romance.
Ra ra-ah-ah-ah,
Roma roma-ma,
Gaga, ooh la la,
Want your bad romance.
I want your horror,
I want your design.
'Cause you're a criminal,
As long as you're mine
I want your love.
Love, love, love,
I want your love.
Ugh.
I want your Psycho,
Your Vertigo shtick. (Hey!)
Want you in my Rear Window,
Baby, you're sick.
I want your love.
Love, love, love,
I want your love.
(Love, love, love,
I want your love.)
You know that I want you,
And you know that I need you,
I want it bad,
Your bad romance.
I want your love and
I want your revenge.
You and me could
Write a bad romance.
(Oh oh woah oh, oh)
I want your love and
All your lover's revenge.
You and me could
Write a bad romance.
Oh oh woah oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh,
Caught in a bad romance.
Oh oh woah oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh,
Caught in a bad romance.
Ra ra-ah-ah-ah,
Roma roma-ma,
Gaga, ooh la la,
Want your bad romance.
Ra ra-ah-ah-ah,
Roma roma-ma,
Gaga, ooh la la,
Want your bad romance.
Walk, walk fashion, baby,
Work it, move that bitch c-razy.
Walk, walk fashion, baby,
Work it, move that bitch c-razy.
Walk, walk fashion, baby,
Work it, move that bitch c-razy.
Walk, walk passion, baby,
Work it, I'm a free bitch, baby.
I want your love,
And I want your revenge.
I want your love,
I don't wanna be friends.
Je ton amour, et je veux ton revenge.
Je ton amour, I don't wanna be friends.
(Oh oh woah oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh)
(I want your bad romance, I want your bad romance)
No, I don't wanna be friends (Caught in a bad romance)
(I want your bad romance, I want your bad romance)
I don't wanna be friends (Oh oh woah oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh)
(I want your bad romance, I want your bad romance)
(I want your bad romance) Want your bad romance
(Caught in bad romance) Want your bad romance
I want your love and
I want your revenge.
You and me could
Write a bad romance.
(Oh oh woah oh, oh)
I want your love and
All your lover's revenge.
You and me could
Write a bad romance.
Oh oh woah oh, oh, oh oh oh,
(Want your bad romance) oh oh oh,
Caught in a bad romance.
(Want your bad romance) Oh oh woah oh,
Oh, oh oh oh, (want your bad romance),
Oh oh oh, caught in a bad romance.
Ra ra-ah-ah-ah,
Roma roma-ma,
Gaga, ooh la la,
Want your bad romance
The lyrics of Lissie's Bad Romance are an expression of a twisted and unstable relationship, where the singer is caught in a bad romance with another person. The song delves into the dichotomy between what one wants and what one needs, between what is healthy and what is not. The chorus, with its repetition of "Caught in a bad romance" and "Want your bad romance," captures the feeling of being pulled into a relationship that is not good for you, but that you cannot escape.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of wanting everything from the other person, regardless of the cost or the consequences. From the desire for their love and their attention to their "ugly" and "disease," the singer is willing to accept anything from their partner, as long as it is free. The song also expresses a desire for drama, with the touch of their hand, and even for revenge. The overall message appears to be about the thrill and excitement of being in a bad romance, even if it is ultimately harmful.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh oh woah oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh,
Caught in a bad romance.
The singer is in a difficult, troubled romantic relationship.
Ra ra-ah-ah-ah,
Roma roma-ma,
Gaga, ooh la la,
Want your bad romance.
The singer is entranced by their partner's charisma and is drawn to the idea of their negative relationship being irresistible, like those portrayed in pop culture.
I want your ugly,
I want your disease.
I want your everything,
As long as it's free.
The singer is so obsessed with their partner that they overlook their flaws and are willing to have a difficult life with them as long as they get to be with them.
I want your love.
Love, love, love,
I want your love.
The artist desires their partner's love above all else.
I want your drama,
The touch of your hand. (Hey!)
I want your leather-studded
Kiss in the sand.
The artist feels alive in the volatile nature of their relationship, and craves the physical touch of their partner as well as the wild adventure they offer.
You know that I want you,
And you know that I need you,
I want it bad,
Your bad romance.
The singer is extremely desperate for their partner's affection, despite the toxic nature of their relationship.
I want your love and,
I want your revenge.
You and me could,
Write a bad romance.
The singer wants to take their tumultuous relationship to the next level, potentially causing more chaos and drama.
I want your horror,
I want your design.
'Cause you're a criminal,
As long as you're mine
The artist is drawn to the dangerous, possibly criminal nature of their partner and wants them all to themselves.
I want your Psycho,
Your Vertigo shtick. (Hey!)
Want you in my Rear Window,
Baby, you're sick.
The artist is so captivated by their partner's craziness and evil tendencies that they want to involve them in their life as if they were in a movie. They also acknowledge their partner's mental instability.
Walk, walk fashion, baby,
Work it, move that bitch c-razy.
Walk, walk fashion, baby,
Work it, move that bitch c-razy.
The artist is commanding their partner to be bold and confident in their appearance and behavior.
Walk, walk fashion, baby,
Work it, move that bitch c-razy.
Walk, walk passion, baby,
Work it, I'm a free bitch, baby.
The singer is encouraging their partner to embrace themselves and be unapologetic about their passions, while also highlighting their own desire for autonomy.
Je ton amour, et je veux ton revenge.
Je ton amour, I don't wanna be friends.
The artist says in French that they want their partner's love and revenge, but do not want a platonic friendship.
I don't wanna be friends
(I want your bad romance, I want your bad romance)
The singer reiterates that they don't want to be friends with their partner, regardless of everything else that is happening.
I want your love and
I want your revenge.
You and me could
Write a bad romance.
The singer reinforces their desire to take their relationship to the next level, despite the toxicity.
Caught in a bad romance.
Repeating the first line, the singer is acknowledging that they are stuck in a difficult, even dangerous romantic situation.
Ra ra-ah-ah-ah,
Roma roma-ma,
Gaga, ooh la la,
Want your bad romance.
Repeating the chorus that highlights the inspiration behind the song's creation.
Contributed by Blake L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@robertbartelmes7623
… to me … this has gotta still be the BEST cover of "Bad Romance" … Lissie's passion, her fire … the cohesive synergy between Lissie & Eric & Lewis … never has been matched by anyone since … simply superb … Bart
@mailelement1100
Agreed!
@francoisrousseau886
Lissie leads us to prefer the cover to the original song.
@kelstra1997
Don't know about the best cover Robert, to me this is the best version, period. Far better than the original!
@viggo.photography
Let's keep this alive. Lissie is one of my favs since 2010.
@guitarnutter32
I love the slight break in her voice at 4:28. Sounds amazing!!!
@travisspencer9241
I love her! She bares her soul in her songs and sings with so much emotion. It's moving
@ParanoidBlueGirl
This is a pretty badass cover. Her voice works perfectly with how they're playing. Plus, she doesn't look bad. She looks pretty fantastic :)
@peteguard3571
God love Lissie. She could sing a Denny's menu and it would be the most soulful and moving experience imaginable.
@noahsocean
Pete Guard hahaha. That is so perfectly stated!!!!! She is my absolute favorite musician !