“Lovely” is a song by Billie Eilish and Khalid, American singers. It was released as the main song from the soundtrack of the second season of the Netflix show “13 Reasons Why”. The song was written by Billie Eilish, Khalid, and Eilish’s brother Finneas O’Connell, who also produced it. People say it’s a chamber pop ballad, a kind of slow and emotional song.
The lyrics talk about Eilish and Khalid dealing with serious sadness together. It’s also included in the special version of Eilish’s EP, “Don’t Smile at Me”.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what the lyrics mean.
Table of Contents
“Lovely” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1: Billie Eilish & Khalid]
Thought I found a way
Thought I found a way out (Found)
But you never go away (Never go away)
So I guess I gotta stay now
In Verse 1, Billie Eilish and Khalid express a sense of feeling trapped and unable to escape from something that troubles them.
The lines “Thought I found a way” and “Thought I found a way out” suggest that they believed they had found a solution or a way to escape their problems.
However, the repetition of “But you never go away” implies that whatever is troubling them persists and doesn’t disappear.
This feeling of being unable to escape is emphasized by the line “So I guess I gotta stay now,” suggesting resignation to their current situation.
[Pre-Chorus: Billie Eilish & Khalid]
Oh, I hope some day I’ll make it out of here
Even if it takes all night or a hundred years
Need a place to hide, but I can’t find one near
Wanna feel alive, outside I can’t fight my fear
In the Pre-Chorus, Billie Eilish and Khalid express a longing for escape and a desire to find solace or relief from their troubles.
The line “Oh, I hope some day I’ll make it out of here” reflects a sense of optimism or hope for a better future. They express a desire to overcome their current situation and find a way out.
It doesn’t matter how long it takes; they’re willing to endure the struggle, as they sing, “Even if it takes all night or a hundred years.” This emphasizes the determination and perseverance required to achieve their goal.
In the line “Need a place to hide, but I can’t find one near,” they express a need for refuge or sanctuary from whatever is troubling them. However, they lament that such a place seems elusive or out of reach.
The line “Wanna feel alive, outside I can’t fight my fear” reveals their desire to break free from the confines of their fears and insecurities. They long to experience life fully and without the constraints that hold them back.
[Chorus: Billie Eilish with Khalid]
Isn’t it lovely, all alone?
Heart made of glass, my mind of stone
Tear me to pieces, skin to bone
Hello, welcome home
In the Chorus, the line “Isn’t it lovely, all alone?” poses a rhetorical question, suggesting that there is a certain beauty in solitude or loneliness. It might refer to a sense of peace or introspection in being alone.
In the line “Heart made of glass, my mind of stone,” they use imagery to depict the fragility of their emotions (“heart made of glass”) juxtaposed with the hardness or resilience of their thoughts (“mind of stone”). This contrast suggests the complexity of their inner turmoil, where they feel vulnerable yet also guarded.
The line “Tear me to pieces, skin to bone” conveys a sense of vulnerability and rawness, as if they are being emotionally torn apart.
The repetition of the line “Hello, welcome home” serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of their inner turmoil. Despite their longing for escape and relief, they ultimately find themselves returning to the familiarity of their struggles, as if their pain is a constant companion.
[Verse 2: Khalid with Billie Eilish]
Walking out of time
Looking for a better place (Looking for a better place)
Something’s on my mind
Always in my head space
In Verse 2, Khalid and Billie Eilish start with the line “Walking out of time, looking for a better place,” which suggests a sense of feeling disconnected from the present moment and searching for something better.
In the line “Something’s on my mind, always in my head space,” they express the persistent nature of their thoughts and worries. Despite their attempts to escape or find solace, they find themselves unable to shake off the burden of their concerns.
[Pre-Chorus: Billie Eilish & Khalid]
But I know someday I’ll make it out of here
Even if it takes all night or a hundred years
Need a place to hide, but I can’t find one near
Wanna feel alive, outside I can’t fight my fear
In the Pre-Chorus, the line “Oh, I hope someday I’ll make it out of here” reflects a deep desire for escape and a yearning for a better future.
In the line “Even if it takes all night or a hundred years,” they emphasize the resilience and determination required to overcome their obstacles. Whether it’s a short time or an extended period, they’re ready to keep pushing forward toward freedom.
The line “Need a place to hide, but I can’t find one near” portrays their longing for refuge from their troubles, yet they feel unable to find solace or safety nearby.
They express a desire to break free from the constraints of their fears and anxieties, singing, “Wanna feel alive, outside I can’t fight my fear.” They yearn to experience life fully, but find themselves unable to confront their inner demons when faced with the outside world.
Deeper Meaning Behind “Lovely”
“Lovely” was created by Billie Eilish, Khalid, and Finneas O’Connell, who also handled the production. In an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1, Eilish explained the meaning behind the song’s title. She said,
We called it [lovely] because the song was sort of really freaking depressing so then it’s like oh, how lovely. Just taking everything horrible like you know what this is great. I’m so happy being miserable.
What makes “Lovely” even more special is how it was produced. Eilish shared her experience of working with Khalid, explaining:
“One thing that I’ll say is that when we wrote this song, what was cool about it was that it wasn’t like we’re going to the studio and going to write a hit. He just came over and we hung out. Me and my brother hung out with Khalid in our house and it was literally this is us hanging out as friends and we ended up writing a song.
In the song, Eilish and Khalid depict the experience of feeling trapped in one’s own mind, grappling with overwhelming emotions that seem insurmountable.
The repetition of the phrase “Isn’t it lovely, all alone?” serves as a poignant reminder of the paradoxical beauty found in solitude. It implies that even amidst pain and adversity, there can be moments of grace, introspection, and even a kind of twisted beauty.
The imagery of a “heart made of glass” and a “mind of stone” conveys the fragility and resilience of the human psyche. In other words, there is a delicate balance between vulnerability and strength.
Despite the longing for escape, the singers also acknowledge the inevitability of facing and enduring one’s struggles, as expressed in the line “So I guess I gotta stay now.”
In the end, “Lovely” captures the multifaceted nature of the human condition. It acknowledges the presence of both light and darkness in our lives and inviting us to explore the beauty that can be found within the depths of despair.
Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.