[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

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About

Genius Annotation

The angst of social anxiety roars in “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” the fifth track of GUTS. The garage rock cut 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”.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What has the artist said about the song?
Genius Answer

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.

Live Performance
Genius Answer

Was Olivia Rodrigo homeschooled?
Genius Answer

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.

–via Glamour UK

How did the song perform commercially?
Credits
Producer
Vocal Producer
Drum Programmer
Background Vocals
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Electric Guitar
Additional Vocals
Percussion
Guitar
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Recorded At
Amusement Studios, Los Angels, CA / East West Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Release Date
September 8, 2023
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