Kate’s “GUTS” Analysis and Ranking
On Sept. 8, Olivia Rodrigo released her second album, “GUTS.” With a mix of mainstream pop and pop-rock, the 12 tracks bring the listener through a 39-minute journey of teenage heartbreak, rage, confusion and self-awareness that any 20-year-old girl can relate to. After listening through this album several times, I have developed what I feel is an adequate ranking of the dozen tracks. The ranking is largely rooted in the quality of Rodrigo’s lyricism, but I also draw from the level of emotional response the song evokes.
Last place – Track 12: “teenage dream”
Coming in last place is the final track on the album. For one, the name “teenage dream” is very reminiscent of Katy Perry’s 2010 pop hit, and so I honestly half-expected Rodrigo to just release a cover of that song. Even though this is my lowest-ranked track, it is still a good song. It had less content and fewer lyrics, but Rodrigo still did a great job presenting it. If I had still been 19 when listening to this, I know it would have resonated more, but I think that 19-year-old girls listening to her music will love and relate to the idea of feeling burnt out at such a young age. At 19, many people have been moved out of their parents’ house for a year, and some of the glory of being on your own and changing the world has rubbed off. By 19, I had slipped into the monotony of college and work and felt like I did not have anything unique to distinguish myself from the crowd. Rodrigo does a great job of conveying feelings of tiredness at such a young age.
Track 9: “love is embarrassing”
I think most girls can think of a situation they have been in with a guy who did not deserve the energy and effort that they gave him. Feeling like you have found a great guy only to realize too late that he is kind of sleazy is such an embarrassing, humbling and common experience for girls. Having to crawl back to your friends, who probably never liked him to begin with, and explain that your so-called Mr. Right was actually not committed to you at all is perfectly explained in the song’s chorus. Having misplaced love and affection for a man who proved that he is not worth it is, as Rodrigo says, embarrassing.
Track 10: “the grudge”
This song is more of a gut-wrenching ballad than any other on the album. At the same time, it manages to be one of Rodrigo’s angrier tracks. It is about knowing someone treated you badly and knowing you deserve an apology that you will never receive. It is filled with the frustration of wishing you could just make them see what they did to you and recognize the level of hurt that you are still healing from. One line that really sticks out to me as being some of Rodrigo’s best lyricism comes at the end of this song’s chorus, when she sings, “It takes strength to forgive, but I don’t feel strong.” This line is delivered with anger and notes of remorse from a girl who knows the “right” thing to do is forgive, but she is not ready to yet. Overall, this is a beautiful and emotionally raw song that I highly recommend.
Track 11: “pretty isn’t pretty”
Deciding to rank this song over “the grudge” was a difficult decision, but I really like the upbeat nature and faster pace of this song, which ultimately won it the slot above track ten. But let the record state that it was a tough call! This is a song about insecurity and the feeling that beauty is unattainable. Rodrigo talks about changing her body, makeup and clothes to match what she sees in advertising but still feeling as though “pretty isn’t pretty enough.” Halfway through this track, Rodrigo sings the lines “And I try to ignore it, but it’s everything I see / It’s on the posters on the wall; it’s in the sh*tty magazines,” which does a great job explaining how difficult it is in today’s world to grow up unaffected by the images of models and beauty queens everywhere.
Track 5: “ballad of a homeschooled girl”
I have seen this song ranked towards the bottom of almost every TikTok ranking video, and to be honest, I have no idea why it is not super popular. I was not homeschooled, so I do not relate to being “on the outside of the greatest inside joke,” as Rodrigo puts it, but I can relate to feeling like I take up too much space or being the one who makes conversations weird. I will never forget the anxiety and self-awareness I suffocated under each day of my younger teenage years. I definitely felt like I made conversations weird and worse, and I think plenty of other girls can relate, whether they are still in this awkward stage or, like me, know that this song was written for their 15-year-old selves.
Track 1: “all-american b*tch”
This song was a masterful album opener. It is easily the loudest and most aggressive song on the album, and I cannot help but be reminded of the song from her debut album, “SOUR,” titled “brutal.” Both songs define their albums as pop-punk from the first minute of listening. This track lives up to its title, referencing classic American things, like Coca-Cola bottles and the Kennedy family. However, two-thirds of the way through the song, the vibe switches entirely. For the majority of the album, Rodrigo is scream-singing about being a woman in America and “knowing her place,” but then the music fades, and she sings softly in a way that can only be described as forced politeness through clenched teeth and repressed fury. She sings the lines that display how women often feel the need to put on a facade for the world. Even when you are crying, it is important to be an object of beauty.
