Bad Advice

Penelope Scott's song 'Bad Advice' delves into the depths of existential despair and the pervasive sense of disillusionment with modern life. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of a world where suffering is omnipresent, and even the simple pleasures of music and movies fail to provide solace. The opening lines, 'Life is long and God is mean / Suffering in everything,' set the tone for a song that grapples with the futility and pain of existence. The mention of bugs trapped inside the room serves as a metaphor for feeling stuck and powerless, unable to escape the confines of one's own mind and circumstances.

The chorus reveals a profound weariness and a desire to break free from the facade of happiness. Scott sings, 'I'm so sick of telling lies / I'm so sick of smiling 'til / I can't go home and cry,' highlighting the pressure to maintain a cheerful exterior despite inner turmoil. The reference to 'sad girls are hot' touches on the romanticization of sadness in contemporary culture, yet the singer feels it doesn't matter if she is desired or not because her exhaustion and low spirits overshadow everything else. This sentiment is further emphasized with the lines, 'I've got nowhere left to go,' indicating a sense of hopelessness and being trapped in a cycle of despair.

The song also explores themes of body image and societal expectations. Scott expresses a wish to 'lose the weight and look the part,' but simultaneously acknowledges a lack of genuine desire to conform to these standards. The line, 'I would give anything to look the way / That sick people are supposed to look,' underscores the internal conflict between wanting to fit in and rejecting the unhealthy ideals imposed by society. The recurring motif of Halloween, with its imagery of masks and costumes, symbolizes the superficiality of appearances and the struggle to find authenticity in a world obsessed with looks. Ultimately, 'Bad Advice' is a raw and unfiltered portrayal of the artist's inner battles, resonating with anyone who has felt the weight of societal pressures and the darkness of their own thoughts.