Album: Happier Than Ever (2021)

Charted: 5 10

License This Song 

• Try not to abuse your power
  I know we didn't choose to change
  You might not wanna lose your power
  But having it's so strange
  
  She said you were a hero, you played the part
  But you ruined her in a year, don't act like it was hard
  And you swear you didn't know (didn't know)
  No wonder why you didn't ask
  She was sleeping in your clothes (in your clothes)
  But now she's got to get to class
  
  How dare you?
  And how could you?
  Will you only feel bad when they find out?
  If you could take it all back, would you?
  
  Try not to abuse your power
  I know we didn't choose to change
  You might not wanna lose your power
  But having it's so strange
  
  I thought that I was special, you made me feel
  Like it was my fault you were the devil, lost your appeal
  Does it keep you in control? (In control)
  For you to keep her in a cage?
  And you swear you didn't know (didn't know)
  You said you thought she was your age
  
  How dare you?
  And how could you?
  Will you only feel bad if it turns out
  That they kill your contract?
  Would you?
  
  Try not to abuse your power
  I know we didn't choose to change
  You might not wanna lose your power
  But power isn't pain
  
  Mmm
  Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
  Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, hmm Writer/s: Billie Eilish O'Connell, Finneas Baird O'Connell
  Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 2

• Taylor from PhiladelphiaListen to this on some good speakers with built in EQ controls, and just isolate the highs, mids and lows so you can hear the individual instrumental layers on their own. There are a ton of layers in this recording you probably don't even know are there if you haven't listened to this song on a good speaker system.
  
  They really did an amazing job mastering this song. None of the layers written into this song get in the way of any of the other's way. They all just give the vocal melody a wave to ride on independently, and they're all quite melodic rhythm tracks to begin with. You could easily have used any one of them as the centerpiece of the instrumental instead of the guitar, because they're all worthy of being the centerpiece of a pop hit.
  
  But what's interesting is that if you remove any individual track from the master you immediately notice the difference. Kinda weird, because the song has so many independent layers that you wouldn't necessarily expect removing any one of them to make much of a difference in the overall sound of the song. I think what they must've done is intentionally choose and mix instrument tracks with frequency ranges that stay out of each other's way. At least for the most part. Their synth tracks, for instance, have very little crossover into the bass track's range of frequencies, so each track is occupying it's own independent sonic "space" for the most part. I say, "For the most part", only because even a bass will produce some level of high end frequencies no matter the note you play. It's just a much weaker signal than you'd get from say a guitar or a violin, which produce more mid and high end frequencies.
  
  There are a few interesting tone and rhythm choices written into this song that demonstrate the effect I'm talking about here. The one that jumped out to me was the intentionally extra-bright acoustic guitar tone they chose. It's pretty typical for sound engineers to tamp down the high end and boost the bass end with acoustic guitar mixes, because acoustic guitars naturally sound a little brighter on recording than they do in person for some reason. But rather than tamp down the treble side, it looks like Finneas decided to just embrace the high end and give it its own sonic space to occupy; And just cranked the high end on the rhythm guitar track. Which makes the guitar track sound a bit empty on it's own. As if it were being played from way over the other side of a big empty room. So he created synth, bass, lead guitar and backup vocal tracks to occupy that empty space in the bass and mid ranges.
  
  Bravo guys. Excellent writing and mastering.
• Piper from San Franciscoglad to be the first to comment, billie speaks for our generation, our habits and offense to the outside world and what is expected of us, education, working and paying bills, I say NO MORE, we want to do what we want, use the medications we want, others can pay for our life style, others can feed me and my generation, we will rise up and dominate the music of youth and walk the sidewalks of life showing the world it is possible eat your cake and have it too.

More Songfacts:

Shiny Happy PeopleR.E.M.

R.E.M. got the title "Shiny Happy People" from a Chinese propaganda poster.

We Are The ChampionsQueen

Freddie Mercury considered "We Are The Champions" his version of "My Way." "We have made it, and it certainly wasn't easy," he said.

Talkin' Hawkin'Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd's "Talkin' Hawkin'" uses a sample of Stephen Hawking's synthesized voice taken from a speech he made for a 1994 British Telecom commercial.

All of the LightsKanye West

Alicia Keys, Elton John, Fergie, and Rihanna all sang on "All of the Lights" by Kanye West.

Down UnderMen at Work

Often heard as a patriotic song celebrating their homeland of Australia, "Down Under" by Men At Work is really about the selling of that country, and it makes a strong political statement.

The Night Chicago DiedPaper Lace

"The Night Chicago Died" was written and recorded by the British group Paper Lace. They talk about Al Capone in the song, but got a lot of details wrong - understandable since they wrote it based on gangster movies.

Editor's Picks

Andrew Farriss of INXSSongwriter Interviews

Andrew Farriss on writing with Michael Hutchence, the stories behind "Mystify" and other INXS hits, and his country-flavored debut solo album.

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.

Pete AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Pete produced Dwight Yoakam, Michelle Shocked, Meat Puppets, and a very memorable track for Roy Orbison.

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Curt Kirkwood of Meat PuppetsSongwriter Interviews

The (Meat)puppetmaster takes us through songs like "Lake Of Fire" and "Backwater," and talks about performing with Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged.

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In SongsSong Writing

Songs where something goes horribly wrong (literally or metaphorically), and help is needed right away.