Liability (Lorde): The Analysis of a Song

Listen to 'Liability' by Lorde here.


Study the song's lyrics which are given below:


Baby really hurt me
Crying in the taxi
He don't wanna know me
Says he made the big mistake of dancing in my storm
Says it was poison
So I guess I'll go home
Into the arms of the girl that I love
The only love I haven't screwed up
She's so hard to please
But she's a forest fire
I do my best to meet her demands
Play at romance, we slow dance
In the living room, but all that a stranger would see
Is one girl swaying alone
Stroking her cheek

They say, "You're a little much for me
You're a liability
You're a little much for me"
So they pull back, make other plans
I understand, I'm a liability
Get you wild, make you leave
I'm a little much for
E-a-na-na-na, everyone

The truth is I am a toy that people enjoy
'Til all of the tricks don't work anymore
And then they are bored of me
I know that it's exciting
Running through the night, but
Every perfect summer's
Eating me alive until you're gone
Better on my own

They say, "You're a little much for me
You're a liability
You're a little much for me"
So they pull back, make other plans
I understand, I'm a liability
Get you wild, make you leave
I'm a little much for
E-a-na-na-na, everyone

They're gonna watch me
Disappear into the sun
You're all gonna watch me
Disappear into the sun

Songwriters: Ella Yelich O'connor / Jack Antonoff

Liability lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songs Music Publishing


How does the songwriters bring out themes of alienation and estrangement through their choice of words?

The singer (Lorde) compares herself to a storm and a forest fire, which are wild, dangerous phenomena that cannot be controlled by Man. In doing so, she suggests that her lovers (and friends) see her as difficult, dangerous or even out of control.


The singer refers to herself in the third person as 'she' and 'her'. This suggests detachment and de-personalisation, which reinforce the theme of alienation.


She compares herself to a plaything, which is a powerful use of metaphor. This suggests a reversal of roles. Lorde sees herself as being more emotionally acute than her peers, and she criticises those who play with her feelings.


She further compares herself to a 'liability', which is reinforced through the use of repetition. This use of a financial metaphor is effective as it is a novel use of words. She adds further word-play with the line 'You're a little much for me'. When analysed, this seems to suggest that her peers cannot afford to spend time with her, probably because they feel that she is on a 'different level' to them.


In the last verse, the singer changes tone. She sneers at those who have abandoned her by claiming that 'they will watch her disappear into the Sun'. Similarly, in the last line, she is relishing the feat of accomplishing such an act.


The phrase '...disappear into the Sun' could mean that as a person; she is rising above her peers, in terms of achievements and accomplishments; and she is leaving their petty misunderstandings of her behind (on Earth!)