"Lie To Girls" by Sabrina Carpenter is a song about the complex dynamics of relationships, particularly the way people, both men and women, often engage in self-deception and manipulation to make things work.
Here's a breakdown of the lyrics and the thoughts behind them:
Verse 1:
- "Don't swear on your mom... that it's the first drink you've had in a month": This sets the scene with a specific example of a lie, implying a pattern of deception. The speaker knows the truth, even if the person being addressed tries to deny it.
- "There's no need to pretend... I've never seen an ugly truth that I can't bend... to something that looks better": This speaks to the speaker's ability to see through facades and manipulate the truth to make things seem better, possibly out of love or denial.
- "I'm stupid, but I'm clever... Yeah, I can make a shitshow look a whole lot like forever and ever": This reveals a self-awareness of the speaker's own contradictions and her ability to make things seem "good" even when they aren't.
Chorus:
- "You don't have to lie to girls... If they like you, they'll just lie to themselves": The chorus is the song's central message. It suggests that people in love often overlook flaws and tell themselves lies to justify their feelings. The speaker acknowledges that she's experienced this firsthand.
Verse 2:
- "All of your best excuses... No, they don't stand a chance... Against all the chances I give you": The speaker is tired of the excuses and is willing to put in effort to make the relationship work, even though she knows the other person isn't reciprocating fully.
- "You don't even have to try... Turn you into a good guy": This highlights the speaker's willingness to accept someone as they are and even try to make them better, without them having to make much effort.
- "It's lucky for you I'm just like... My mother (And my sisters) ... All my (All my friends) ... The girl outside the strip club getting her tarot cards read": This refers to the speaker's shared experience with women in general - a tendency towards empathy, denial, and a desire to see the best in people.
- "We love to read the cold, hard facts and swear they're incorrect... We love to mistake butterflies for cardiac arrest": This reinforces the theme of denial and the tendency to prioritize emotions over reality.
Outro:
- "Girls will cry and girls will lie and... Girls will do it 'til they die for you": This is the ultimate statement of the song's central theme. It reinforces that love can lead to blind devotion, self-sacrifice, and even self-destruction.
The song's main message is that love often involves a degree of deception, both from the person being loved and the person loving. It explores the complexities of relationships and the ways in which love can blind us to reality. Carpenter uses her lyrics to capture the honest and raw emotions involved in these situations, leaving the listener to ponder their own experiences and perspectives.