"Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" (stylized in all lowercase) is the fifth track from Olivia Rodrigo's sophomore studio album, GUTS. It was released on September 8, 2023 through Geffen Records.
Audio[]
Background[]
Rodrigo explored lyrical themes like heartbreak, body image, and social and adolescent anxieties on Guts. Reflecting on this, she stated that a significant portion of the album details the confusion associated with transitioning into young adulthood, discovering one's identity, and deciding who to associate with; she thought this was a universal experience of emerging from disillusionment that many people faced. Rodrigo and Nigro wrote "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" early on in the creation process of Guts, among a set of gleeful and uptempo songs. Rodrigo was homeschooled as a teenager and missed out on a regular high school experience. The song draws inspiration from this.
On August 1, 2023, she revealed Guts's tracklist, which featured "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" as the fifth track. The song became available for digital download on the album, which was released on September 8, 2023. It drew a divided fan reaction, with some praising its relatability while others believed a lyric about Rodrigo accidentally liking gay men was insensitive and could be inferred as a reference to her ex-boyfriend Joshua Bassett. The following week, Chipotle Mexican Grill referenced the lyric in an Instagram caption, replacing the word "gay" with "guac": "Every guy I like is guac", to which Rodrigo responded positively. In a September 5th, 2023 Interview Magazine interview with Phoebe Bridgers, Rodrigo explained how being homeschooled shaped her view of her social development:
I was home-schooled and all of this stuff happened in my career, but then I really boiled my problems down and I’m like, ‘Oh, they’re just 19-year-old, 20-year-old problems in a different environment.’ If you speak honestly about any experience, then someone is going to find truth in it.
Olivia Rodrigo had a normal elementary school experience, but then she permanently switched to homeschooling in the seventh grade.
I am a homeschool kid, so I’m so used to being in my house on my laptop, but with my parents. I always say that I never had a normal high school experience. I’ve always been homeschooled because I’ve been working.
The song was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rock Song category at the 66th Annual Grammys. It ended up losing to Not Strong Enough by boygenius.
Composition[]
"Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" is an alternative rock, post-punk revival, pop-punk, and emo song with influences of garage punk, punk rock, and grunge. The Independent's Helen Brown described the song as "a solid wedge of American indie", and The Guardian's Alexis Petridis thought it had "a hint of grunge-era alt-rock". According to John Murphy of MusicOMH, it begins like a Weezer song, incorporating grungy guitars and quiet-loud dynamics. Rodrigo raps during the verses of "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl", vocalizing in a "bratty" way, and she delivers the chorus in a breathless manner without pausing. Writing for Paste, Rachel Saywitz believed that the brash changes in the song's vocal styling represent Rodrigo's knowledge of the lyrics' absurdity. She repeats the lyric "It's social suicide" and lilts the words "AH-ah's" during the post-chorus, which recalls bands like Everclear and Third Eye Blind and proves her affinity for 1990s alternative rock according to Billboard's Jason Lipshutz.
"Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" has lyrics about social anxiety and embarrassment caused by low self-esteem. In a monologue format, Rodrigo recounts her embarrassing experiences at a party the previous night akin to a personal journal entry. She takes a self-deprecating tone and uses dark humor to cope with her social issues. In the first verse, Rodrigo details feeling out of place and disconnected and hating her clothes. She recalls breaking a glass, stumbling, and telling people more than she should have at the party. Rodrigo considers these incidents "social suicide[s]" which make her want to hide herself. In the second verse, she remembers making online searches to learn how to start a conversation and accidentally flirting with an attractive gay man, which is followed by her admission that most men she is attracted to are homosexual: "Everything I do is tragic, every guy I like is gay." In the outro, Rodrigo sings about mistaking someone's mother for their wife and calling them by the wrong name. The Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber compared the song's theme of social anxiety to 1990s teen films. Critics interpreted it as an expression of the social awkwardness Rodrigo experienced as a result of pursuing her acting career and being homeschooled.
Critical reception[]
"Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" is 3 minutes and 23 seconds long. It was recorded at Amusement Studios and East West Studios in Los Angeles. Nigro produced the song, and he engineered it with Sam Stewart, Sterling Laws, Dave Schiffman, and Jasmine Chen. He plays guitar, percussion, and drum programming; Erick Serna and Stewart play electric guitar; Ryan Linvill plays bass; and Laws plays drums. Spike Stent mixed the song at SLS Studios in London, and Randy Merrill mastered it.
