You Should Be Sad

Hasley has come of age in the recent era of pop artists living with an overbearing lack of privacy. With fans clamoring for any information relating to the singer's personal life, her breakups become social currency anyone following her on social. With "You Should Be Sad", Halsey has presented an update on that iconic cornerstone of pop music: the revenge break-up song. In this country-influenced single, the 25-year-old works through feelings of regret, loss, and empowerment over her breakup with rapper G-Eazy.

This type of post-love vengeance has dominated the top charts of America's pop landscape for decades. Compared to recent hits as Ariana Grande's, “Thank You Next” and Ellie Gouldings, “On My Mind”, Halsey's interpretation seems to fall short in delivery. Her lyrics rely on clichés rather than originality, while the two short verses in the song get washed out by a repetitive chorus.

The first verse reveals her ambitions for the song, stating that the artist has something to get off her chest, a common opening salvo in this vein of music. She then conjures images of her ex, coping with the loss of her love through materialism and vices. This line providing social commentary on the ideal lifestyle of a rapper and further singling out her ex G-Eazy.

The first chorus provides a bit of poetic justice with a reference to the idiom of alligators eyes, representing a false sense of sorrow in her ex's disposition. Yet, other than this remark, Halsey maintains her refrain of, “I feel so sorry, I feel so sad” and supports the position that she did not understand the motivations of her lover. The song is a compelling reflection on the loss of love with its moving melody, yet it's lacking lyrical bite. Halsey clearly demonstrates her musical talent with raw, raspy, vocals throughout the track. As an epic guitar riff begins to mix over the bridge of, repetitive and drawn out “yeah, yeah, yeahs” Halsey's song evokes feelings of middle school dance love. It's a promising performance from a young talent, but hopefully some other tracks on the album graduate beyond puppy love graspings.

I first heard Halsey’s “You Should Be Sad” a couple weeks ago when the music video premiered on YouTube. It made sense that YouTube’s algorithm would recommend it: I love Halsey’s voice and an increasingly growing number of her songs are on heavy rotation in my car. So naturally I had to give “You Should Be Sad” a listen.

The first thing I noticed during that first listen is that this song really refuses to be put in a box stylistically. It’s driven by an acoustic guitar with a fun, laid-back rhythm, and Halsey wears a cowboy hat (and not much else) in the music video. But it’s still very much a Halsey song, with her power-pop/soft rock ballad voice. Although these stylistic contradictions were tricky to listen to on first play, I was definitely singing along to the chorus the second time it came around. She’s a couple albums deep into her career now (this single is tied to the release of ‘Manic’) so naturally she wants to expand her horizons and try new things. Keeping your music interesting and evolving as an artist means taking some risks; Halsey’s never had the play-it-safe personality, after all.

Lyrically, it seems like a continuation of the general theme of “Without Me”: all you ever did was put me down when I’m the one who “put you up there”. Good luck on your own, etc. Halsey denied in interviews that “Without Me” had anything to do with her break up with G-Eazy. I don’t know how she can deny it for “You Should Be Sad”. It’ll be blowing out my car speakers regardless.

The song itself is Haley’s debut use of experimenting with country music, by keeping an acoustic sound throughout her song with a guitar. The video as well keeps up the “southern” aesthetic with her the outfit of others, the fact that she comes into the video with an older Trams-Am car, she walks into a club that is littered with hay, the “group” dance scene is a variation of square dancing, and even her cuts alluded to country style. This is a very interesting move on her part, I believe that country style is almost being used as an "artistic format", which is not wrong, but I saw this with Lil Nas X (in his hit song "Old Country Road). I could kind of predict that probably more people in the hip-pop/ pop field will get on this trend. Country music although it is not bad, is a sound that most young people are put off by, and that means creators have some "content" (because although country music is not bad, it sort of carries a redundant sound).

