We have been listening to Billie Eilish’s third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, all weekend long. As you know, we are big fans of hers and look forward to new music. What made this album so different was the fact that Eilish dropped not one single prior to the release. The singer has said that she hates singles because they are released without the context of the album. While we do appreciate getting a single drop before an album, we totally get it. Some singles can make you think you know what an album will be like, and then you get it, and it’s nothing like what the single made you think it was going to be.
After listening to Hit Me Hard and Soft, we get Eilish’s choice. This album is one to be experienced as a whole to truly appreciate it. And now, we’re going to rank the album to tell you which tracks were our favorite.
10. “The Diner”
Why We Love It: We don’t necessarily love this track. And we don’t dislike it either. It’s all about being obsessed with someone to the point of stalking. It has a haunting quality to it that is interesting. In a way, it gives us vibes of Bellyache and Bad Guy if they had a kid who grew up to be a stalker…but we’re not sure if that’s a good thing. Maybe Eilish wants the listener to feel uncomfortable. If so, mission accomplished.
Lyrics That Hit Us:
I saw you on the screens
I know we’re meant to be
You’re starrin’ in my dreams
In magazines
You’re lookin’ right at me (You’re lookin’ right at me)
I’m here around the clock
I’m waitin’ on your block (I’m waitin’ on your block)
But please don’t call the cops
They’ll make me stop
And I just wanna talk (I just wanna talk)
9. “Wildflower”
Why We Love It: This is quintessential Billie. With her airy vocals, singing a song about being in a relationship but having a hard time fully being present in it because of questioning whether you measure up to the previous relationship your partner was in. You know your partner loves you, but there is always that thought of, “but do they still think about that other person?”
Lyrics That Hit Us:
You say no one knows you so well (Oh)
But every time you touch me, I just wonder how she felt
Valentine’s Day, cryin’ in the hotel
I know you didn’t mean to hurt me, so I kept it to myself
8. “L’Amour De Ma Vie”
Why We Love It: Anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows what it’s like to have those initial feelings of, “This is the one. This is the one I love.” Until it isn’t. And then, you realize you may have jumped the gun a bit. Eilish nails it with this track. It’s a deceptive title at first glance, and the music gives a feeling of love, but it also has those slow tones that fit that feeling of second-guessing those love feelings. The ones that make you say, “Oh, this might not have been what I thought it was.” That’s why the beat switch-up at 3:56 is such a surprise. The track goes into this dancey electronica type of club vibe, and Eilish flips the script even more to basically say, “I’m over it.”
Lyrics That Hit Us:
Thought I was depressed or losing my mind
My stomach upset almost all of the time
But after I left, it was obvious why (Oh), mm
Because for you, you
I was the love of your life, mm
But you were not mine (But you were not mine)
7. “The Greatest”
Why We Love It: This song about giving all you can in a relationship but not receiving the same level of passion in return really resonated with us. Eilish sings about being the greatest because she’s given so much of herself to her partner and went above and beyond to show how invested she was. The 3:12 mark, when the song hits a crescendo and Eilish’s vocals hit as she belts out, “Man am I the greatest,” is so powerful. It has an almost celebratory feel, as if she’s rewarding herself for maintaining that greatness in the relationship despite how much she hated it.
Lyrics That Hit Us:
I’m trying my best
To keep you satisfied
Let you get your rest
While I stayed up all night
6. “Birds of A Feather”
Why We Love It: This track is all about loving someone literally till the day that you die — and even after that. Despite the somewhat morbid lyrics about being carried away in a casket by your love, it still has an upbeat sound that gives us all the warm fuzzy feelings of having a love that stands the test of time.
Lyrics That Hit Us:
I want you to stay
‘Til I’m in the grave
‘Til I rot away, dead and buried
‘Til I’m in the casket you carry
If you go, I’m goin’ too, uh
‘Cause it was always you (Alright)
And if I’m turnin’ blue, please don’t save me
Nothin’ left to lose without my baby
5. “Lunch”
Why We Love It: This song is pretty self-explanatory. And if you don’t know why, you haven’t been paying attention. Eilish goes full steam ahead on this one in letting you know exactly what she wants for lunch — and it’s not your average meal. We love her for it, though, because she’s fully embraced who she is and is unapologetic about it.
