This Wasn't Meant For You Anyway - Lola Young
Listened to: 12/2/24
First Listen? No, Been listening to this A LOT
Discovery: Found Lola Young through tiktok a few years ago from clips of her song “Don’t Hate Me” which was released in 2023.
Tracks Ranked (favorite to least favorite):
Crush
Walk on By
Wish You Were Dead
You Noticed
Instrusive Thoughts
Messy
Good Books
Big Brown Eyes
Fuck
Conceited
Outro
Some Vauge Thoughts On the Album as a Whole
This was not my first listen through of this Album, I have had this on repeat since realizing Lola Young had released new music this summer.
I first came across Lola on Tiktok when her song “Don’t Hate Me” was getting some tracktion. I was entranced by her lyrical phrasing, soulfull but fresh tone, vocal range, instrumentations, and lyrics.
Truthfully, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Lola’s last album, “My Mind Wanders and Sometimes Leaves Completely” but I may not have given it a good enough listen, so I’ll have to try it again. But this album, man. It’s special.
I deeply relate to so many of her lyrics. Every aspect of each song creates a world that the listener lives in with her. I genuinely don’t skip a single song on this album, (except the outro sometimes) and ranking it was difficult. I have so many favorites.
Brief Run Down On Crush and Why It’s My Fave
Crush begins with a count off, then drums and bass, then guitar. Classic, but VERY well done here. The bassline is groovy and slightly unsettling. After a build and another count off we then find our home with Lola’s first verse and guitar heavy in the mix.
The first verse builds, with the introduction of a distorted guitar and changes in the bass and drums, into the pre-chorus, which gives us some insight into a little bit of insecurity. What I love about this song as a whole, but especially this pre-chorus and chorus, is the stark dynamic contrast. It really serves the songs meaning. In the pre-chorus Lola is singing about how the object of her affections is only “passing me by” and how everyone want’s a “piece of your pretty pie” but that she thinks she can take that on.
When we reach the chorus and title, we get a paired back, quieter, admission of venerability. Here Lola talks about how she has a crush, but doubts the reality and validity of those feelings.
And then we go back into a verse. This one exploring behaviors of someone with a crush.
This time the pre-chorus ends with a variation on her original melody, which beautifuly leads back into the quieter chorus. Which then devolves into gorgeous chaos.
The reason this song is my favorite? Well, prosody. I’m a songwriter. What can I say? I love when a song is so well done that every element supports the lyrics.