Another topic to tackle about the song is its meaning, I think it’s a straight forward song about a very public relationship she had with her ex-boyfriend “G-Eazy" (him being one of my favorite rappers) because although he publicly has never admitted it, Halsey has said it many times that he did. This song would not be the first one she would write about him, "Without Me" was a very angry son venting her frustrations. However this new song tends to carry a more sorrowful reflection of their time together, not in detail, but a view from the eyes of a wiser person who can look back and accept what happened.

I think it’s pretty obvious by the title that You Should be Sad is a breakup song. Halsey had a highly-publicized relationship with G-Eazy and I think this is her goodbye anthem to him. In the lyrics she says she’s not angry, but I don’t think that’s true. She says he’s not half the man he thinks he is and she’s happy she got away from him. “I’m so glad I never had a baby with you” is a particularly strong lyric that resonated with me because I have felt like that after a recent breakup as well. You can’t fill the hole inside of you with money, girls and cars is an obvious shot at G-Eazy’s fast, Hollywood lifestyle. I too relate to that in my recent relationship, I was dating someone with money, who was always looking for the next shiny object.

After a song full of shots at G-Eazy, Halsey ends the song with “you should be sad.” When you see the title of the song and start listening, I thought it was going to be about an ex-boyfriend not caring they broke up, but after listening to the lyrics, I think it goes deeper than that. I think it means he should feel sad for his lifestyle choices and that he let a real relationship go, something again that I too have felt. She also talks about trying to put a broken man together and now he should be sad because he’s on his own to cope with his issues.

“You Should Be Sad” is heartbreaking yet empowering at the same time. Halsey sings about a lover who isn’t part of her life anymore, and it sounds like it’s for the best. Most of Halsey’s fans assume that this song is written about her on-and-off-again ex-boyfriend, G-Eazy. The lyrics are sad and stinging at the same time; you can feel Halsey’s simultaneous heartbreak and frustration. It seems like this song is about how people’s true colors come out in relationships, and how selfish, hurtful people deserve to have their behavior called out. She sings about the trauma of being with someone like that, and expresses this in the line “I had no warning about who you are.” In this song, Halsey owes it to herself to let the world know how badly she was treated. Her ex doesn’t deserve to get off without any consequences, so she’s going to make sure he doesn’t.

One of my favorite lines in the song is “no, you're not half the man you think that you are… and you can't fill the hole inside of you with money, drugs, and cars.” This lyric feels like Halsey is taking her power back. She’s letting the entire world know that she’s aware of her true worth, even if her ex isn’t aware of his. He thinks too highly of himself, and he values material possessions more than people. No matter how much of that extravagant lifestyle he consumes, he’ll never be able to fill the Halsey-shaped hole in his life. He has something missing from himself, and Halsey points out that he’ll never be able to find it living the selfish life that he’s living. She drives this point home with the lyric “I'm so glad I never ever had a baby with you, 'cause you can't love nothing unless there's something in it for you.” This line cuts right through the heart of the issue; this man is selfish and self-absorbed, only caring about himself and his needs. Halsey’s choice to make sure he knows she would never want to carry his child is perhaps the most powerful expression in the entire song.

Halsey further exposes her ex-lover’s issues with the lines “oh, I feel so sorry, I feel so sad. I tried to help you, it just made you mad.” This implies that Halsey tried to help her ex see the parts of himself that were unhealthy, and he reacted in anger and defensiveness. If he truly lived a life obsessed with money, drugs and cars when they were together, it makes sense that Halsey would try to motivate him to become a healthier person. She tried to help him, and he wouldn’t receive it. Personally, I love this attitude of “you hurt me, and people need to know who you really are.” I think far too many ex-lovers treat their significant others with no respect or kindness, and G-Eazy totally deserves this diss track of sorts. The music itself is beautiful, the lyrics are biting and powerful, and Halsey’s vocals deliver an emotional performance.

This song is a very relatable piece. It speaks to the urge that so many people feel in failed romantic relationships to finally get off your chest all the stuff that your former partner needs to hear. At least, in the moment we think that the partner is unaware of these flaws in their character when really, they might be fully aware. The awareness thereof and the moment when we tell them could be just enough to push them into changing. Maybe you and I need that moment from someone even if we don’t fill our voids with “money, drugs and cars.”

