Released: 2019
Let’s dig into “when the party’s over,” a Billie Eilish banger. It’s a song about heartache and love-filled despair. Billie’s lyrics weave a tale of a relationship that’s more damaging than it’s worth but hard to let go.
“Don’t you know I’m no good for you?” is the icebreaker — a self-aware confession about her toxic involvement in the relationship. The line “I’ve learned to lose, you can’t afford to” indicates that she’s used to heartbreak, but worries it may deeply hurt the other person.
“Tore my shirt to stop you bleeding” is a metaphor of sacrificing her well-being to mend her partner’s pain, although it’s proven useless (“But nothing ever stops you leaving“). The repeated lines “Quiet when I’m coming home, and I’m on my own” suggest loneliness and a sense of abandonment when returning to an empty home.
“I could lie, say I like it like that” — she could pretend to be content with the loneliness but it’s not the truth. Truth bomb’s in “I’ll only hurt you if you let me” highlighting that being in the toxic relationship is mutually destructive.
“Call me friend, but keep me closer… And I’ll call you when the party’s over” paints a picture of both seeking comfort and solace each other but only in privacy. The line “But nothing is better, sometimes” expresses that perhaps it’s better to be alone than continue the damaging bond.
Finally, “Once we’ve both said our goodbyes, Let’s just let it go, Let me let you go” indicates the difficult but necessary end. Billie spells out the need to be free and let the unhealthy relationship end, making us feel the raw emotion in her voice.