The Independent's Helen Brown described the song as "a solid wedge of American indie", and The Guardian's Alexis Petridis thought it had "a hint of grunge-era alt-rock". According to John Murphy of MusicOMH, it begins like a Weezer song, incorporating grungy guitars and quiet-loud dynamics. Rodrigo raps during the verses of "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl", vocalizing in a "bratty" way, and she delivers the chorus in a breathless manner without pausing. Writing for Paste, Rachel Saywitz believed that the brash changes in the song's vocal styling represent Rodrigo's knowledge of the lyrics' absurdity. She repeats the lyric "It's social suicide" and lilts the words "AH-ah's" during the post-chorus, which recalls bands like Everclear and Third Eye Blind and proves her affinity for 1990s alternative rock according to Billboard's Jason Lipshutz.
"Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" has lyrics about social anxiety and embarrassment caused by low self-esteem. In a monologue format, Rodrigo recounts her embarrassing experiences at a party the previous night akin to a personal journal entry. She takes a self-deprecating tone and uses dark humor to cope with her social issues. In the first verse, Rodrigo details feeling out of place and disconnected and hating her clothes. She recalls breaking a glass, stumbling, and telling people more than she should have at the party. Rodrigo considers these incidents "social suicide[s]" which make her want to hide herself. In the second verse, she remembers making online searches to learn how to start a conversation and accidentally flirting with an attractive gay man, which is followed by her admission that most men she is attracted to are homosexual: "Everything I do is tragic, every guy I like is gay." In the outro, Rodrigo sings about mistaking someone's mother for their wife and calling them by the wrong name. The Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber compared the song's theme of social anxiety to 1990s teen films. Critics interpreted it as an expression of the social awkwardness Rodrigo experienced as a result of pursuing her acting career and being homeschooled.
Critical reception[]
Many critics viewed the lyricism of "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" as relatable. The Line of Best Fit's Matthew Kim thought the song was less of a well-calculated political critique and more resembled a "stream-of-consciousness journal entry", and Clash's Alex Berry believed the lyrics offer wisdom and comfort while maintaining the relatable and confused voice of a young person navigating the world. Though Lucas Martins of Beats Per Minute considered it excessively dramatic, he believed it showcased Rodrigo's skill of bringing a ballad's emotionality to a song without that type of production. Writing for Billboard Philippines, Gabriel Saulog thought the song's ability to evoke anxiety-inducing memories for many listeners showcased her skillful songwriting and ability to tell a compelling story through vivid imagery.
Some reviewers found the lyrics funny. The New Yorker's Amanda Petrusich considered it full of outstanding one-liners and among Rodrigo's best songs which depict her "clowning on herself". Sowing of Sputnikmusic believed the song seamlessly blends insightful comments with disarming humor, creating a satisfying emotional experience for the listener. Murphy thought its self-deprecating humor was underscored by a stream of anger and vulnerability beneath it. The line about Rodrigo liking gay men was included on GQ's list of the album's standout and "gutsiest" lyrics and Nylon's list of its most impeccable lyrics.
Some critics commented on the production choices on "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl". Petridis discussed the song amongst tracks that proved Guts had a harder sound than Sour, adding more live instrumentation while taking the latter as its starting point. The New York Times's Jon Caramanica believed it displayed how Rodrigo had not given into pressure to work with producers like Max Martin and pursued an intimate rock sound instead. Lipshutz thought the whole song embodied "a sense of sonic and lyrical purpose".
Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone placed "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" at the bottom of his September 2023 ranking of Rodrigo's discography. He liked the song title's potential reference to Bob Dylan's song "Ballad of a Thin Man" (1965) but viewed the chorus as a let-down. Sheffield picked his favorite lyric: "I'm on the outside of the greatest inside joke." The Washington Post's Chris Richards ranked it as the eighth-best song of the year and a standout track on Guts. Among Rodrigo's six nominations at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" was nominated for Best Rock Song, marking her first appearance in a rock category.