It’s important to note the stage that this relationship made it to. Our artist is happy to have “never ever had a baby with you”. That’s not something that people take lightly when it’s planned of course. Nobody can ignore the gravity of the moment when you realize that you will be having a baby, regardless of the circumstances, but I digress. Our artist was at least close enough to this romantic other that she felt that having a baby was perhaps up for discussion at some point. So, this relationship was a mirage of real love. You will only ever consider having a baby with a partner that you truly love. It’s too great a commitment to make if the person at your side isn’t incredibly special to you. This line about the baby that they never had is a relief that the baby was never had but also demonstrates that this failed love was a tragedy of expectations.

Our artist discovered that her romantic other was not who he appeared to be. She states this in the line “I had no warning about who you are, I’m just glad I made it out without breaking down”. She suffered some form of unwanted physical contact with this man as indicated in the line “then ran so fucking far, that you would never ever touch me again”. There were undoubtedly several instances of this heartbreak as our artist has come to recognize the “alligator tears” of her romantic other. We can infer that they have had these horrible conflicts more than once. In the aftermath, he lures her back in by pretending to be sincere. This very same plot has played out countless times for troubled lovers. This song becomes the anthem for those who can get away.

With over 41 million plays on Spotify, Halsey's genre-bending hit, 'You Should Be Sad,' is a country-pop anthem for the heartbroken soul who is finally moving on. In this song, Halsey graces her fans with the story of how she went from Graveyard to Beautiful Stranger. I’ve dissected these lyrics with a scalpel. Straight from Halsey’s mouth, I present you with the three phases of heartbreak that will lead you back to solid ground.

Phase one: Expressing your emotions Lyrics: "Gonna jot it down and then get it out... ...No, you're not half the man you think that you are And you can't fill the hole inside of you with money, drugs, and cars I'm so glad I never ever had a baby with you 'Cause you can't love nothing unless there's something in it for you." “I feel so sorry, I feel so sad.”

Analysis: It's okay to be mad, sad, upset, hurt, and so much more. However, to find solid ground, you must feel all your emotions through to the end. So go ahead, say the thing you've been dying to tell him or her. Write it down in a letter, a poem, or a song. Feel the pain of the break-up and then watch your body begin to release, feel yourself start to let it all go.

Phase two: Understanding and Learning Lyrics: “And I had no warning about who you are ...you can't love nothing unless there's something in it for you”

“I tried to help you, it just made you mad Take a broken man right in my hands And then put back all his parts”

Analysis: Now that all the emotions have flooded out try to reach a cool, calm place. Work to understand why the relationship didn't work, but remember, there are two people to examine. Start with yourself. Choosing to date can be scary because you don't always know what lies underneath the superficial mask until you're emotionally invested. Halsey says, she didn't know what she was getting into, she had no warning. And once she was invested, she was trying desperately to fix someone who didn't want to be helped. You should never enter a relationship to change someone. Additionally, if you ever realize your partner is too selfish to reciprocate your love, you have to leave before you doubt yourself self-worth and break down.

Phase three: Focusing on the positive and Moving on. Lyrics: “I really meant well from the start I'm so glad I never ever had a baby with you ... I'll be on my way I'm just glad I made it out without breaking down and then ran so fucking far”

Analysis: Focus on how positive your intentions were. Remember, you have great qualities that someone else will appreciate. Focus on the future you are saving yourself from. And be grateful that it ended when it did, If the relationship were any longer, you would have sacrificed your self-worth. If it were any shorter, you might not have learned what traits to avoid in the future.

In conclusion, Halsey realized she was worth a whole lot more than a selfish, broken man who didn’t appreciate her love. So, she expressed her feelings, understood how she got into the mess in the first place, she tried to find a silver lining, and eventually, she moved on. If she can do it, so can you. Solid ground is closer than you think!

Prior to the debut of her third album Manic, Halsey released “You should be sad,” a country-inspired single which was accompanied by a seductive music video. However, behind the glitz and glamour lies a powerful message about the healing process following a break-up.

