Billie Eilish - Everything I Wanted

CW: suicide. I felt compelled to write about this review after listening to it recently and having one line in particular stick out to me. Maybe it's just because we now live in a world of *REDACTED SONG WHICH I DON'T NEED TO WRITE MORE ABOUT*, and the way I've seen the artist of said song kind of dance around the misery of success when it comes under attack. I'm not sure I've seen the explicitly say that people are horrible or at least horribly unaware of their power, but I've found it hard to find sympathy for people who get sociopathic when a song they don't like is in the chart. Maybe it's just me getting older and not having the desire to indulge in that like I once did. I can only hope that will be the case for others.

The line in question is right at the end of this song. The song starts with existentialism framed through a bad nightmare Billie had post success about fleeting surface level support, even in the wake of her own passing. The topic in question is not uncommon, but maybe it is a little more rare afterwards in the 2nd verse where things get more vulnerable. It's not just about general apathy, but instead she's surrounded by voices disparaging her fatal choice. It's common to see people call suicide a cowardly option, even if they do so from greener pastures. I'm not about to debate the merits of it (but please if you're reading this and having personal demons, reach out to someone), but it is a fascinating look into the way humans can be politicised by those around them, especially when they're in a position (such as death) where they have no voice in it. The song closes with a bridge of self-reflection. Many people who survive bridge jumping suicide attempts have mentioned that the moment they let go, they immediately regretted their decision, and having experienced that life flickering moment, would never dare to go through it again.

The final line however, turns off the self-reflection and instead points to the listener. 'If they knew what they said would go straight to my head, what would they say instead?'. We all make mistakes. How willing we are to admit that may vary, but there's a good chance that you may find yourself in a constant state of course-correcting, not exactly making up for your mistakes (which may very well be impossible to do so), but breezing through it as if it never happened. Recently when a British TV host took her own life, tabloid news sites who spent all her years of fame gawking at her every move casually deleted their old articles about her alongside posting a mournful obituary. Effectively, it's the Britney Spears episode of South Park played out in real life.

Parasocial relationships can be dangerous. They're mostly noted for the way people can perceive themselves to be chummy with someone who has no idea who they are, purely because of how that person puts themselves out there in a way that might feel individual and personal, but in reality is being received by thousands, if not millions more so that it can only really be one way. It's easy to think of this yourself and then realise that you are invisible to hugely famous celebrities, and give yourself the opportunity to be an ass, whether that be flipping off a television screen, or snarkily replying to every tweet they send without any decorum you'd show to someone face to face. I don't think anyone can truly be high and mighty enough to shield themselves from any criticism that comes their way, and the dehumanising manner it often comes about can be immensely taxing. Words are powerful to a lot of people even if you are not one of them. Now more than ever is an important time to bring about empathy, to make people feel welcome and wanted.

The subtle production choices on this song all hit their mark and it's one of the best hit songs I've ever heard.
Laatst gewijzigd: 04/04/2020 12:45