Lyrics That Hit Us:
Baby, I think you were made for me
Somebody write down the recipe
Been tryin’ hard not to overeat
You’re just so sweet
I’ll run a shower for you like you want
Clothеs on the counter for you, try ’em on
If I’m allowеd, I’ll help you take ’em off
Huh
4. “Bittersuite”
Why We Love It: This song has a sensual vibe to it and seems to be all about fighting the feelings of wanting to be in love with someone but having the need to protect oneself. Eilish croons about having to be careful about the things that she says for fear of how it could be perceived. It feels as if she’s singing about what she dreams she could have, which is to fall in love freely without the world around her dissecting parts of her love life.
Lyrics That Hit Us:
I don’t need to breathe
When you look at me, all I see is green
And I think that we’re in between
Everything I’ve seen in my dream
Have it once a week
Can’t land on my feet, can’t sleep
Have you underneath
All of my beliefs, keep it brief
I’ll wait in thе suite
Keep me off my feet, mm
3. “Blue”
Why We Love It: Blue, which is the final song on Hit Me Hard and Soft, kicks off with a beat that grabs you right from the start and takes you on a ride through Eilish’s feelings of trying to get over someone despite still having some feelings for the person. The song switches gears two minutes in and becomes melancholy, and Eilish sings about someone who was unable to be saved and, therefore, could not change. The track once again switches gears at the 3:30 mark, when Eilish basically says the same could be said about her because she’s just as blue as the person she was speaking about.
Something to note is that a few of the lyrics seem to be taking bits and pieces from previous tracks on the album, like Birds of a Feather, L’Amour De Ma Vie, CHIHIRO, and “Skinny.” It’s quite a fitting track to end on. Also, that final part, when she says, “But when can I hear the next one?” seems to indicate more music could be on the way.
Lyrics That Hit Us:
You were born bluer than a butterfly
Beautiful and so deprived of oxygen
Colder than your father’s eyes
He never learned to sympathize with anyone
2. “Skinny”
Why We Love It: This song, which is the opening track of Hit Me Hard and Soft, was an interesting choice. We say this because it’s a slow song that is a bit on the sad side. It’s Eilish doing some self-reflection on her life in the public eye, her insecurities, falling in love, and loving herself. It showcases her vocals beautifully, and it’s also indicative of her maturity — not only as an artist but also as a young woman.
Lyrics That Hit Us:
Fell in love for the first time
With a friend, it’s a good sign
Feelin’ off when I feel fine
Twenty-one took a lifetime
People say I look happy
Just because I got skinny
But the old me is still me and maybe the real me
And I think she’s pretty
1. “CHIHIRO”
Why We Love It: We already loved this song from the moment we heard a 14-second snippet Eilish played during an interview with Zane Lowe. Getting the full track finally only made us love it even more. The beat and Eilish’s vocals are everything, and we’ve had this one on repeat since Hit Me Hard and Soft was released. We admit that we had no idea what CHIHIRO meant, so we had to look it up.
As it turns out, Chihiro is the lead character in the Hayao Miyazaki film Spirited Away. In the film, Chihiro is a sullen 10-year-old girl who wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and spirits. Also, it is a world where humans are changed into beasts. Not sure what the inspiration is for Eilish’s song. We think we’ll need a few more listens to figure out how the two are related.
Lyrics That Hit Us:
I was waitin’ in the garden
Contemplatin’, beg your pardon
But there’s a part of me that recognizes you
Do you feel it too?
When you told me it was serious
Were you serious? Mm
They told me they were only curious
Now it’s serious, mm
So, there you have it. This is how we felt the tracks on Hit Me Hard and Soft stacked up. Eilish and her brother Finneas delivered an amazing album that is tonally and lyrically pleasing. The maturity in Eilish is evident throughout, not just vocally but in the ways that she has fully embraced who she is. It’s safe to say we’re going to have this album in heavy rotation for awhile.