It is suspected that “You should be sad” is the follow-up to Halsey’s hit single “Without Me,” as both songs are directed at ex-boyfriend and rapper G-Eazy. Whereas “Without Me” portrayed the initial anger and rage following the break-up, “You should be sad” represents a state of clarity and remorse as shown in Verse 1: “Got no anger, got no malice / Just a little bit of regret (Regret).” The lyrics imply that Halsey is ready to move on, regardless of the frustrating relationship that she endured.

Another quality shown in this song is honesty. Instead of sugar-coating the relationship, Halsey is straightforward and blunt, which is demonstrated in the Pre-Chorus: “No, you’re not half the man you think that you are / And you can’t fill the hole inside of you with money, drugs, and cars / I’m so glad I never ever had a baby with you / ‘Cause you can’t love nothing unless there’s in it for you.” This series of blows about her ex’s character reveals that Halsey is not scared of speaking her mind and doing so loudly. But amongst the insults, there are hints of gratefulness that the relationship is in the past. The lines “I’m so glad I never ever had a baby with you,” and “I’m just glad I made it out without breaking down” portray Halsey’s gratitude.

Lastly, Halsey reiterates that she did everything she could for her ex, and she isn’t the one to blame. She explains in the Chorus and Verse 2 that “I tried to help you, it just made you mad,” and “I really meant well from the start / Take a broken man right in my hands / And then put back all his parts.” Not do these lines show Halsey’s compassion for the ones she loves, but it serves as an important reminder that you are not responsible to “fix” a broken person.

“You should be sad” is a testament to the power of moving on after a break-up. By holding nothing back and taking a stand, Halsey sends the clear message that she isn’t one to be taken advantage of.

At its opening, I was immediately thrown off by this song. “You Should Be Sad” by Halsey is unlike any of her other pieces, as the beat and tone of voice is a pop/ country style music combination. While listening, I was completely turned off by this style switch; I often find that when artists try to make a shift like this, it interrupts the entire tone of the album. However, after a bit of research, I found that Halsey gave reasoning for the country angle on this song specifically, writing on Twitter that “The most petty and heartbreaking songs all come from country.” [1]

Re-listening to the track with Halseyʼs perception in mind, the track becomes an almost humorous yet deeply emotional dig at her ex. Halsey repeatedly sings “I feel so sad” before ending the song with “You should be sad. You should be.” I interpret this as Halsey trying to push away the sadness that this guy left her with and make him experience that same pain. Petty and heartbreaking, indeed.

[1] https://twitter.com/halsey/status/1215506670551330816?s=21

The boldly titled “You Should be Sad” from artist Halsey starts out with a decidedly Country-esque vibe. A single acoustic guitar strums arpeggios, while a lap-steel haunts the background with a beautiful, reverberated tone. The vocals start off quite suddenly, with Halsey describing the details of a recently-ended relationship. She disparages the ex-lover in the song, suggesting that she was eager to leave, and glad for all the regrets that she never made.

The striking lyrics weave very well around the simple musical production. “I’m so glad I never ever had a baby with you / 'Cause you can't love nothing unless there's something in it for you” Halsey croons, spewing palpable venom in a truly wonderful vocal performance. The simple structure of the song helps to keep the message truly ingrained, though it leaves one wanting for a little more substance from the tune. A steady kick drum makes up the majority of the percussion, and while the guitar is well-mixed and pleasant enough, it becomes truly grating after the 16th repetition, saved only by the aforementioned lap steel, which vibes along in the background.

Most of the production seems to concentrate on the vocals, with several vocal harmonies mingling in from time to time, giving the song a larger, stadium-like atmosphere. The ending showcases these vocals, ending with a somber choir echoing the chord structure of the song, and the song is over almost as quickly as it starts.

The production displayed on Halsey’s records truly shows an artist unwilling to sacrifice substance for simple pop refrains, leaving the listener constantly curious about what’s around the corner, and showing true mastery of genre diversity. With a great set of pipes, and some hardworking musicians, we can expect a long career for Halsey.