Love should have elements of reciprocation, effort, and commitment, right? But what happens when you start to realize that the bridge that was supposed to be built together is crumbling on the other side? In Gracie Abrams’ sophomore album, “The Secret of Us”, she explores the idea of feeling more committed to someone than they are to you, feeling like you gave them your all and they gave you nothing in return, and the heartbreaking emotions that come alongside that epiphany. Here are six of the thirteen songs that showcase the range of emotion that is portrayed throughout the album.
“Risk”
“I’m actually invested
Haven’t even met him
Watch this be the wrong thing, classic
I’m jumping in the deep end
It’s more fun to swim in
Heard the risk is drownin’, but I’m gonna take it”
If having a crush was a song, it would be “Risk.” The melody, the lyrics, and the beat weave together to create a song that illustrates the range of emotions of falling for someone. From delusion to anger to giddiness, Abrams describes how “invested” she is in someone and that the risk is worth it because the person is worth it.
“Blowing Smoke”
“Tell me if she takes you far
Far enough away from all the baggage you’ve been carrying
Up another hill to all the girls who’ll help you bury it
They’re just blowing smoke, I’ll say what they won’t
I know everything they don’t”
It can be hard to ignore the green-eyed monster when you see someone you loved with someone new. In this scathing song, Abrams transforms the hurt she felt over the breakup into anger. Anger at her ex for moving on so quickly, and anger at the girl who took her place. This song explores the toxic feeling of jealousy and the acknowledgement that she was replaced.
“I Love You, I’m Sorry”
“I love you, I’m sorry
You were the best but you were the worst
As sick as it sounds, I loved you first”
Three words. In this wistful song, Abrams parallels her previous song “I miss you, I’m sorry,” yet its lyrics provide a mature lens, as she openly admits the mistakes she made during their relationship. This realization upon her seesawing feelings explores the song’s heavy emotional weight of navigating through challenges while in love.
“us. (feat. Taylor Swift)”
“You never read up on it, shame, could’ve learned somethin’
Robert Bly on my nightstand, gifts from you, how ironic
The curse or a miracle, hearse or an oracle
You’re incomparable, it was chemical
You plus me was us”
The echo of a past relationship haunts Abrams as she’s filled with regret and reflection. The bridge cleverly alludes to Robert Bly, a poet most known for writing about how to be a good man, juxtaposing the love interest’s lack of these qualities. The struggle of knowing if their connection was fated or doomed adds to the plethora of questions at the fraying ends of a relationship.
“Gave You I Gave You I”
“When did you slip through my fingers, did I ever have you?
Was I just a placeholder to fill the hole inside you?
I’ve been feeling sick, but I should help myself, not call you
Nothing left to say ’cause you’re not over her, now, are you?”
No one wants to feel like they’re trying to pick up the fragmented pieces of a broken relationship, but when it does happen, knowing your own worth is a valuable lesson to learn. “Gave You I Gave You I” portrays the realistic feelings of slowly seeing your partner lose interest in you and wanting to escape it to feel like yourself again.
“Close to You”
“And I burn for you
And you don’t even know my name
If you asked me to
I’d give you everything
To be close to you
Pull the trigger on the gun I gave you when we met”
“Close to You” is the deluxe of the album, capturing the euphoric feeling of a new romance in pursuit. Along with “Risk,” they are the only songs detailing new romances, like when the sun’s rays peak through the canopy of clouds. Giving your heart to someone and knowing that they have the ability to take it or break is the epitome of having rose-tinted glasses on.
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“The Secret of Us” is an album whose production and lyrics take listeners through a journey of heartbreak and love, a journey of moving on from the past, and a journey of finding self-worth again. Relationships can bring about the best and the worst of us, and Gracie Abrams perfectly captures those feelings in her songs.