Commercial performance[]
The song debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100 issued for September 23, 2023. In Canada, the song entered at number 25 on the Canadian Hot 100 issued for the same date and was certified gold by Music Canada. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number 20 on the Official Audio Streaming Chart and Billboard. In Australia, "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" entered at number 22 and received a gold certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association. The song debuted at number 18 in New Zealand. It charted at number 21 on the Billboard Global 200. "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" also reached national record charts at number 17 in Ireland, number 51 in Portugal, and number 53 in Greece. The song received a gold certification in Brazil.
Theme[]
The angst of social anxiety roars in “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” the fifth track of GUTS. The song delves into Olivia’s struggles to socialize and “fit in” with her peers. The song’s title alludes to the common albeit faulty notion that homeschooled children are socially stunted.
The nostalgic lyricism describes the social fumbles of her adolescent years: tripping, stumbling on words and making simple mistakes. When speaking with Rolling Stone, Rodrigo revealed that she named this track after Bob Dylan’s “Ballad of a Thin Man”.
Official Versions[]
| Version | Released on | Release date | Producer(s) | Creation date | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final | GUTS | September 8, 2023 | Dan Nigro | 2022 | 3:24 | |
| Demos | ||||||
| Demo | Unreleased | Unleaked | Nigro | 2022 | Unknown | |
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
Cat got my tongue
And I don't think I get along with anyone
Blood runnin' cold
I'm on the outside of the greatest inside joke
And I hate all my clothes
Feels like my skin doesn't fit right over my bones
So I guess I should go
The party's done, and I'm no fun, I know, I know
I know, I know
[Chorus]
I broke a glass, I tripped and fell
I told secrets I shouldn't tell
I stumbled over all my words
I made it weird, I made it worse
Each time I step outside, it's social suicide
It's social suicide, wanna curl up and die
It's social suicide
[Post-Chorus]
Ah, ah, ah
[Verse 2]
I laughed at the wrong time, sat with the wrong guy (Uh-huh)
Searchin' "how to start a conversation?" on a website (How to flirt?)
I talked to this hot guy, swore I was his type
Guess that he was makin' out with boys, like, the whole night (Oh)
Everythin' I do is tragic (Oh)
Every guy I like is gay (Oh)
The morning after I panic (Oh)
Oh, God, what did I say? (Oh, oh, oh)
[Chorus]
I broke a glass, I tripped and fell
I told secrets I shouldn't tell
I stumbled over all my words
I made it weird, I made it worse
Each time I step outside, it's social suicide
It's social suicide, wanna curl up and die
It's social suicide, yeah, when I'm alone, I'm fine
But don't let me out at night, it's social suicide
It's social suicide
[Post-Chorus]
Ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah
[Chorus]
I broke a glass, tripped and fell
Told secrets I shouldn't tell
Stumbled over all my words
Made it weird, then made it worse
Each day that I'm alive, it's social suicide
It's social suicide, wanna curl up and die
It's social suicide
It's social suicide, don't let me out at night
I'm shocked I'm still alive, it's social suicide
[Post-Chorus]
Ah, ah, ah
[Outro]
Thought your mom was your wife (Ah)
Called you the wrong name twice (Ah)
Can't think of a third line (Ah)
La-la-la-la-la-la (Ah)
La-la-la-la-la-la (Ah)
La-la-la-la-la-la (Ah)
La-la-la-la-la-la, ugh
Videos[]
Charts[]
Certifications[]
[]
v • e  | |
|---|---|
| Featured Tracks | all-american bitch • bad idea right? • vampire • lacy • ballad of a homeschooled girl • making the bed • logical • get him back! • love is embarrassing • the grudge • pretty isn't pretty • teenage dream |
| Bonus Tracks | obsessed • girl i've always been • scared of my guitar • stranger • so american |
| Scrapped Tracks | Fantasy • Hate Ur Guts • Lights • Loveable • She's All That |
| Related Tracks | Santa Monica Mountains |
| Producers | Olivia Rodrigo • Daniel Nigro • Alexander 23 • Ryan Linvill • Ian Kirkpatrick |
| Tour | Guts World Tour • Guts World Tour: Spilled |
| Misc | Can't Catch Me Now |
| Extras | Merchandise • The Secret Tracks • Olivia Rodrigo: Guts World Tour |