Wearing Your Cologne, Smelling Like A Song

Bad Guy is a song by Billie Eilish, released in 2019 as the second track on her debut album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?. The song includes the line but maybe it's 'cause I'm wearing your cologne, which is included in the bridge of the song. The song is playful and bass-heavy, with a mix of funky, groovy beats and disturbing vocals.

Billie Eilish's 'Bad Guy'

Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" is a playful, bass-heavy track that sees the singer taunting her lover, flaunting her tough nature, and questioning his. The song is a blend of a macabre storyline with twisted happiness, which is what makes the song's sound so catchy, and the lyrics and video so disturbing.

The song begins with the image of a "white shirt now red, my bloody nose", which illustrates the internal change her character undergoes. Eilish has often spoken about how colours are expressive to her, and she loves to tie visuals to her songs in music videos. The white shirt, pure and untainted, now corrupted by blood, symbolises pain as a metaphor for the loss of innocence.

The scene is set with her asleep with her partner, "on [his] tippy toes", likely sneaking around so that no one else will know they were together, as we later learn he has a girlfriend. The "criminal" act he feels so bad about is probably having an affair with her, though her character has a more casual attitude towards the situation. His apprehension about the affair does not make him a moral person, as the next line preludes her description of this bad boy: "bruises on both [her] knees for [him]", alluding to her begging him for something he refuses to give. It could be him ending the relationship with his girlfriend.

Her character shifts after this line into a more aggressive and villainous persona, much like the man she wants a relationship with. She throws social niceties out and commands him not to "say thank you or please", because she "do [es] what [she] want [s] when [she's] wanting to". The reason she gives for this behaviour is that her soul is "so cynical" and hardened against feelings like compassion and caring.

The chorus compares herself to the man she wants a relationship with. He's a "tough guy" who "likes it really rough" and "can't get enough". Her description of him ties into the image of a bad boy that any sane father would disapprove of. But this doesn't frighten Billie's character. Instead, she counters by telling him how similar they are. She's "that bad type", the kind of girl who would "make [his] mama sad" and "seduce [his] dad" if the desire struck her. She has no care for the destruction she leaves in her wake, or that his dad has a wife and her lover has a girlfriend. She appears to be proud of it, bragging, "I'm only good at being bad".

The second verse contains the most sexual undertones of any song on Billie Eilish's debut album, particularly with the lines, "you don't / Own me, I'll let you play the role / I'll be your animal". It is surprising that after proving her assertive personality, she tells him that she likes it "when [he] take [s] control". This could be because he is one of the few people she has met who is just as bad as her and can be just as overpowering a force to her as she is to him.

Billie breaks character slightly to address the audience and admit that this song is dark, even for her. If her mother "reads all the lyrics" she "won't sing this song" like she usually does when Billie releases music. Instead, she'll "pity the men" in Billie's life who she imposes her desires on. This is the most interesting part of the second verse, if not the song, as it is laced with a twinge of regret and sadness. She is confessing that this unruly behaviour is putting distance between herself (as the character she is playing, not Billie in real life) and her mother.

In the conclusion of the story, her love interest is angry with her, likely because his girlfriend found out about their romance. Rather than being apologetic, she likes it that he's mad, and says she's "pretty glad that [he's] alone". This could refer to a breakup between him and his girlfriend, but without details, this line is slightly unclear. She is surprised to learn that his girlfriend is "scared of [her]”. She acts as if she doesn't know why, shrugging it off with, "I don't see what she sees / But maybe it's 'cause I'm wearing your cologne". The other girl is clearly threatened because she knows that Billie and her boyfriend have been close enough for his cologne to be smelled on her clothes. This also means that, if his girlfriend has smelled his cologne on Billie, Billie likely went to see her so she could intimidate her away from the guy she likes.

Lyrics analysis

"Bad Guy" is a song by Billie Eilish, released on 29 March 2019. The lyrics of the song see Eilish taunting her lover, flaunting her tough nature while questioning his own. The song is playful, with a bass-heavy track, funky, groovy beats, and disturbing vocals.

The lyrics are filled with dark, disturbing confessions, such as "I'm that bad type / Make your mama sad type / Make your girlfriend mad type / Might seduce your dad type". The song is a blend of a macabre storyline with twisted happiness, which is what makes the song so catchy and the lyrics so disturbing.

In the song, Eilish assumes the aura of a 'bad guy' in the relationship, making sarcastic jokes about her boyfriend, who is not a bad guy at all. She compares herself to the stereotypical male version of a 'bad guy', who is rough, tough, and has a high sex drive. She then elaborates on how a girl can be bad, including stealing other women's boyfriends and seducing their dads.

The song has strong sexual undertones, with Eilish speaking of stealing someone else's boyfriend and being willing to be his 'animal' and fulfill her desires. The lyrics also allude to her begging him for something over and over again that he refuses to give. It could be him ending the relationship with his girlfriend.

