New Rules by Dua Lipa Lyrics Meaning – Empowerment Anthems Decoded
Lyrics
Talkin’ in my sleep at night
Makin’ myself crazy
(Out of my mind, out of my mind)
Wrote it down and read it out
Hopin’ it would save me
(Too many times, too many times)
My love, he makes me feel like nobody else
Nobody else
But my love, he doesn’t love me
So I tell myself, I tell myself
One, don’t pick up the phone
You know he’s only calling ’cause he’s drunk and alone
Two, don’t let him in
You’ll have to kick him out again
Three, don’t be his friend
You know you’re gonna wake up in his bed in the morning
And if you’re under him
You ain’t getting over him
I got new rules, I count ’em
I got new rules, I count ’em
I gotta tell them to myself
I got new rules, I count ’em
I gotta tell them to myself
I keep pushin’ forwards
But he keeps pullin’ me backwards
(Nowhere to turn, no way)
(Nowhere to turn, no)
Now I’m standing back from it
I finally see the pattern
(I’ll never learn, I never learn)
But my love, he doesn’t love me
So I tell myself, I tell myself
I do, I do, I do
One, don’t pick up the phone
You know he’s only calling ’cause he’s drunk and alone
Two, don’t let him in
You’ll have to kick him out again
Three, don’t be his friend
You know you’re gonna wake up in his bed in the morning
And if you’re under him
You ain’t getting over him
I got new rules, I count ’em
I got new rules, I count ’em
I gotta tell them to myself
I got new rules, I count ’em
I gotta tell them to myself
Practice makes perfect
I’m still tryna learn it by heart (I got new rules, I count ’em)
Eat, sleep, and breathe it
Rehearse and repeat it ’cause I (I got new, I got new, I)
One, don’t pick up the phone
You know he’s only calling ’cause he’s drunk and alone
Two, don’t let him in
You’ll have to kick him out again
Three, don’t be his friend
You know you’re gonna wake up in his bed in the morning
And if you’re under him
You ain’t getting over him
I got new rules, I count ’em
I got new rules, I count ’em
I gotta tell them to myself
I got new rules, I count ’em (baby, you know I count ’em)
I gotta tell them to myself
Don’t let him in, don’t let him in
Don’t be his friend, don’t be his friend
Don’t let him in, don’t let him in
Don’t be his friend, don’t be his friend
You ain’t getting over him
Bursting onto the scene with a rhythmically addictive chorus and an unequivocal message, Dua Lipa’s ‘New Rules’ wasn’t just a chart-topping hit—it became an anthem of self-empowerment and the cornerstone of a modern-day feminist playlist. At its veneer, the track is a vibrant rebuke of a toxic ex-lover, but delve deeper, and the layers unfold; the track is a manifesto for personal growth and independence.
Lipa’s lyrical prowess turns a tale of post-breakup vulnerability into a chant of strength and self-reliance. Each verse, bridge, and chorus serve as stanzas in a modern codex for those yearning to break free from the cyclical chains of an unhealthy love affair. Let’s dissect the anthem behind the beat and unveil the profound narrative etched into the very heart of ‘New Rules’.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Closure
Dua Lipa articulates a step-by-step guide through her ‘new rules’ that are grounded not only in self-care but in building barriers against the emotional incursions of a past lover. The numerically organized commandments are more than catchy hooks—they’re a survival strategy coded into music.
The structure and simplicity of ‘One, don’t pick up the phone… Two, don’t let him in… Three, don’t be his friend…’ are strategic. It serves as an easy-to-remember blueprint for those moments of weakness when the heart’s memory overshadows the mind’s rationale. It’s a script for those looking to cast off the shackles of dependency and longing for emotional autonomy.
The Reinvention of the Breakup Song
Gone are the days of breakup anthems solely defined by sorrow and longing. Lipa revamps the narrative—where there is acknowledgment of pain, there is also the assertion of newfound strength. ‘New Rules’ injects a dose of reality into the joy-sadness dichotomy of split anthologies in music, championing the sobering phase post-romantic euphoria.
The track does not linger on the heartbreak itself. Instead, it swiftly moves to lay down a battle plan for emotional reconstruction, which is particularly refreshing. This new-age rendition of a breakup song does not wallow but strategizes, symbolizing a shift in the portrayal of emotional resilience in popular music.
A Labyrinth of Hidden Meanings
Beneath the deceptively simple veneer, the song weaves a complex tapestry of autonomy and interdependence. ‘New Rules’ speaks to the universal struggle of detaching from a person who still holds a magnetic draw. It emphasizes the intricate dance of acknowledging one’s own complicity in enabling the toxicity.
In her lyrical composition, Lipa subtly dissects the internal struggle between the intellect’s recognition of a toxic situation and the heart’s refusal to acknowledge it. The line ‘I keep pushin’ forwards, but he keeps pullin’ me backwards’ encapsulates this tug-of-war and is an ode to the human experience of cyclical error and redemption.
Choruses That Resound With Self-Assertion
Beyond the realm of harmonies and melodies lies Lipa’s chorus, an unforgettable rallying cry for self-assurance. ‘I got new rules, I count ’em’ isn’t just a catchy phrase—it’s a psychological lighthouse guiding one back to their senses, back to reality.
The rhythm and repetition inherent in the chorus fulfill more than the role of an earworm. They are active calls to action, a mantra to be internalized and lived out. It’s not just a verse; it’s a vow—a personal pledge to uphold the standards one sets for themselves amid turmoil.
The Anthem’s Most Memorable Lines and Their Lasting Echo
Certain lines in ‘New Rules’ have become etched in the annals of breakup cultural lingo. ‘If you’re under him, you ain’t getting over him’ not only cleverly plays with prepositions but lands a poignant message about the futility of seeking comfort in the same source as one’s pain.
This particular lyric, and others like it, have resonated widely, sparking memes, art, and conversation. They remind listeners that the pain, though familiar, is transient, and self-empowerment is attainable. It’s a message that sticks—reverberating in minds long after the melody fades.
