Ah, it’s that time of the year where love is in the air as lovers exchange roses, teddy bears, and chocolate covered strawberries (or raisins if you want to be a little extra romantic). Meanwhile, the Queen of Pop Carly Rae Jepsen is out here cancelling Valentine’s Day with her new single ‘Let’s Be Friends.’
The single’s title may send shivers up your spine, because you know the only time you hear those cringey words are when it’s time to break up. Sometimes being friends might be the most civil solution at the end of the day, but Jepsen smashes those words with a sledge hammer.
Throughout, the Queen points out the telling signs that the end is near, for it’s a, “Black dress occasion/Nobody’s dying/It’s a dinner not a date.” Then when it’s time to ask for the check, Jepsen launches into the chorus with, “Let’s be friends/And never speak again/It’s cool/We can just pretend we’re friends.”
It’s like every line is dripping with sarcasm and a little giggle behind it. Usually people cry or try to make it work when they hear those words, but Jepsen lays the sauce on thick and acknowledges that she ain’t gonna put in a lick of effort. She even adds spice into the backing vocals of the chorus with, “See you never.”
For someone who has written a slew of breakup songs, the Queen’s ‘Let’s Be Friends’ takes the heart-shaped box of chocolates. Jepsen has the gift of taking words that hurt and putting them into a hip shaking bop that even has the backing of an acoustic guitar, a new sound for her.
Although Jepsen sings of the end in ‘Friends,’ it could mark the beginning of a new album. Last May, CRJ released her hit album Dedicated, and this might be one of the hundreds of b-sides left over. Considering she released a collection of b-sides from her other album Emotion, we may get a Dedicated Side-B.
So, Jepsen, let’s hope we speak again.
IMAGE TAKEN from @CarlyRaeJepsen Twitter
