“Next Girl” by Carly Pearce
For starters, let it be known that the “next girl” whom Carly Pearce is addressing is actually her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend. No, she may not know this individual personally. Indeed it can be said that Carly is addressing any woman, so to speak. Moreover the type of man she is singing about is giving somewhat of a vague description.
But more importantly, Carly is letting the “next girl” know what to expect from her new beau. And first off, she makes it known that he is going to depict her (the singer) as the one who messed up their previous relationship. Also, Pearce admits that dude is in fact attractive. And it’s such attractiveness which will cause the new girlfriend to put her guard down.
But underneath his charms are a bunch of “red flags”, i.e. personality flaws, which he is concealing from her. And in a nutshell, what the singer is putting forth is that he is going to mistreat (i.e. dump) the next girl also. In other words, he is just seducing her, with him being a playa, if you will, being one of his said personality flaws. And just as he did to the singer, he is going to convince the next girl that when their own relationship dissolves it is her fault also.
So basically, Carly Pearce comes off like a sage. She already knows what’s going to happen, from start to finish, in the next relationship her ex initiates, as she has already been through it herself. And in the name of humanity, she is “trying to help the next girl”, i.e. warn her, from falling into this trap in the first place.
“Next Girl” Facts
Carly Pearce wrote “Next Girl” in conjunction with the track’s producers. And said producers are in the persons of Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. From her own perspective, she was trying to capture the feel “flirty, funny and feisty” feel of classic female country artists, especially Patty Loveless.
Big Machine Records put this track out on 4 September 2020.
It’s not a vague description… She’s depicting a narcissist and the phases – love bombing, devaluing and discarding.
Yes, I’ve been through it. I believe it is about a narcissist. I was in one of those relationships. I’m still trying to heal. He’s moved on and is getting married to the one he cheated on me with. It’s just a matter of time that she will be devalued and discarded. Sick man!
Exactly!! Not vague at all!! It’s spot on.
Yes, I’ve been through it. I believe it is about a narcissist. I was in one of those relationships. I’m still trying to heal. He’s moved on and is getting married to the one he cheated on me with. It’s just a matter of time that she will be devalued and discarded. Sick man!
I get what the song is saying, and I get that what it’s describing is a harsh reality that happens a lot, particularly to girls, however I have to point out that girls are just as capable of doing this to guys, it’s not just a one way street.
I should know, I’ve been lied to big time, and been mistreated by a girl who I’d been in a long term relationship with, in the past, and it’s caused me to struggle to trust women and to get into relationships…
Point is, as much as I appreciate the song’s story, I’m trying to state that we need to be careful about stereotyping and tarring one particular gender with the same brush, as both men and women are capable of lying, cheating, being selfish and narcissistic.
I realise that for you girls, this song may seem like a kinda anthem hitting out at all cheating guys, but I think it could be a warning to all those entering a serious relationship whether with a guy or a girl respectively, to watch out for certain character traits; manipulation and control being two examples.