Meaning of “lacy” by Olivia Rodrigo
In the song titled “Lacy,” Olivia Rodrigo paints a vivid portrait of a person named Lacy, who they regard with a complex blend of admiration, obsession, and bitterness. Lacy is depicted as someone exceedingly beautiful and enchanting, with comparisons to “puff pastry” and “Bardot reincarnate”. This underscores her irresistible allure.
However, this attraction seems to be a double-edged sword; the sweetness is coupled with a sense of self-loathing and desperation on part of the singer. The duality in the emotions – oscillating between reverence (“aren’t you the greatest thing to ever exist”) and resentment (“I just loathe you lately”) – portrays an individual caught in the tumultuous whirlpool of intense feelings, possibly unreciprocated affection or a toxic relationship.
The chorus of the song echoes a deep sense of care and concern that the lyricist feels, likening their lingering affection to “perfume that you wear” and feeling a “sweet torture”. This apparently indicates a deep emotional entanglement that is both pleasurable and painful.
“Ooh, I care, I care, I care
Like ribbons in your hair, my stomach’s all in knots
You got the one thing that I want
Ooh, I try, I try, I try
Try to rationalize, people are people, but
It’s like you’re made of angel dust”
The pervasive sense of despair is evident with the repetition of “I try, I try, I try” as the individual attempts to rationalize their feelings but finds themselves unable to escape the deep hold that Lacy has on them.
The ending lines reveal an inner conflict where admiration has fostered resentment and self-loathing, indicative of an intense yet toxic infatuation where Lacy has become an all-consuming thought, fostering bitterness and an unhealthy fixation.
Who is the addressee? Is Sabrina Carpenter the addressee of “lacy”?
As earlier stated, this song describes complex feelings towards someone named Lacy. The lyrics swing between admiration and resentment for her. It hints at a potentially unreciprocated affection or a toxic relationship. The ending suggests an unhealthy obsession with Lacy.
But who exactly is this Lacy lady? Many have come to the conclusion that Olivia is addressing fellow singer Sabrina Carpenter. Both singers have over the years had major beef between them.
That said, it should be noted that as of this writing, Olivia hasn’t confirmed whether or not the addressee of this song is actually Sabrina.
Writing Credits
“lacy” was written by Olivia. However, she didn’t compose this song alone. She received writing assistance from Dan Nigro. The production of the song was eventually carried out by Nigro.
When was “lacy” released?
On September 8th, 2023, Olivia Rodrigo released “Guts” – her second studio album. “lacy” is one of the songs on this album. The whole project was backed by Geffen Records.
“Guts” was preceded by the following singles:
To note, “lacy” is one of the outstanding tracks on Olivia’s “Guts” album. Others include:
