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Hannah Skibba

Professor Fields

English Composition

February 8, 2019

Isn’t It Lovely?

There are many ways to tell a brilliant story in a song. The main way to do this is by the

lyrics, but the instruments and tone can make these lyrics into something much greater. The song

Lovely by Billie Eilish featuring Khalid has minimal lyrics, but the powerful duo allows the song

to flow into a meaningful story through the lack of intense instruments and soft, yet strong

voices. The story of this song is the artist stuck in an abusive, unhealthy relationship and taking

on the journey to find a better life for themselves. Throughout the song, it is revealed that this

journey faces obstacles but the artist fights and continues to have hope.

The song begins with a soft melody of piano and high strings that grows until the female

singer, Billie Eilish begins. The soft music throughout the entire song expresses to the audience

that it is a calm setting. While the setting is calm, the violin and piano together creates a

sorrowful sound. The male singer, Khalid joins in almost immediately with a harmonizing

melody to her soft tone. A lyric that sticks out in the first verse is, “Thought I found a way out,

but you’ll never go away.” The message portrayed in this line is that the singer is stuck in an

unwanted relationship and wants to find an escape. As the song continues, it is apparent that this

task is not easy. The song transitions to the pre-chorus with a light beat joining in as the lyrics

state, “I hope someday I’ll make it out of here, even if it takes all night or a hundred years.”

There is an emphasis on the lyrics, “out of here,” and “hundred years,” by slowing the words
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down slightly and belting the lyrics slightly louder. The way the artists express these lines

display the pain behind the beautiful singing. This shows that the artist will do whatever it takes

to be free again.

Before the chorus begins, there is a small negative space. By adding this negative space,

the song is able to add a more dramatic feel. Although the audience may expect to hear a very

large ensembled chorus with heavy voices, this song does the exact opposite. One piano note is

touched as Billie lightly sings, “Isn’t it lovely?” There is another small negative space before she

finishes the line, “all alone.” This was an effective way to express the hurt that she is feeling.

The entire chorus continues with one piano note per line, which helps provide the audience

ability to hear exactly what the artists are saying. One specific lyric that sticks out is the phrase,

“Tear me to pieces, skin to bone.” This phrase tells the audience that there is real damage being

done to the artist. The destruction is expressed as physical although there seems to be mental and

emotional pain underneath the lyrics as well.

The second verse highlights the male singer, Khalid. He begins this verse by saying,

“Walking out of time, looking for a better place.” This line tells the audience that the task of

trying to get out of this abusive situation, is not successful and there is a strong feeling of being

defeated. After this line, there is an echo of his lyric, “looking for a better place.” This implies

that although the time seems as if it is running out, he still is hopeful that he will find the better

place he is searching for. The song intensifies again as the pre-chorus begins. The difference in

the lyrics this that the hopeful becomes certainty by saying, “But I know someday I’ll make it out

of here.” The artists again emphasize the words, “out of here,” and “hundred years,” which is an

effective way to tell the audience to not give up. The chorus hits again with the same

peacefulness. After the chorus, there is harmonizing between the two and then a violin solo of
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the chorus. The song finishes with the lyrics, “hello, welcome home.” This lyric is strong

because it allows the audience to decide what happened the artist and what exactly, “home” is.

The audience can decide whether the artist got out of the situation that they were in or if they are

accepting it and calling it home.

In conclusion, it is not necessary for an artist to narrate the entire song for the story to be

strong. In fact, it allows the audience to think and come to their own conclusions, which can

make the song even stronger. With minimal lyrics and softer instruments, this song still can carry

a strong story and message by how the tone is delivered.