In the reprise of the song, Eilish makes a conversation with a guy who is cheating on his girlfriend with her. She casually questions why his girlfriend is scared of her, and suggests that it might be because she is wearing his cologne and is around him and his girlfriend enough for her to recognise the scent.

The song is a continuation of the first track of the album, "!!!!!!", in which Billie has a conversation with her brother Finneas about removing her Invisalign. The "bad guy" music video starts with Billie removing her Invisalign and handing it over to a guy.

Song structure

The song that contains the lyrics "because I'm wearing your cologne" is "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish. The song follows a Verse–Chorus form, which consists of two main sections – a verse and chorus – that often contrast melodically, rhythmically, harmonically and dynamically. The song also includes an introduction, pre-chorus, and outro.

The song begins with an introduction, which is a unique section that comes at the beginning of a piece. It typically builds suspense for the listener and creates a sense of release when the downbeat drops. Intros usually contain just music and no words.

Following the intro is the first verse, which gives the listener an idea of what the song is about. The first verse of "Bad Guy" sets the scene, describing the dynamic between Billie's character and her lover.

The pre-chorus functions to connect the verse to the chorus with intermediary material, typically using subdominant harmonies. It helps to build anticipation for the chorus, which is the part of the song that listeners are waiting for. The chorus conveys the main idea of the song and usually repeats melodically, musically, and/or lyrically.

The song then repeats the verse-chorus structure, with the second verse delving into more sexual undertones. The second verse is followed by another pre-chorus, which builds up to the second chorus.

The song concludes with an outro, which is a way of finishing or completing the song. It signals to the listeners that the song is nearing its close and gives a sense of closure.

Overall, the song structure of "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish effectively utilizes the common Verse–Chorus form, with additional elements such as the introduction, pre-chorus, and outro, to create a captivating and memorable song.

Music video

The music video for Billie Eilish's song "Bad Guy" sees the artist relieving herself from her usual creepy persona and assuming a completely bizarre character. The video starts with Billie removing her Invisalign and handing it over to a guy. This is a continuation of the first track "!!!!!!" from the album, in which Billie has a conversation with her brother Finneas about removing her Invisalign for the album's music video.

The video's narrative revolves around the song's lyrics, which describe a "bad guy" in a relationship and make sarcastic jokes about a boyfriend who isn't actually a bad guy. The female version of a "bad guy", as depicted by Billie, includes stealing other women's boyfriends and seducing their dads. The song and video have a vibrant sexual undertone, with Billie speaking of stealing someone's boyfriend and assuming a dominant role in the relationship.

The video's aesthetic and Billie's characterisation complement the song's blend of a macabre storyline with twisted happiness. The video is likely to be just as disturbing as the song's more explicit lyrics, such as "I do what I want when I'm wanting to" and "might seduce your dad type", and just as playful, with lines like "I'm the bad guy, duh".

Comparison to other songs

The song that contains the lyrics "because I'm wearing your cologne" is "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish. In this song, Eilish taunts her lover, flaunting her tough nature while questioning his own. The song is a blend of a macabre storyline with a twisted happiness, which is what makes the song's sound so catchy, and the lyrics and video so disturbing.

Comparing this to other songs that mention fragrances and colognes, we can see that "Bad Guy" is unique in its approach. While songs like "Let Me Watch" by Viktor Vaughn, "Lodi Dodi" by Snoop Dogg, and "Last Call" by Kanye West directly name-drop specific fragrances, "Bad Guy" uses the cologne as a narrative device to further the story within the song. The cologne represents the intimacy between the characters and adds a layer of intrigue to the relationship being described.

Other songs that mention fragrances include "Say Aah" by Trey Songz, which includes the line "smellin' like Dolce and Gabanna." Ray Cash's "Sex Appeal" also comes to mind, with the lyrics "She loves the way I walk, she loves the way I smell / What's that cologne he got on, platinum Chanel." These songs directly mention the fragrance brands, using them as a symbol of luxury or desirability.

In contrast, "Bad Guy" uses the cologne as a plot device, adding a layer of complexity to the dynamic between the characters. The cologne signifies the closeness of their relationship and hints at the possibility of infidelity, as the other woman in the song is threatened by the presence of the cologne's scent. This narrative twist showcases the song's clever lyricism and adds depth to the story being told.

Additionally, songs like "Nasty Girl" by Notorious B.I.G. and "Good Drank" by 2 Chainz mention cologne in a more materialistic context, focusing on the brand and its association with luxury and status. "Nasty Girl" includes the line "Platinum Chanel cologne and I stay, dressed to impress," while 2 Chainz raps about "Bond number 9, that's my favorite scent." These references showcase the artists' taste for high-end fragrances and contribute to their larger-than-life personas.

In conclusion, while many songs mention fragrances and colognes, "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish stands out for its creative use of the cologne as a narrative device. The cologne adds intrigue to the story, enhances the character dynamics, and contributes to the overall appeal of the song.

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