brutal
Olivia Rodrigo Lyrics


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"I want it to be like, messy"

I'm so insecure, I think
That I'll die before I drink
And I'm so caught up in the news
Of who likes me, and who hates you
And I'm so tired that I might
Quit my job, start a new life
And they'd all be so disappointed
'Cause who am I, if not exploited

And I'm so sick of seventeen
Where's my fucking teenage dream?
If someone tells me one more time
"Enjoy your youth", I'm gonna cry
And I don't stick up for myself
I'm anxious and nothing can help
And I wish I'd done this before
And I wish people liked me more

All I did was try my best
This the kinda thanks I get?
Unrelentlessly upset (uh-uh, oh)
They say these are the golden years
But I wish I could disappear
Ego crush is so severe
God, it's brutal out here

(Yeah)

I feel like no one wants me
And I hate the way I'm perceived
I only have two real friends
And lately, I'm a nervous wreck
'Cause I love people I don't like
And I hate every song I write
And I'm not cool, and I'm not smart
And I can't even parallel park

All I did was try my best
This the kinda thanks I get?
Unrelentlessly upset (uh-uh, oh)
They say these are the golden years
But I wish I could disappear
Ego crush is so severe
God, it's brutal out here

(Yeah)

(She's having a really good time)





Got a broken ego, broken heart
And God, I don't even know where to start

Overall Meaning

Olivia Rodrigo's song "brutal" delves into the insecurities and anxieties of being a teenager in today's world. In the beginning of the song, Rodrigo expresses her desire for things to be messy, which can be seen as a metaphor for wanting to embrace imperfections and complexity instead of striving for an idealized version of life. She then goes on to share her fears of not living long enough to experience certain things, and being too preoccupied with social media and other's opinions of her.


Rodrigo expresses her frustration with the pressure to enjoy one's youth, and the feeling that she is not living up to expectations, both her own and those of others. She speaks about her anxieties, her inability to stand up for herself, and her wish to be liked more by people. The chorus of the song explores her disillusionment with the idea that one's teenage years are the best times of their life, and the painful reality that she wishes she could disappear and escape the pressure and scrutiny.


In the second verse, Rodrigo talks about her struggles with relationships, her lack of self-confidence and her feelings of inadequacy. She confesses that she has fallen in love with people she does not like and is unable to appreciate her own work. In the end, she feels broken-hearted and her ego has taken a beating, leaving her unsure of where to start to put the pieces back together.


Overall, "brutal" by Olivia Rodrigo is a raw and honest commentary on the challenges of growing up and finding oneself in a world where social media and the opinions of others can greatly affect one's sense of self-worth.


Line by Line Meaning

I want it to be like, messy
I'm tired of trying to be perfect and put together all the time. I just want to let loose and be myself, even if that means things might get a little chaotic or 'messy.'


I'm so insecure, I think That I'll die before I drink And I'm so caught up in the news Of who likes me, and who hates you
I have a lot of anxiety and fear about what other people think of me, to the point where it can become debilitating. I'm constantly checking social media to see if people are talking about me, and I can't handle the thought of others disliking me.


And I'm so tired that I might Quit my job, start a new life And they'd all be so disappointed 'Cause who am I, if not exploited
I'm overwhelmed and burnt out from the pressure of trying to please everyone around me. Sometimes I just want to run away and start over, but I worry that people will judge me for not living up to their expectations. I feel like I'm only valuable to others if I'm doing something for them.


And I'm so sick of seventeen Where's my fucking teenage dream? If someone tells me one more time 'Enjoy your youth', I'm gonna cry
I feel like I'm missing out on something (e.g., typical teenage experiences) and I'm not sure what it is. Everyone keeps telling me that these are supposed to be the 'best years of my life,' but I'm not enjoying them the way I 'should'. It's frustrating to hear people give me advice that isn't helpful or relevant to my situation.


And I don't stick up for myself I'm anxious and nothing can help And I wish I'd done this before And I wish people liked me more
I struggle with advocating for myself and asserting my needs. I'm so consumed by anxiety and self-doubt that it feels impossible to speak up. I regret not being more assertive in the past, and I wish that people would see me as a more likeable or valuable person.


All I did was try my best This the kinda thanks I get? Unrelentlessly upset (uh-uh, oh) They say these are the golden years But I wish I could disappear Ego crush is so severe God, it's brutal out here
I'm frustrated and hurt that despite all my efforts to be successful, loved, or respected, I still feel like I'm failing. It's a constant struggle to maintain my sense of self-worth and confidence, and I feel like I'm constantly being knocked down. Even though people tell me that I should be enjoying this time in my life, it's hard to when everything feels so overwhelming and oppressive.


I feel like no one wants me And I hate the way I'm perceived I only have two real friends And lately, I'm a nervous wreck 'Cause I love people I don't like And I hate every song I write And I'm not cool, and I'm not smart And I can't even parallel park
I feel isolated and unlovable because I don't fit into the mold of what others consider 'cool' or desirable. I have a small circle of friends, but I still feel like I'm not connecting with them on a deep level. It's exhausting to constantly feel like a fraud and worry about whether or not people will accept me for who I am. Additionally, I'm struggling with creative blocks and self-doubt that makes me feel like I'm not talented or skilled enough to succeed.


Got a broken ego, broken heart And God, I don't even know where to start
I feel like my sense of self and emotional well-being are in shambles right now. I'm not sure how to begin to heal or fix the many issues that are weighing me down.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Olivia Rodrigo, Daniel Nigro

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@Your-frog-artist316

Lyrics:
I want it to be, like, messy
I'm so insecure, I think
That I'll die before I drink
And I'm so caught up in the news
Of who likes me, and who hates you
And I'm so tired that I might
Quit my job, start a new life
And they'd all be so disappointed
'Cause who am I, if not exploited?
And I'm so sick of 17
Where's my fucking teenage dream?
If someone tells me one more time
"Enjoy your youth, " I'm gonna cry
And I don't stick up for myself
I'm anxious and nothing can help
And I wish I'd done this before
And I wish people liked me more
All I did was try my best
This the kind of thanks I get?
Unrelentlessly upset (ah, ah, ah)
They say these are the golden years
But I wish I could disappear
Ego crush is so severe
God, it's brutal out here
(Yeah!)
I feel like no one wants me
And I hate the way I'm perceived
I only have two real friends
And lately, I'm a nervous wreck
'Cause I love people I don't like
And I hate every song I write
And I'm not cool and I'm not smart
And I can't even parallel park
All I did was try my best
This the kind of thanks I get?
Unrelentlessly upset (ah, ah, ah)
They say these are the golden years
But I wish I could disappear
Ego crush is so severe
God, it's brutal out here
(Yeah! Just having a really good time)
Got a broken ego, broken heart (it's brutal out here, it's brutal out here)
And God, I don't even know where to start



All comments from YouTube:

@AlexaRiveraVillegas

This is ICONIC

@graceeep5033

yess

@Faith-qz4dz

A versatile queen😏

@CrRonaldo-ku4iq

https://youtu.be/uwHWKKtX5Sg

@gabrielleolela5592

ITS SO GOOD

@gabrielleolela5592

I wasn’t sure at first when she dropped her first three like I got tired of them easily solely because of tiktok but this and two steps forward and three steps back are the best hands down and she’s so versatile which I didn’t know

5 More Replies...

@OtterWorldly

This a BANGER

@Mia_Wachtman

Agreed

@caty1686

lol

@simone1170

@@caty1686 Ayyyye Blinks

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