Track 3: “vampire?”
This was the first single released in anticipation of this album, and subsequently, was played a billion times in the past few months. It was a very catchy song that did well to demonstrate the growth of Rodrigo’s lyricism and songwriting capabilities. Similar to other tracks, it deals with themes of loving someone who was not as committed to the relationship as you. Calling someone a bloodsucking vampire as a metaphor of being used and drained of love is a very smart idea, and Rodrigo did a great job executing this track.
Track 7: “logical”
I consider this to be one of the most beautiful songs on the album. It is full of visual descriptions and personifications, such as falling for someone like rain, being in a castle with high walls along with a few other references to nature. This song repeatedly states things we know to be untrue followed by a promise made by a lover. This shows that Rodrigo could not distinguish between truth and lies in the relationship and was constantly confused and convinced of lies. Lines like “Two plus two equals five / And I’m the love of your life” as well as “The sky is green; the grass is red / And you mean all those words you said” show this juxtaposition.
Track 4: “lacy”
This is just such an artfully crafted song. It is about jealousy, but Rodrigo conveys that without having to use the word once. Rodrigo sang, “You got the one thing that I want,” and, “It’s like you’re made of angel dust,” to show how she both envies and admires the subject of the song. Upon my first listen of the album, this was my bottom-ranked song. But after seeing it discussed on social media and listening to it more, I recognized the beauty of it. Also, rumors are swirling that the song is about someone in real life. One of the fan theories is that the song is about Sabrina Carpenter, with whom Rodrigo has had public relationship drama in the past. Both Rodrigo and Carpenter have written songs about one another in the past, so it would not be out of character for Rodrigo to have continued this. Additionally, one line in the song calls the subject a “Bardot reincarnate,” in reference to Brigitte Bardot, whom Carpenter does share similar features with. Lastly, Rodrigo greatly looks up to Taylor Swift, and Carpenter was invited to open for the international performances of Swift’s The Eras Tour. Allegedly, this is what Rodrigo might be referring to when she says that “lacy” got everything she wanted.
Track 8: “get him back!”
This track quickly became one of the most popular songs on “GUTS.” The usage of the phrase “get him back” to mean both wanting her ex back in her life and wanting to get revenge was a genius move by Rodrigo. If there’s one thing a teenage girl is not sure of, it is what she wants. As a former teenage girl myself — recently un-teenaged, unfortunately — I can confirm that trying to balance living in the moment and being a wild youth with planning ahead and having some sense was not easy. Dealing with frat boys and men freshly out of their parents’ house who are more interested in a good time than a long time certainly does not help matters. Wanting to both enact revenge and relive the good times is something I’m certain many young women relate to, and she explained this in a catchy manner.
Track 2: “bad idea right?”
I did not love this song when I first heard it, but clearly, I have since reconsidered. This song has a similar plotline to “get him back!” but with less aggression and more confusion. It follows a girl going to see some romantic partner whom she knows she should not be seeing. For one, she is not telling her friends where she is, and secondly, she is lying to herself and saying that they are just friends. It is the epitome of teenage girl logic and delusion. She did not go over there for any romantic reasons; she “just tripped and fell into his bed.” This song brings with it a sense of mischief and the wildness of being young, beautiful and free to make mad decisions. Is it a bad idea? Yes! Is she loving that she is doing something taboo? Entirely.
Track 6: “making the bed”
The No. 1 best song slot goes to: “making the bed.” This has been my unwavering favorite song since I first heard the album. Throughout the chaotic, wild ride that is “GUTS,” this track is the only one that deals with the subject speaking to herself and no one else. It is a reality check of sorts and a recognition that you cannot blame all of your problems in life on the people around you. The title comes from the old saying: “You have made your bed. Now, lie in it.” Rodrigo does a wonderful job of translating this into things relatable for a young woman. This song is an acceptance of responsibility and feels like a pause of self-reflection in a storm of chaos. For me personally, it reminds me of my freshman year of college when I was much more chaotic, self-destructive and careless. I have grown so much as a person in the last two years, and this song emanates themes of personal growth and learning from mistakes.
All in all, “GUTS” was a masterful creation by Rodrigo, with each song being perfectly crafted for young women to relate to and learn from. All 11 tracks are wonderfully done, and I commend her on her incredibly successful release of this album.
